690 10 9668 https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/d2ecc6b6351791b1ba02b29d71f82ff4.png b77938b8249eccc9d1c8fdbd269afe72 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Fear: Looking In Subject The topic of the resource LibArt 2024 Description An account of the resource Fear is something we all experience. It is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. This photograph is part of a set of 10 that dives into how different fears can be extremely personal, but also so shared among us. The set of photographs was based on the real fears that I found shared between people in my life, who were majority women, that shared they had fears of being kidnapped, stalked and followed. This photo focuses the viewer in the position of the one doing the watching. The subject of the photo is staring directly into the camera, expression neutral, and allows the viewer to interpret this in their own way. Does the subject care that the camera is out there? Are they worried? Are they in fear? Other photographs in this set put a focus on the lack of intentions and that unknown variable of the subject and how they could bring the viewer harm, but here there is a shift to the focus of the one doing the watching. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sophia Graack Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Held by creator Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Inkjet print LibArt https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/fb3581e0dbac80712d5418e39607f7cf.jpg e123ed8e5f4b44a349d4e747a137ae7a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rain Brain Subject The topic of the resource LibArt 2024 Description An account of the resource This self portrait represents the feeling of rainy days and a melancholic mood. The intersection covering the face was a stop on my daily commute to school, symbolic of feeling stuck in the same routine with no inclination of change. There’s also a high level of helplessness in the contrast between the landscape and the portrait, emphasized through the desaturation of the face and brightness of the lights against the pavement. There's many subtle symbolic meanings within the scene, all intentionally creating the mood I was feeling in that moment. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sophia Hinshaw Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Held by creator Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oil on Canvas https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/526d02b07333762bca274217247d8d53.jpg 1ab5eaf82e9b59b5169268c9b0b586ef Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Past Lives Subject The topic of the resource LibArt 2024 Description An account of the resource This work symbolizes how no matter how much you try to change and create a new self, your past self will always be a part of you, and it resembles your current self more than you think. I attempted to make this painting appear to be a skull inside a skull to show the repeating pattern of killing your past selves. The complementary color scheme symbolizes the conflicting sides of yourself that must coexist inside one being. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sophia Hinshaw Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Held by creator Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oil in Canvas LibArt https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/7e7120c2cb892783dd0ebbfc918dcc72.jpeg 3bbef50d546c068d0214b6eb860b8d75 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LibArt 2022 Subject The topic of the resource 2022 LibArt Exhibition images Description An account of the resource Sudent art submissions to the 2022 LibArt Exhibition Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Myself Abstracted Subject The topic of the resource LibArt 2022 Description An account of the resource This is a self portrait, despite not having myself physically represented. I added objects that I believe represent me, such as things I own, my art supplies, and various media that I enjoy. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sophia Moore Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2022 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Held by creator Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photoshop illustration https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/a863239c506a3c07a29cc4f586e98dd2.jpg 3d00cd8ecd9d74d049949a6f0ceacde6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource In the Shadow of Cortes Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Recopilaci&oacute;n de leyes de los reynos de las Indias</em> Description An account of the resource Book Six, laws pertaining to indigenous peoples. In <em>Recopilaci&oacute;n de leyes de los reynos de las Indias</em> (<em>Compilation of the Laws of the Kingdoms of the Indies</em>), 1681. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="http://catalog.lib.ku.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?bbid=3783920">Summerfield E190</a> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Spain Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Madrid: I. de Paredes Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1681 https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/465272e548e6c52504ff861b7968de68.jpg 092046cbf2d3ed6a553ba88cccf86ab5 https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/7ee20f1f0f6bc56e45de04735d7f99cc.jpg 106d7776c636c4656e20120dfdc17a34 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marvelous Marginalia Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Trattato de'sette vitii capitali cioè de peccati mortali </em>[<em>Treatise on the Seven Capital Vices, that is, the Deadly Sins</em>] Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource St. Antonius of Florence Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1440-1460 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://kuprimo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1n9tuvc/KU_VOYAGER2955275">MS A15</a> https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/bf88be59611e7e44441339830df72d77.jpg fac647a9b01955e0f2f9481deec5c9cb Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <p><em>The Blue Dwarf, A Tale of Love, Mystery, and Crime; Introducing Many Startling Incidents in the Life of That Celebrated Highwayman, Dick Turpin</em><em><br /></em></p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource St. John, Percy B. (Percy Bolingbroke), 1821-1889 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available London: Hogarth House Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1880? Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="http://catalog.lib.ku.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?bbid=2618014" target="_blank">O'Hegarty D283 Vol. 2 of 3</a> https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/5287798c524b968f7325ca5bc9679d53.jpg 84abe1dce2bbc91eb154579a6851af90 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LibArt 2026 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Life Shroud Subject The topic of the resource LibArt 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stella Crandall Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2026 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource held by creator Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Textile https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/7af16e4439f8d25f168f36c0676d2d08.pdf 9574f775488611364676f57802719985 PDF Text Text I Ik..P P ��BEAUTIFUL MARIA ''EMMAN & MARIA'' Published & Obtainable from:- MICHAEL ALLAN OHAEJESI 17 Bright Street Onitsha. c A v ? A n m 216 Copy Right Reserved. Net Price. ��Contents Act one, scene one, the tussle 5 Act two, the love tutelage 8 Act two; scene one; the confession 15 Act two, scene two, the meeting. 18 Act three, the end of love journey. 24 Extra love dealers. 31 Wise sayings and advices 38 �PREFACE This is a drama, specially prepared for African readers anc!. actors. I t is a comedy which suits men aad women of all classes. To children, it portrays more of the type of life which ought to be led by youths of decent character when engaged in love affairs. Like my other drama pieces, I have no doubt that readers will equally enjoy it. The language is quite simple, infact such that it could easily be understood by anybody who can read a little. The characters used here are very fictitious and bear no form of relationship whatsoever to any existing persons, since the stories are in the main imaginary. This is an original work of the author and any person or persons who wish to dramatise it should obtain permission from the publishers. FELIX N. STEPHEN (Dramatic) �ACT I SCENE 1 THE TUSSLE M y master Emmanuel has refused eating anything for two days now. DAVID: IS he undertaking some religious fast? JOE: Not at all! It is rather awkward! He has been worried in mind over his failure in gaining the love of Maria. DAVID: But he is quite handsome and many other girls are after him. JOE: JOE: Well David, tastes differ! Maria has frankly told me that she will prefer me to my master. I very much wonder what the result of such an undertaking will have on m!, future a poor page of my own type without any type of attraction. I like your master very much. If I were a girl, I would not hesitate to rush to him and ask him to be in friendship with me. You imay' not think youiself attractive. But there is no doubt that Maria might have seen some attractive qualities in you, hence her statement. Handsomeness is not the only attraction a man can have. I have seen some ugly men who at the same time attractive. It might be through a man's gait of walking, how he barbs his hair, fashion, emoothness of the skin, how he laughs or comports himself or even how much he can d o at boxing or footballing o r racing, In short, sportsmen are always liked by girls. But what do you think of your master's treatment of your person? In the first place, according to what he presents himself to be - DAVID: JOE: �before me he is no less than any gentleman. Again he is kind. I can assure you that, I make quite a good sum from him every weekend. He is liberal. Many people think that both of us are brothers. He scolds me in private when I go the wrong way but defends me in public when any person underestimates me. I d o not wish to leave him in time anyway. I wish I can get a master like that. I was once living with one big rascal. A very chronic drunkard, a chain smoker and in his sight, every ugly women is beautiful. He would come home every night after all the pubs might have closed, staggering, cursing, swearing and vomitting. I was ashamed of him. One day I could not brook his treatment of me anymore and so went back to my parents. It was my sole intention to remain in his house not minding his fooly. But he would starve me at times and then g2t into the pubs for drinking of liquor. That is why you see me still living with my paren!s. D o you not think that you can help this man who has been all that kind to you? DAVID: JOE: What else can I do? Maria has said that she does not want to hear any message from him any mcre. In any case, if your master returns and finds me sitting at ease in his parlour chatting with you, do you think that it will not reflect upon you seriously? DAVID: JOE: Although my msster is not ill-tempered yet, I feel that he will not be back very soon. 6 �Did he tell you. to..where he was ,going? Not all that! DAVID: JOE: (ENTER EMMANUEL THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE) Welcome Sir! EMMAN: Yes thank you! Anjr person looked for me? JOE Nobody Sir. DAVID (Standing) Welcon~eSir. EMMAN y e s my friend Welcome too Joe, Is he your friend? JOE: He is my friend Sir. His name is David. EMMAN (Giving to Joe) Take this hmmount of five shillings, buy some light refreshments for your friend and after that send this letter of mine to Maria. But Joe, (patting him on the right shoulder) try to pull your weight before her. Present me in a reasonable way. If you succeed I shall reward you nicely. Meanwhile, I am going out. I hope to get Fomz good news from you, on my return. JOE: I shall do as you commanded. Thanks Sir! DAVID: I am very grateful to you Sir! (EMMANUEL LEAVES) What? Is this man like this? lo@: told you! I DO not worry again. We must convince Maria. Let us only hit a t a plan. JOE: I understand that many people have tried her and failed! DAVID: 7 �That does-not matter! Take me by my words! She does not know me, does slic? JOE: She does not !(now you at all. DAvrD: I shdl go in your company to her. In that case I shall use my mouth very well. JOE: That will be a grmt assistant.: indeed. But I hope your father will not be dfended? DAVID: No person wtll tell him. JOE: Thank you. L& us go. DAVID: (BOTH OF THEM LEAVE) ACT 1 E N 2 THE LCVE TUTELAGE I have blzen approached by Inany suitors, but I find it qui!p: difficult, to take a d~cision. TIIERL'SA: Coes it sitiwly go to m a n that none of them measurcs up to expcctatian? MARIA: MoI:~ of them are presentabl?. But inf-ct Theresa I only want to n;sks wri. that he to whom I shall agree to give my hand will not disappoint me later on. It is for this sake that 1 am of the opinion to give trials to many mco. He who succecds will do so, out of the gravity of love that he has on mc. T I I ~ ~ A : yo:^ at this stage no! Can guess of any man that is languishing for not being able to have secured your love? MARIA: I haw heard of one Emn~anucl.Really I cat: not jqst tell if !I= is scrious. I want to give him a tough time first. If I do not do so, he will deem me very cheap. His boy often comes here. MARIA: ��Personally I have many male friends. I do not like to keep to one. That is why it appears that I haw got some good amount of money MARIA: DO YOU think that all of then1 who come to you pay the money joyrully? TIIERESA: Whcther thcy d o o r not is not my rea! concern. It is my policy that wilkout their money I do not give out my love. BIARIA: Can that be taken as trc~eloye? THERESA: That is why 1 can say IS the best way for a woman to follow men. They are deceitful. IF you are soft with them, they become very insultive to you. MARIA: I will also like to have my own sound experience of men. But I shall like t o exp-riment on one man only. THERESA: (ENTER JOE AND DAVID) Oh! my little f ~ i e n dJoe how are you getting on with things these days? JOE: Just as usual, thank you! (Hands over a lctter to Maria) MARIA: From whom is this? JOE: A man who bas for some days now been ianguishing great1 y for having not been able to h a w your love. If it is from l o u r maslcr, w d I must have to suggest to you thst there is no need waisting rime. 1 had on some cccassions toid you frankly that I do not want him !o spcsk to' me on this matter anymore I repeat that if you would like to comc in as suitor that J shall not wasl timc to grant. MARIA: �I suggest that you read the letter. Who knows .whether the content might not agree with the former ones you had receivzd? THERESA: DAVID: 1 really see with you! MARIA: Against my will I open and read this letter. JOE: You may even find it quite interesting. Does it mean that you read the letter before bringing it to me? MARIA: JOE: I t does ~:otmezn so. I saw the mood in which he was while writing it. I wonder what it is that can convince any right thinking lady not be pleased with Emmanuel. In the first instance he is presentable, gentle, straightforward, liberal, inteligent and above all kind. Again he is optimistic of life. His fellow men like him and wish that he were a lady. As young as I am, I see clearly what some msn tend to prove t o be. If he w x e a big rascal, I could not have gone near to him. But he is a good breed and his parents are noblc. Such a msn i? rare to get in this era. Were it that love is not just a thing which cannot be helped Emmanuel, ought to have been without a companion. From all reports 1 have collected sbout Maria, I could easily predict that where she and Emmanuel are joiried up together the joy that will exist in such a company will be infinite. From my own youthful opinion I could say that tbere is nothing as good as two people staying together in peace and harmony. Life without true love appears to me to be not worth living. Please let me not be mistaken. DAVID: , �May I keep it crystd clear that I have come here neither to praise Maria nor Emmanuel. But I am of the type that without any fear of contradition approve a good proposal and condemn a bad one. What actually worries my mind is that I cannot easily tell if Emmanuel loves me as much as he professes to. MARIA: JOE: How many times do you expect to hear from me now the ynungman talks of you? He makes poems in adoration of your beauty which he maintains excels every other. You may not need a devil to tell you this. If there are more gentlemen on whom I rely, my master is a top class. I t is however, very puzzling to observe that he has such a very deep love for you. This is very much unlike him in his dealings with women. Suffice it then to say that the moment you cut off from this sincere request made by my master, my face, you will no longer see me in this house. F0.r me t o be in love with you and at variance with him, is one of the things that T consider most impraciicable in this life. Rather I shall be a very proud and happy person to have you in the house as my master's only mistress. Just now I cannot but b ~ dyou adieu! MARIA: Stay for a while Joe! JOE: There might be no need for that. The longer I keep here the more embarrased I become. If you really loved me as you claim, you could at least grant my request. �My mind is getting soft. 1 cannot give any rcply right now. I must have to see your master and discuss with him facr to face. MARIV: Well done: If you are in terms with one. the rest will repay you in such coins. I do not believe in ingratitude. I like fine .things and beautiful women. I shall be more grateful, when those whom I like realise the fact and then fulfil my dedres. You are not a babe. The time has come foi. you to apply your discretion in every matter. Even if your heart be as strong as stone, there is every reason to keep it a bit subtle, for you to be attached to a person of sound reputation who will cater for you in all aspects, is better than to be attached to a wretch who may be good at the onset and prove a regret in the end. DAVID: JOE: I now leave you to your conscience. DAVID: Good bye! MARIA: Thank you! (David and Joe Leavz) Upon seeing a page like. Joe, it may be thought that he is just a poor innocent fellow. But his words today proved to me that he does not seem as small as I think him to be. His friend s.eems to be more advanczd in love affairs. Perhaps. he is aware of my intentions. MARIA: - Men are never small. It will be highly misleading to deem any of them so. But what .are the contents of the letter? ~ERESA: �(Reading the lcrter aloud) "My dear Maria It is indeed a pity that you have chosen to torment a heart that loves you very dearly in this way. If I am allowed to confess, I must say that I am not a love-crazy stooge to another. Your beauty really bebitched me and your manners are so elegant that I cannot afford more than to have you nearer me. If you might have found me wanting in any, form of personal charm, implore thee forgive and only grant my humble request of your accepting me as a lover. MARIA I know very well that you might not deem it all that degrading when I make you realise that neither nor even Lucifrr himself shall take sides with you for keeping me at arms lenght where any mishap eventually b~fallsme for failing in this well determined attempt of mine. You m~ghtftel that I am worrying you very much, But I cannot help it, since it is a pressing need. Never on earth h2d I recieved a similar torture. No! not even in the business field. If I might be deemed behind in fashion, I must assure you that above that, I am a gentlcrnan. Shylock would like to cry at this hard heartedness of yours, Lady Macbeth wo~ild feel that this treatment of my person is rather wicked. Ebenezer Scrooge himself would also prefer your spending more than one hundred pounds to get this offer from me. Like every other good lovers, I shall be quite ready to do your wish 3s much as is withie my own capacity. Please take me serious! Consult any of your good , friends over the issue! You m ~ g h thave been misled to think that I am only pretending when I am really not. �Finally, I hereby wish to make it clear to you that t h ~ swill be my last letter to you relating the issue. Althoxgh I am not in a rage, yet I have the honour to say that %hereit is still very much against your wish to accept me-adieu! But even if I get another, I pray that ordinary connections between us not be servered, since my interest in you' is still strong and ever will be. Keep fit Emmanuel." THERESA TOme, it appears that the youngman is serious. MARIA what then is your suggestion, Theresa? THERESA Just now that it is burning in him I suggest that you accept him as a lover. Such a p t r s w will make an ideal husbmd. The wardings of his letter Portray him as a gentleman. MARIA: I understand, he really is, THERESA The earlier you met him in pzrson, the b-tter. MARIA Thank you that I shall d o now! (Theresa goes away. Maria sets out for Emmanuel. A C T 2 SCENE ONE THE CONFESSION I am sure that we had actudly tried to boast up the prestige of Emmanuel before Maria. Joe: I have no doubt that she was interested in our conversation with her. At this juncture David, I must have to thank you very. much for your activities there. Really, you spoke as if you had been very much advanced in the affairs of men and women. DAVID: �1 wish my mister were there to hear you urge Maria to accept him as a lover. If there is snccess in our vetiture, I owe it much to you. mvm: In fiiirncss of it all Joe, I have had a good experience oT love affairs. 1 had played it and still determine to plry it becaus:: it is a pleasure to do so. JOE: I have got some good savings this time and will like,to invite you to any girl, before whom I shall appza: as a ' suitor. But is it your wish that both of us shall remain to love ourselves for long? DAVID: m Joe: We had actually done everything that c be possible between two male friends. It is not all that essy to do more if not, we could have. DAVID.' JOE Where it all.turns into a miracle? We have it then. But no other type of miride can be easy. Tn life or in death David, I shall rind it very dificult t o forget you. : I always have. a very deep !ove Joe. when I mean to. Your own might not be as much. At any rate, life sccms to be a trial and men and women, all live by experiences. DAVID JOB : Yes, an exact type of experience that I have had in this house. Emmanuel has helped me in many ways. He has even found me an employment which coupled with serving him, affords me a comfortable living. David I know by all means that bo:h of us arc of the same age group. �DAVID: JOE: (Smiling) I believe so. One thing about you worries me a bit. Any body ~eeing you in a lady's atire will a t once mistake you for a member of the opposite sex. Even in manners you look romantic. In constitution, you also look effeminate. Yes, That is my way, while dealing with very intmate friends. But, for the second dme, I will like to know from you, do we really have any true love existing between both of UP or it is just a mere flattery? The question is bnffling indeed. For my part, I have nothin: to subtract from our already existing love. DAYID: Please d o not be suprised anymore at my repeated question in this respect. Tomorrow might Drove to be another thing hence for the purposes of certainty, I wish to get the assurance. DAVID: People may quarrel and forget. We are all human beings, with various temperaments. Our only guide ought to be that when you find me offending, please call me back to order amicably. This is always a very simple way of avoiding quarrls between two intimate friends. Even though I have declared my intentions to marry, yet, that will not - in any form interrupt our friendship. DAVID: Yes Joe, I know that none of us is a girl. But intimacy, a very deep one too, could compel us do anything. Take this ring which I have removed from my finger as a taken of remembrance. JOE: �ACT 2 SCENE TWO THE MEETING This lady they call Maria is giving me a very tough moment. According to the replies I got from her through Joe it sinlply appear that she does not want to see me at all. But why ? If I am very ugly, what of the mummies who still win the admiration of very beautiful women? If I am uncivilised, then I could have been given cold shoulders by the highly civilised company that I keep. Perhaps the minor deceives me. But then I am not deformed. Although I cannot boast of perfection in anything yet I can only realise the fact that I am not very far behind when compared with other youths of my own age. As much as I can observe my morals are not base and I am confident of that. For some days now I have not eaten anything. Why? Simply because a lady has not agreed to have me as a friend. This is foolishness. I am only very sorry for Maria, If she had but knonn my intentions she could not have behaved thus. For the sake of getting her come into amicable terms with me I belittled myself. Now, I should look for her no more! EMMAN: I should only bear the disappointment that I had, bravery. If Maria is very beautiful, �there are more. beautiful ladies. I shall take heart. I am confident of the fact that if I had not seen her, I could have met another, let her go ! This bluff is getting to be very much I can brook it no longer I must keep myself happy. (ENTER MARIA) EMMAN: What! Are you here? Yes my dear! EMMAN: I wonder what might have brought you to this house today. MARIA: Perhaps you were not sincere in your' appeal. EMMAN: This is where you might have got me wrong I do not intend to kill myself before you make sure that I love you. A few minutes ago, I was only resolving to look for another since all possible attempts to secure your love seemed to have failed. You will surely see with . m e that 1 had tried' a great deal to- make you realise my love on you. It, does not seem very safe to dispatch a page to a lady together with whom a man would like to be live eternally. But I did it simply to please you. Upon all such contemptious attempts, I could not b e favoured. Thanks be to Providence that you are now here. It is therefore your own turn to 'express your views, since I have determined to worship a lady no more. MARIA: Your speech frets me. 1did not suspect that the reception could have taken this very shape. Really speaking I do not hate you. Apart from the things 'you had told. me, I have heard good reports of .you. MARIA: 19 �Yes! I wish my speech could fret you the more.. Infact, I am determined to be on more drastic basis. MARIA: But what if I do not allow you get up to that extect ? EMMAN: In what other way, can I be.a stranger to your humiliating treatment of my person ? MARIA: Perhaps yon are hurt in your feelings. But p-rmit me to say, that I did not really mean to keep you so. EMMAN: I have read of people, who remained as bachelors until they died. It made no type of difference in their fame. No wonder, there are misogynists. But yet they survive and feel happy too. If I happen to miss a lady's love, what have I lost ? EMMAN: This is rather strange! are you quite sure that with your own hands, you wrote those letters to me asking for my love.? Can I believe your 'boy's story of your desire to have me as a friend or was it just a fiction? EMMAN: I wrote tho letters to you and I sent my boy to your house to make the request on my behalf. MARIA: MIA: What devil then might have triod to counterfeit the love crazy spirit in you. Much suffering over something keeps a person hard-hearted. You will bc wrong to blame me when instead of romantic words I began the reception of you with words of sorrow and regret. I am of the opinion, that man should control and not allow himself controlled by a desire. EMMAN: �MARIA: Can we forget the past and face the new? ( pausing for a while ) This will be s~bject to your being serious over what you mean. For my part, I had determined to have you and keep you as comfortable.as I can. You were only wasting time. But I shall be quite prepared to throw back the rage in which 1 had been and then if our plans work well, we tell of the early psrt of this meeting in stories by the fireside on cold nights. EMMAN: ' MARIA: That is indeed whzt I want. But Maria, your torture of me has been an unprecedeated one in the anals of the history of suitorst I even undertook some fast because ofit. Just at the verge of taking a strong decision, you entered into this room. But if l'do not really love you, why should I persist in having you. Love is a type of a magnetic force which when it draws up cannot easily be cast .away. EMMAN: It is for thie sake, that I' have turned to be a beggar to a lady whom I thought would sel with me and be greatful in lerting my wishes be satisfied. I have every hope that you aifl not think me ungreateful. If you do, then it is a mistake. Men are difficult to understand and they are never on the loosing side when the game of love is played, I ' a m but a lady, a n ordinary feeble creature liked because of my present appearance. Peradventure I becpme spilt, then it all means that I have got to be as MARIA: �helpless as a skiking stone; I do not take it that I have given you a c a m for a perpetual dislike of my person. I only feel that for the purposes of security, it ought to be necesary to get a fimi assurance from . a suitor and that should be conducted 'in a Kay not different from the. one I did. You are not ugly. You are not deformed. Your morals have been testified of by many people as eiamplary. I am even jealous of you. But how would you think it ~easonablc 'for a lady who wishes to exercise a lasting love on you to jump out and openly declare :so at once? True it is, that pkace comes.'after war. I can see here that you had spoken at length and of course not without bitterness. If you really mean to have' me, the gates of success are wide open. This I declare in' order to swerve your mind away from the misconceived idea of' me which seems to be infesting your mind, even at the moment. You might have understood my speech. It is not always possible, for ladies to men and gi5e themselves out to them. This might tantamount to cheapness and then the end is always fracas, .discontent and separation, a forced but quick one too. If I had no deep love on you I could not have allowed you to me so. Deep love on me and I have a deep love EMMAN: on you too. What then is the object of any form of disagreement ? . I am of the opinion that your former speech is from the bottom of your heart and so, I shall be a brute if I keep on prolonging the past. MARIA:. I had earlier, requested that of you. But where you still stick fast to your angep , 22 �well it then, me-an*. that I cannot do any other thing than to registcr it in my memory, that a man bas miguidedly disappointed a lady who loves him very dearly. For your confession - Maria, 1 am interested in informing you that I am not at all offended. I was only. trying your sincerity. Towards this, I feel that both of us might have agree in plan. If I have caused any. inconvenience, please pardon me. For 'it is after storm that the gentle breeze comes. Oh! for a hundred beauties Maria, I shall not have another if you once promise me true love, then I shall waste no time in sending for a priest to have us united. I am not out for any monkey love. I am direct in my dealings. and will always pray to God . that you be so too. Thus, peace and joy shall dispel all disp~rities. EMMAN: Much talkink and little deeds might be of no significant importance. If you were to enter my mind then nobody could have told you how much I love you. MARIA: It means then that none of us is mistaken to have come near each other. Let us now seal this blessed proposal with that sign that two great h e r s often show. EMMAN: I shall waste no time in obeying you my dear and my real husband to be. MARIA: ( They Kiss first and look at thems?lves eye to eye and kiss again.) 23 �ThiS AMAN: gesture has - convinced me of our, love. Your' willingness to have this with me means much. But Maria, your gentility makes mc - lovj you the more. Your facial. charm seems to bewitch me the more at every moment. Your shape is yet one of .the most ' attractive, thlngs in you tbat will, make other youngmen to jealaus me for securlng your hand. YOU are no .iess. Your physi0gti6~ is MARIA: not only' balanced but depfcts a lot of nobility. . . EMMAN: Talk no more my own angel of 'light: Our marriage is fixed ' against fen o~clock tomorrow morning. ( They kiss again )MARIA: i h a l l go away, prepare'ind come back. Thank you my sweet ..heart. ( Maria goes EMMAN: while Emmanuel escourts her for a short distances ) and comes back. ACT 3 THE ENDOF A LOVE'JOURNEY JOE: Ro& what I iave .heard' this afternoon 'in this town, I can guess. that my master might' .have succeeded in winning the love of Maria. However I shall not conclude just now. I must. have. to wait until my. master confirms it. But it is true and I wish if my only friend Dacid were here. .We eould have discussed at length since my master will no longer be an unhappy man. Very good ! Yes !. my master will now give m e a good .reward according to his promise. If it is cash, I must divide it into two equal parts. ,so that David. who contrri-. . ~ 24 �buted nwch towards the success of 'the ventnre, will have one half ( ENTER HELEN ) Welcome my dear lady ! How are you ? HELEN: Not very bad please . thank you. 1 am Helen, a sister to David, are you his friends Joe ? JOB: I am Joe. When is your brother coming here ? 1 want him earliest ! HELEN. i t was .on his instruction that I come here. JOE: That is very good of you. Both of you have the same resemblancr. Tnfact, were it not that you are clad in the attire of a lady, I could have wasted no time in calling you David. HELEN: At any rate I hopa that if you d o not sce him in time, you may like to have me as .a substitute. JOB: By a11 m a n s f m x t exerciss the same deep-ro~ted friendship existing between David and I 'on .any of . his relatives. Thank you very much ! HELEN: But you laugh, (alk and look like him too ? ~OE: Yes ! It is thz characteristic of our fdmily. HELEN: ~ o a Th?t.is : gpod indeed. HeLEN : YOU, being n male and I female, shall we not be tempted at times? JOB : God fcrbid ! Except my friend David approves of it. But I might find it difficult to yield t o such a temptation in the inrerest of our unrivalled love. ;cry �Kindly surppress your emotions ! David y o u friend. Did what ? Is he no longer your brother ? JOE: HELEN: Please listen. JOE: Yes ! I am anxious to know, whenever that name is mention, I am always very eager to hear ,everything without delay. David in short, is my brother as I told HELEN: you. Having been instructed earlier. I complied and hence I am here now. Rcally he is dead and buried. JOE: Perhaps I did not understand you well. Do you mean date, debt and borrow? HELEN: (Bringing out a letter) . Take ihis and read for yourself. Pirhaps it will explain the issue more. HELEN: (ENTER EMMANUEL) JOE: (Taking the letter and opening it, reads) "My dear Joe, I thought it a great deal of injustice to est away from this world without dropping a few lines for you. On my death bed, I managed to ovcrpower the pangs of death and then compile this to bid ycu goodbye, Herewitb my sister Helen. You quite remember how intimate both of us had been. Please, for tho purposes of consolation, you may have her near you. But where this is not to your help taste let not my. letter. I cannot it. This i s the uneptcted bitter end of mine and I must go. Please great your master and make it a point to help him get tired up to Maria. I could have done more as you know 26 �but the ineritable has now served as a barrier. Lament for me not very much, for I have gone to pay the sure price mankid. yours affectionately David". (Joe bursts into tears) Can this be true ? Yes, it is indeed. 0 ! confusion, why now? 0 Death ! have you come again ? You have snatched my parents from me and that was during my tender age, why have you come now to keep me friendless? David my own trust worthy companion who ka'rure prominently in Maria's residence during our last visit! He so praised my master as if both of them had once lived together ! He so spoke to Maria a bout my masters' dignity that the lady was trembling for having tri:d to 11 use the mau ! Cold hands of wicked death ! '1 The abstract agent of destruction ! You have wronged me. Why not take me too to that land instead of keeping me socially stranded ? O! David! David. How can I get another like you? O! my confidential, handsome and far sighted David! Only some days ago, we were cracking jokes over the solidarity of our affection and I did not know that death the idiot, would overlook every other person and steal the youth away. ' Afterwards, life is a slow process of death. It is only like the shadow of a well dressed man or woman which only vanishes as he or she leaves the mirror; T must mourn thy loss my only friend; 1 am even shocked at this. I came into this place with the happy news of m y vedding with Maria at ten o'clock this morning. I did not know that one of the agents who contributed greatly towards the project has now been snatched away by death. Rend your heart no more. God before things will soon assume a good shape. EMMAN: �I have corn.: to reward you for your faithful services to me. S o u will be free ,from me as from today. I shall marry for you. Towards that, if Helen will like to be together with us in this' house, the better. This will enable us to take heart whznever we think of David. Ycu and your wife, will live in this house with me and even though you are employed somewhere, yet, I shall maintain both 3f you for one year. I shall also be after your interest. (Handing over t o him) Take this bank cheque of one hundred pounds which you are privilleged t o use any how you like. JOE: Thank very much Sir, I a m - now a confused man betwean joy and sorrow. In view of the fact t h a t Joe an3 my late brother David were very frieadly, I d o not hesitate t o accept the offer which Enmanuel the owner of this house has made. 1 will like t o live with you and be a part and parcel of my brother's friend. JOE: Thank you Helen. I see with you and will neither add nor subtract from what you had already said. Take me as your brother while I substitute you for him. HELEN: I am now going for the priest who will tie us in holy wedlock. (He leaves) EMMAN: HELEN: JOE: Are gcu really in deep love ~ i t h David. Even if I-had the dagger at my neck saying yes, I must say it! HELEN: Where is that ring ? 28 for �JOB: Here i t is. (Showing it to her.) Who told you of it, was it David ? HELEN: JOE: HOW? Are you ~ a b i d ? HELEN: JOE: NO! I really gave i t to. you,! By all means, I am. Such a deceit might add more to my sorrow! 0 ! poor Joe! David is a man. Helen is a lady. How t h m can ?his miracle b e ? Perhaps you are not serious! Surely, you want to taste me. I am serious if you please. Now suppress your surprise and listen carefully. I am David your friend. This is my real face. Really, David is a feigned name under which I began to go after the death of my mother who mas the last to die, my father having died when I was only five. No brother and no sister. As a poor orphan, I did not want men to worry me about. Hence I clad myself in the attire of men, served m y first master who made no trace of the trick. HELEN: (ENTER MARTA) The man in whose house I am living now appears to have adopted me somehow. He too is quite igoorant of tbe whole affair. You wete also in the same soup. I love you and if you still remember last time, I demanded t o know from you if you loved me as much. I decided to try you and so did all that you might have experienced today. �JOE: (Embracing her and looking straight into her eyes) You are quite correct my dear! (Looking 'at her again and then kissing her once.) Former. bitterness is now changed into sweetness infact, an everlasting one. O! how deceitful is this life ? My sorrow, is now changed into joy. How glad ! At any rate in remembrance, of the whole issue, I shall not call you Helen but D. which is the beginning letter od David. HELEN: With all pleasurz Joe; (They kiss again) (ENTER EMMANUEL .AND'THE PRIEST) I have no doubt that both of you will make the second couple in today's engagement. MARIA: JOE: That is very sure. I am now a married man and above all, no longer a page. That is so. Now three hearty cheers for Joe's Freedcm. Hip ! Hip ! Hip! EMMAN: Hurrah! EMMAN: Hip ! Hip! Hip ! ALL: H u r r a h ! EMMAN: Hip ! Hip ! Hip ! ALL: H u r r a h ! (All of them clap and stand) PRIEST: Marriage is a means whereby a man and a woman are both united o n . earth in the visible form and also in spirit. When some .people ar: thus tied together, they cannot ALL: �be separated even in heaven above .because it is a command by, God. .Husbands, love your wives. In return, wives respect. your husbands. Now unto God the ' father Almighty, I dedicate Emmanuel and Maria who have today become husband and wife and also Joe and Helen who have bccomc husband and wife too. May the blessing of God dwell abundantly upon you ferever and ever ! ALL: A m e n ! ' " Then they unite tor life marriage and death will only depart them." EXTRA LOVE DEALERS .As a matter of fact, some women think that men are entirely stupid. Below is .given . an extract of a letter written by a spinster to one of her friends:My dear Julia, It is one of the most v onderful things that I had ever come across.. Since ' my arrival from home to this place, I have actaully not found things as difficult as I had expected. Men in fact e\en those of my father's age scramble for me and keep on spending tkeir hard-earned money for the purpose that will not in any form benefit them. In some cases, they even fight to have. me. I might go ' to b? the mediator. But more often than not, they refuse my appeals. When I discovered that it was only a way .of making the whole �situation worse, I stopped to pacify. them and simply left them to their foolishness. You might even be surprise to hear that not all of 'th-m are bachelors. In the night, I would keep on aondering how responsible they are. Truly some of them are wageearners whilz other arz wha! we in our local language cdl 'big men'. The latter comes in their cars and simply say, Lady get into the car"., Really, no price will be fixed. Well, it would o ~ l vbe a qustion of taking the lady to one hotel. There the bill for a stay will be. defrayed. But in the end, the compensation must be given to the lady. Of course, in such cases, nothing like thank you is said tq them. Rather than the men will be pleased and return thanks. " As a matter of fact, when I came newly, I alnays had to receive any amount given to me. But now, I have learnt to express my feelings, where the money is n3t something sufficiently enough. Even though this is the situation, ye: I must assure you that the part is not all that easy. Some of them who came are ruffians. The gentle ones do not worry at all. They feel that neither fighting nor no disgrace would solve problem. It is for this sake that I have been teld to charge them highly. That of course, I have been doing. You might be pleased to hear that I have now got one family iron bed a thing 1 did not at first think if possessing. In those days, I thought that any person who had one, was one of the richest. My trunk box is something sizeable and lovely. 32 �. -Indeed; it is :one .of.:the..:most.. cUt..staading in the .whole of.. our town.,: Again; I .am.: now. well. knoivn . a i d hany of the ..young inen'. struggle. .to.have me. Th: township is quite a good place I eat any time that I'like and of coarse, you. may not dare comparz my. food with what whom we take as the richest msn ie our home town takes. SO you see that the excessive libertjr that I enjoy, here is something epviable. I do -not even car to get married to any man again. For he cannot satisfy .,me as much. as I am a t the present: Jiving. I am only very sorry, that you are .suffering' at hbme. I have nowgot some-goldand you quite realize that your husband might not be able to buy that for you. In fact, my shoes now, number twelve in pairs. You may even have to unylerstarid that I no . longer. deal with inferior things. I only did that in those days when there was no.money O! I remember, of course, you need not be remainded how both of us suffered together. When I think of those bad old days and compare them with the present, I simply glorify God for his mercy towards me. X can 'only .suggest that you abaudon your' husbaod,and come to .this earthly paradise where tbings are most enjoyable. ,You will be surely enriched by men. You will be happy and at . the same tim'e free from the molestation of the man who calls himself your husband. Keep fit, Yours Sincerely, Arit James. �.Julia. had actl~ally lived ,with .her. husband for a period not belon three-years. The man hin.self was Etim. He did all he could' to keep the will quite comfortable. At any rate wh'en a man and a woman live together in' one room, there might be some type of misunderstan3ing a t times. But the young man tried very much to prevent any open quarrel1 that might come up. People mostly praised him for his mild temper and cool-head. In all dealings with his wife, he was very gentle and sincere. He was indeed the type th.it considered it worthwhile to desist from hating a wife simply because she had not l e t got any issue. Even when Julia had no child, Etim kept on managing things in that way. When he .could no longer hope to endure the troubles constantly given by his wife, he simply approached Emmanuel for some pieces of zdvice. That of course he thought would help him tide over the entire difficult situalion and then just as Emmanuel sat down one bright afternoon, Etim entered. . EMMANUEL: UP) ETIM: You arc welcome my dear! (standing Yes thank you. Please sit down. I have no doubt that. you will be pleased to .explain to me more about your family. But where it does nct conform with your own' principles, then you might simply have to pardon me. EMMANUEL: �EMMANUEL: In any case, I am opined that you as an experienced man, can agree with me that one of the problems facing men is the one of relationship with women. This is partieularly so when speaking about house wives. You seem to look somehow worried in mind. Perhaps, I cdn guess your trouble a bit. Oh dear! If you would not mind it, I shall be prepared to call you a soothsayer. You have actually mentioned the root cause of my distress. It is for that, I have come to you for the purpose of obtaining some advive. I always jealms people who live happily with their wives. For my part, I can only say that I am very unfortunate to have gat a type of woman that would bend upon kezping me in uttermost discomfort. She associates very much wlth free women and even though she is given full liberty in this house yet, she does not appear to have realised my kindness. I am even thinking of committing suicide because of this wicked woman. ETIM: (ENTER JULIA) I suspect that you might have understood that your husband is here. I am really very pleased to get you here. Your husband seems to have been somehow offended over your actions towards him. In fact, the earlier you ETIM: �make a change the better <I hope it will be. -I.am'.sure that if both of you remain in peace, there wdl not be much to worry for. Thank you Sir. Truly, I have decided not to worry in the house' any more. Just of recent, I received a letter from one of the ladies who was at first in this town. She is vary much desirous cf haviug me outside as a free-woman. She explained to m$ that there is a lot of money to be realised. Pleas'ure she maintains is abundant. JULIA: DO not worry. Thess things must pass away but .love shall not cease until such a time that the inevitable end of mankind will have to step in. EMMAN: In any case, God forbid that,. death should come at this time. Let us live and hope for future progress and betterment. Dismiss trouble, for it is bad. Stay in love and peace and comfort, will have to be in your room. Happiness will also enter and of course, you realise that it is a great gift. I shall not tell you that I do not querrel uith my wife. But we always settle things in a very amicable form. 'It is in that way we easily prevent people from mocking or laughing at us. EMMANUEL: �JULIA: I have actually heard and understood you. I shall no longer make a mistake of getting to be in dispute with my husband. I shall be prepared to accept him as my brother and then keep things going. I am also grateful at this. I trust that by the graGe of God, I shall be the last person to cause any rift within the family circle. I now say pos~tivelythat P shall kezp her happier since she has with her whole mind decided to be in pzace with me: I really love peace and hate pieces, You have lived for long, with your own wife and people envy both of yau. If I can onlv live like that, I *am sure that my days will be longer even when I am not God who ought to decide. ETIM: Let all things be so. I have heard your'assurances. When mistakes do not come up in love affairs, it is not all that easy to effect true love. Let us hope tbat God will seal up all that we might have said here. What I like in my life is to say something and mean it. If you d o so, there might not seem to be any type of misunderstanding which you will not be able to suppress. Men and women EMMANUEL: �always like la tnlk. But you should not be wor.cd. Keep cool all the lime and io thr en4 you will come l o a a l i w that i t is mare folly l o keep oo quarrelling sod creating confuadon hrrc an" there. m w : Much talking might not go to help us. We shall onlytry lo we i f wc can live up l o expmation. O m moa, I ray, thank you. Good hye m" dear ymngman. I hall not look h e n or l h s c for any advim again. The bad and lcccirfvl lrllsr that I got will not fake me away from the right path. Good byc Sir. ,"Em The E d TEE WISE SAYINGS A rtranar with hrtrer attitude en,ertains the host. Onc docs nor need any light i n the dark to rrcopnise hi* frirnd. Two husband do not reject thefood prepamd by n goad smiiing woman. One nn't see wcll i n the battle using mirror on her eye oat a Lime. Hiddcn words should never be told to ths talkerrivea. I f your hrolhcr'r purse catcher fire, wet youo immedialdy. No matter how tall you am, your shadow will atways noc he met while irackiog. �Wcsllb o f f e d fa a fool ia like water fillcdia a lcakio bucket. The birds take lhrmrelves as land awoers, yet fear the farmcrr. A haPw expiprcuion inspirer confideoa., We klmow ,those that wc lovc bur thore who lovc "a we Loow rare. Tho csltlc informs ita o w n that it is ready. How juvenile EIOYS PO d m his inteligeam. A good wife does thing8 accbrding to the husband's cammand. People 11auelling with Ihcir encmy, must understand that they arc rravelliqg alone. A thief has no stamp on his ram. A l l that you have to enjoy are all that you have 81 prescn,. DiRculBcs can be realis. by trying. Nothing Wid with tho mouth ,bat ir m e t . me wisc does not go to functions to f e d !hemselves but for understandings. The h u n m man r e m c m k n aU the food be r u s t e d when he i r hungry. I f )on hope on your parmta you will die poorly created. Hs who hasgooe to k i c o will s s j much of it. sew m , i went 10 ~ h cmarket with shrcla on his clothes. The wlf aduiwr term the b e instead of me hooey. r n e d a r not know the +vcl i l l n r u o f another. The vulrum islhe indicator of dead s n i m s b The fling bird dcfeslr the long ,,oatred human. N o t all !he lcavcr i o the bush are eatable mc 39 �He who kncws how a rogue breaks the door is a rogue himself. The good words in the jungle and its sufferings are tqual. How old a woman is, she is bearing sweetness to her husband. The goat will orver trace thz way of the hyene. The grave of a wlk lies where she married. To give to the new born is to provide for the old age. The appearance of the brave is an evidence of what he is. A person has the cock but public have the crow. Where the Juvenile points while crying there you will find thy father or mother. He who sleeps under trees does not mind the leaves A town may be far but there is another behind it. Never trust a person who does not mind his business. Wealth is not his that has it but he that enjoys it. The one cutting a path in the bush does not realise how crooked it may be He who suffers from yaws watches where he places himself The fowl dances happily at the function the hawk has not attended. If you dance while every music on, you will soon be lame in both legs. ��1 Intmrting Nm1s and Advisable Novels in rtwk. Eaough d i i u n t wl ba made in the price on quaotitj ordered, * il I i . .. ;'?P/ . ;I'... '.'$ The African Youths Guide 3s. dozen 12s A Guide to mmiagc 2 6d. dozts 12s. s Beam of women 28 6d. doun ga Braotifu) Abrmm in Crazy love Is 6il doma IOs Drunkard$ bClisws .barrrs Heaven 1s 6d dozen 9s Hew to su* in life 3 . ,dozen. 13s 8 M tf j : & act of true IoYe 2s dd, dozen 17s uiu $ in the * Naw to apoverty 1s 6s dozen 12s H & I Ibo, Y m b a d English m@e easy 2s. dozen 128 ~ Man 'spffbm is 6d. dozen gs ha'R3ogct 2s6d dozen I&, Iia in the romance of,&$iny 2s 6d. down @s M i i &tarfort's heart cries for T&b.g66, dome 1% o'0; I8 . NigeriainBeohelors Guide 28 2s, d* 66, ?Iknq .b1ooming beauty z,@& ,cif ;lOs ' love 2s 6d, dozen Ha ur pf man b 6d, dozen 9 Thc,.,W birtbry of Zik ZI, doze3 15s w.M is hard Is 3 4 dozea gs ?Be q&ror of life is 6d, d6zm 12s T e lif6.i~ prison yard is 6 d dozen 8s h the Two ie the romance of m%vay Iovtr 1s 6d. d p lk w Whrt w w ace thinkingabout men.(No. lbomb to wnmol)'1$ 6tl dozen IOs .Wbp mcd never trust women 2s 6d, dozen 13s Roamnary and the taxi driver 2s dozen 121 Sllfurday Bight disappointment 2s dozen 12s Zk la @C battle of freedom 2% dozen 14s i Lwe s h d mva d 3 dozen Us , The86 are few of the nowls have in stock and ~lrqmise ta add more in future. &large your vocab by reading novels. Send your qflcn todr forquiclr &livery. AU orders are posted f m . 1 qJ& p p all yid. m a p J - .. Printed by AN Star Printing P m , 62 IIReLa Road; O [ . n* � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Onitsha Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Beautiful Maria in the act of true love : "Emman & Maria" Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stephen, Felix N. Type The nature or genre of the resource Onitsha market literature Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Onitsha : published and obtainable from Michael Allan Ohaejesi Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 196- Language A language of the resource English Subject The topic of the resource Chapbooks, Nigerian Nigerian literature (English) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ksrl.c3566 Description An account of the resource Felix Stephen advertises this play as a comedy that depicts moral behavior for those in love. He says that it can also be read, and notes that it was written specifically for African readers and actors, (pg. 4). This might suggest a performance history. However, performances would have occurred in schools or in social clubs, since at this time there were no established theatre groups in the region.&nbsp; <br /><br />The pamphlet cover has a woodcut of a European couple, perhaps French, in court dress. The play appears to borrow heavily from Cyrano de Bergerac,Shakespeare and from many of the comedy-of-manners plays written in the 18th and 19th century. It is fairly well developed compared to Stephen's other plays in the Onitsha Market Literature Collection such as, <em>How to Play Love</em>.<br /><br />The characters include Maria, Theresa, Emmanuel, and the servants David and Joe. David and Joe run love errands for Emmanuel. Maria, who is Emmanuel's love interest, wants to test any future lover for emotional endurance and commitment. Theresa serves as a well-developed foil to Maria. The servants serve double duty as plot developers and analyzers of class issues. In one potential plot twist, Maria suggests that she might accept a love application from Joe rather than his master Emmanuel. <br /><br />Maria: <em>If it is from your master, well I must have to suggest to you that there is no need wasting [sic] time. I had on some occasions told you frankly that I do not want him to speak to me on this matter anymore. I repeat that if you would like to come in as suitor that I shall not waste [sic] time to grant, (pg. 10).<br /><br /></em>However, this plot twist never develops and is replaced with the classic one of concealed gender identity. Joe is getting ready to embark on his own quest for a marriage partner when he stumbles on David's true identity as Helen. The play ends with Helen and Joe, along with Maria and Emmanuel, getting married in a nearly Shakespearean double wedding. This plot twist is discussed in the essay on drama.<br /><br />Like much of English comedy, this play relies on plot twists and servants to drive the plot and the humor. The pamphlet ends with a sort of epilogue to the play in which Emmanuel prevents a friend or associate's wife from leaving him for a life of prostitution followed by two pages of wise sayings. This ending suggests that this play was meant for the reader and consumer of pamphlets, by purchasing this play one receives the added value of advice and wise sayings. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. However, for this Item, either (a) no rights-holder(s) have been identified or (b) one or more rights-holder(s) have been identified but none have been located. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/</a> https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/files/original/2f2cc7b38abbefc0d2e6f603746ad2eb.pdf 85033e5080df006fc869570739612474 PDF Text Text HOW TO PLAY LOVE '.*:- Miss Helen Nwamma A Wonderful Lady. ��AY 'LOVE STEPHEN'S DRAMA SERIES COMPILED BY FELIX hr. STEPHEN (NOVELIST AND DRAMATIST) Copyright strictly Reserved. 2$ N. O . N j o k u. Send your Orders to:- Njoku cE. Setas B ~ ~ b h o p C/o No. 17 Nnewi Street, ONITSHA - NIGERIA. �%% %%X%X% Printed by Chinjelu Printing Press, No. 1 Iweka Road, Onitrha - Nigeria. % : g % '*c' �PREFACE This is a book which deals mainly on the requirements of love and particularly, the type existing between men and women. It is indeed a very interesting piece of drama, desgnied to suit both the young and the aged. Like my other drama books, I am confident, that readers will be interested, since [he price a t which it is sold, is cheaper. than what the book really contains. The play is entirely imaginary and thus, all the characters are purely fictitious and relate to 03 1 existing persons. FELIX N. STEPHEN. he ~ u t h o r . �HOW TO PLAY LOVE CONTENTS Act Reply from comfort to uba Uba writes to another girl Act one ( Scene 2 ) housand and wife Act ' ' ( Scene 3 ) Abel and his lover ( Enter Onyeuku ) Act one ( Scene 4 ) ( Enter Nneka, Onyeuku's wife Act one ( Scene 5 ) Act two ( Scene One Act two (Scene 2 Act three ' ' ' ' One Act ‘“‘ "'c two ' ' three 'Scene four C ' L S 3 Act four Scene 4 ' 6 6 1 Page. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE UBA J ( 3 ) SEARCH O F L O V E N UBA: I must learn how to chast. I like beautiful ladies. 1 must play love and will, not care what people may say. I saw a beautiful girl yesterday, who is a lady teacher. I must 'not waste time in writing to her, now I "begin" Government School, Jos Nigeria, 4 1 -62. Dear Heavenly Comfort, Indeed it is with deep pleasure that I write you this letter which 1 think will come to you as a surprise. *Butyou must excuse my forwardness. - - Definitely, you d o not know me and I seem to grasp, how you will feel to read a letter of a person whom you have not known before. Infact, "Love" has forced me to give you my warm admiration. 1 am a student a t above address, studying f o r my Cambridge. My name is Uba and I am popularly known as "Social boy" Infact, my position will suit you. i met you yesterday during my school hour. but could not say anything as I was tongue tied, hence this cote. I shall not waste my time to 'request you this. Please will you be my lover? Hence you have known that "Love is a powerful magnet that drows two souls tc?gether2'. N o need of rejecting me. Infact, I would dedicate my whole life to you .should " Yes " be returned and 1 assure you that I shall be yours for ever and ever. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Kisses frow, b b a the social boy. A REPLY FROM COMFORT TO UBA. Comfort Nwaeke, C. M. S. School, Awara Town, 15- 2 - 62. Dear Uba, Infact, your missive surprised me indeed. Please, do not address me again either in public or by any other means. You are mistaken if you consider me t o tolerate such nonsense, I would have handed that letter to my parents but due to what it will bring upcn your career I stopped. But if you address me in any way again, I shall not hesitate to lay the whole matter to my parents. 1 am, C. Nwaeke tough girl. UBA WRITES T O ANOTHER GIRL. Uba the social Boy, Government School, Jos- Nigeria, 26 2 62. - - Dear Pauly, 1 do not know how to begin this letter as I have only met you last night. The thought of f r i e n d s h i p makes me feel quite uneasy, infact, wants to crazy me. �HOW TO .PLAY LOVE Oh! Pauly! iVil1 you drow me nearner and let me touch your smooth body and glance s t your hairy hands? In fact, a lock at your brown eyes and your pointed nose will remove all thc devils of my foolishness and make me to be the happiest man ever lived. Do not allow me to run mad because of you. Pleare, what I want from you is your sincere !ove, kindly love me as I love you. Hence, you have known that "Love is a WARM AFFECTION". Kindly take the enclosed photograph and glance at me and see whether I am not handsome. I am wa,iting to hear "YES" from you, my dear Yours Beloved. Uba the social boy. This time Paulinah did not respond. Uba waited and waited and could not get any reply. Uba: I will tiever write to any girl for friendship again hence, this Paulinah did not reply. It will be better for me to speak to any girl orally o r personally rather than wasting my time in writing. I d o not know what prouds these our modern ladies, is it because they are beautiful or have I a bad luck for getting them. Infact. 1 d o not know what to do just to get a lover. Shall I consult a native dsctor about it? O! No, I shall never d o it, for my mates did not consult a doctor before they got theirs. Yes. I must. speak to this girl coming in front of me now. I have met her some where before. Her name is Helen. I hope to win her lev-., wrely I must. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Excuse me Helen. Helen: Yes my Lord, what can I d o for you ? Aba: Listen to you Helen, I must be sincere. Your beauty is one of the charming that I had tver come across. lt docs not in any way occur to me that I should get alone in life, without looking once or two times at your face, everyday. In age, we seem to be mates and in other spheres, I d o not think myself very much below the average, when speaking particularly, in the terms of achievement in the circle of mates, Love is something which is inevitable. It is indeed like death. Some people take it as a type of game. But I regard.it as someihing very helpful i n the day to day life of minkind. I t solves certain problems which money may not even be able to solve at times. True love will always speak for itself since it has such a very wonderful magnetic influence that can even draw a lion, as ferocious as it is, out of its own den. For me to talk very much a t length just now, might give you wrong opinion of my person from the oneset. Thus, 1 have perfectly determined. to control myself while speaking..In short, 1 would like to have your love. Helen: Can that be the. reason for this long sermon of yours? Uba: y e s my dear, for I quite realise that it takes women some time ro be convinced to agree to a request. It might even be to their own desire. But, they will still dailly-dally over it. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Helen: Yes, it is because, in those days we had not known and so. took men serious in all that they spoke t o us. But now, just as the day breaks and another date comes, we are gradually coming to the realisation of the facts and figures. The days of flattery, seem to be going away. especially in my own case and as far as my affairs with men are concerned. You said that I am'biautiful. Naturally, ahy woman with such makeups as I have now, will surely look attractive. I mbst besincere to you, for I d o not like to say many things and mean only a few of them. It is not an easy thing, to secure my love. There are certain terms that I go by. If you are really serious, then, I can tell them t o you. Well, if after hearing and you wish to get along with me, then you may have to d o so. But where otherwise, J shall be fully prepared to take my own way, without any atom of regret. Uba: I have actuaily heard you say that you are tough and I presume i t is so. In any case, one thing that surprises me the more, is that many tough people d o not easily reveal themselves as such. Whatever be the case, I would not mind informing you tbat 1 am. equallj tough. I have my own principles, set down ones too. From them, I do not hope to go back please say on, for I shall be very much prepared to hear. As strong as the laws of nature are, yet, they are kept. I am sure too, to meet up, with your own requirements. Helen Indeed, you are right. The first is that, you should have. no other friend, male o r female. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Uba: If it is only a question of not getting another female friend, I shall be able to d o so. But, that of dissociating myself from my fellow men, is something that might need a second thought. Helen: I t then, means, that you are not prepared, for the business. Is that correct? Uba: It is not so! I am fully prepared. Helen: Why then not agree to my first proposition? Uba: Male friends are very useful. Something about love-making, cannot be solely relied upon since it is plausible. Well, 1 shall be prepared to d o so since it 1s your wish and 1 have a strocg desire to make love with you. Helen: That is very good of you. 1 d o not like any person making love with me, to have ma!e friends. For, they might deceive him and thus, our love gets shattered. But remember very well, that you are uot the first person to contact me, over this. However, since you have been able to go through the first step there is every likelihood of your succeeding in the affair. It is this. that has knocked out many people who came up to ask for my love. I Uba: If it be thy will that 1 shall succeed, then, ' shall have t o be one of the happiest men. Helen: Thesecond, is that I will not like to have anything from you, in the form of presents either in cast or in kind, Uba: Well done my beautiful lady. This is where you differ very much from other women. �HOW TO LOVE PLAY Helen: N o t only that, I shall be prepared, to defray some part of your expenses. Uba: Thank you very moch. It appears as if God pushed me on, to you. Helen: Just hold on a bit! I shall buy all clothes that you may need Uba: May ,God bless you more and more. I had not even thought that I would in life, meet with such a fortune. That next prevents me from dismissing my male friends and then, havicg you right away? Afterwards they are not doing anything for me. They are only o.ut to exhaust my pocket. Helen: My father left an estate for me, when he died and it is from there, that I will be giving you some money for busicess. At least, fifty pounds per month. Ubs: O! Goodbye to poverty! Welcome to a tremendous fortune I Who else will have to compare himself in wealth, to me? I shall at once purchase a car and both of us will be driving through the streets of this town. Truly, I shall be known as a big man. Infxt, I do not know what ro say that I shall do for you, when that is executed. N o more! No more! Let our love making begin at once. .What next delays us ? Helen: I shall everi surrender my father's upstair building and both of us live there i n full comfort and entirely free o f charge. bba: If all sounds like a dream. Wheo I begin to consider what it will all have to look like. I become very much filled up with joy, May heaven bless you again! Are your parents now old? - - 11 �ROW TO PLAY LOVE Uba: My mother is fourty this year while my father is sixty ,five. Helen: Have you got some brothers and sisters? Uba: Yes my dear. Two sisters and one brother. At any rate. all of them are still schooling. Helen: Well, the third step is this; Uba: Lest I forget. My wife is also with me, but she has not yet given birth to any child. Helen: That is very good. The next and final step, is that since I drink nothing else than blood, you should be going out dally to bring people for me. Your father whom J am to take as a slave, will be busily engaged, cutting off their heads and filling cups with blood, For me to drink. In addition, he will be carrying me on .his back, from the parlout, to the bath room and when to finish taking my bath, he brings me back. Your mother's head will be cut off by your father. Your wife's head will also be treated like that. Both of these, will be kept in the bathroom. While taking my bath I shall stand my right foot on the skull of your mother and the left, on the skull of your wife. I n order to get an efficient service from your father, he will be casterated. You must disown your brother and slsters. Uba.: This is yet one of the most wonderful state of life, 1 have ever come across As a matter of fact, I need a lover and I am desirous of having one earliest. I had fixed it within my mind, that I would have no any other lady but you. All the same, I cannot tell you lies. I love my n1o:her very much. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Blood is very thick. I am sufe ~ h a tif you pinch yourself, you might go to experience the pain and then agree that it would not be all that proper, to pinch another person. For me therefore to kill her and give you her head as a type of stool while taking jour bath, is a thing which I d o not deem very possible. My father is quite precious to me. Helen: Please remember that we shall only be for and nothing like marriage, will love mskir~g have lo come in. Uba: There you are my only beloved lady. It then means that 1 might not have more shares. My profit might only have to be some type of sweat. It is true that there may be children or not, But none of them will have to take me as 3 legitimate father. On the whole, I shall have t o be at a loss. My brother is somebody who is very dear t o me and it is sure that he will have to relieve me when my days or this earth, might have finished. Coming to n y sisters whom you say that I should disown, I wish to let you know that this cannot be all that possible. Truly. money is a very essential thing, but it cannot force me t o do away with what might be against the actual commandments of God. I shall be laughed a t by men. God will not like it. Again, I cannot because of the purposes of making love, go to be a murderer or encourage anything relating directly or indirectly, t o the kill. of people. My approach of you, might have been somehow misdirected. Please. pardon me l own my error. If you might have somehow been used to this type of evil, I positively . �HOW TO PLAY LOVE maintain before you, that I am just a novice. Please. I can now say goodbye to the request that I had earlier made. I shall alwaysicontinue to be liking you. Distance might have to be no barrier to our relationship which is just, but, growing. Other people who are ioterested may g o t o usbject themselves to your conditions, but. 1 shall not. ACT ONE (SENE 2 ) HUSBAND A N D WIFE Agnes: My dear husband, how do you find it useful, to remain without doing anything quite visible, as to make a better living? Abel: You might not consider yourself correct, to ask me this type of question. You may appreciate that since you came to my house, you had never remained hungry. Everyday, I run about to see how I can manage up to get some money for our food. Left with me alone, I could have been eating in the hotel?, even on I credit. I had many customers with whom I had such an arragement as thal, before your arrival to this house, to bs my wife. It is only about two months ago that you came here. I really consider it too early for you to have already begun to find faults with me. Agnes: Yes my dear, I quite realize that it is really too early for me to -have begun to find faults with you. But I am only talking the truth and what I consider, will help both of us. When you came to marry me, you told my parents, that you were a civil servant on leave. Now, I have come to find out that there is no truth in the statement. Consider now, how woefully disappointed, my parents shall be, if they come to find your statement to them otherwise. But what shall we eat today? 14 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Abel: D o not worry. Even though I have not got a penny in my pocket, yet, I shall not be worried 1 know very well, haw the thing usually comes. God in heaven. will bring something for US to eat. Agnes: Never in my life, had 1 heard of, or seen, any person who sat down and kept on looking for food to come down, from the sky. Even if it might have per chance, been the luck of one man perhaps according to the scriptures, yet I do not bdieve that it is what will apply to each hacd every person. Abel: Infact. I cannot easily tell. what might have becn the sole cause of )!our speech this day. T o me, it appears that love does not mind certain things that could be regarded as serious mistakes If I am even a thief you can hide the fxt away from other people, since any type of shame on me, will also reflect on you. Let us keep on loving ourselves more and more. Trouble shouId pive chance to peace and comfort, so that this our lives can easily be turned into a bright outlook of hope. When I was an irresponsible man, I played life verj well and now that I am responsible, I hope to do everything, carefully. Agnes: How do you think that you are now responsible? Abel: You may not like the result, if you venture to insult me. Agnes: It simply makes me laugh indeed. i have never been trained 10 tell lies and I find it late to begin d training of that type, now. Many of those people whom you call your friends have approached me and busily engaged themselves in trying to force me out of your hands. They say that you are of a questionable character. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Some of them maintain that you are an ordinary rambler. Others say that you are an ordinary deceiver. I must be frank to you. One lady came t o me and told me with every sincerity, that I shall not know the day, that you will like to run away from this house and live in another town. Then she continued, that I shall have to been responsible for the payment of the house rental, If such a thing happens, it simply means that since I am a helpless woman, there will every possibility of my going home to my parents to look for some financial aid from them. How can such a lover, with these q ~ a l i ties be relied upon. It is understood that 1 am not the first woman that you had cunningly brought in. I have also heard that you simply want t o spoil me and to leave me entirely useless in life. 0 dear! when love bears another meaning, from what it normally ought to, then, the sole motive for which that sacred thing was made. is defeated. 1 cannot tell you lies, 1 love you, but, I do not love your ways. Ydu are quite handsome and very presentable. But it should be known very well, that when character is lost, everything seems to have lostalmg with it. This is why I will not like to be in alliance, with any person whose character, seems t o be all that strange. 1 had heard right from childhood, that any woman who gets married to a thief, is alsoa thief But you can only know what that idiom, stands for. I may not have to talk very much again. All that 1 want, is not silver or gold but good character from you. Where you fail me in that, you may not have t o blame me when I bid good- bye to our love and farewel! to a heart which 1would then refer to, as once beloved. 16 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Abel: Look care! I am getting fed up with this type of address. I am sure that you will stop to remind me of the past. When first we met, you agreed very strongly to get married to me. Today, I am simply confused over your present thoughts. Since you have already termed me wicked. I might be forced to deal with you in life manner, so as to agree very well with your opinion about me. If you could have been a bit tactful, I could have hidden away some of my wicked acts and then charged to good. But now, I must have to expose myself to you, in the true form You may be disappointed and thus, begin to great, why you ever attempred to love a man of my own type. It will be such a lesson to jou, that throughout your life time, you will continue to remember it. In the first place, you should realist: tbe fact that I did not force you to love me. Your parents were very happy, to consume my money. They did not say that it came from a wicked man. After keeping me poor, > o a ,low come to discredit me. D o not forget lbat your parents demanded and received one hundred and fifty pounds from me as a bride price on you. Look at it a youngman of my own type without parents. From where else, do you .exp. ect the money for feeding to come? G o then. to your parents. get some money from them and I am eomfident, that it will lead us in maintenance, for some time. Hal ha! ha! I will teach you a lesson and tell you in a language which you'can understand, that you have joked with the wrong man. Meanwhile, let me only go out and be back. I will show you how to treat an insultive fellow. �HOW TO ' PLAY LOVE ( H e goes out ) Agnes: 0 Love! A big deceiver of people! Thou hast got me tied up to a man who appears good, but internally rotten. A very wicked fellow! An imp of misfortune and an ungrateful scamp. He is such a type that will like to cail good, bad. Look at him, telling me how .possible it would be, for food to come to a person who does not like to struggle for it. A thing never done in human history. I wonder how some people reason. H e was talking of s3me hi3 sufferings while attempting'to marry me. Is he the first man to marry a lady? O!No wonder he might have no doubt forgotten thrt he who wishes to have a wife, must first of all, be prepared for it Indeed, it is not joke. What wo'rries my mi~:d much; is the insult that this wretch.has given to my parents. He says that he will tesch me a lesson. Ofcourse, that is the normal way of a crook: J wonder what he means by that. It appears that this man does not seem to realize that he.is a fool. I am determined to !eave him. I have actually made a big mistake by coming to him. He is perhaps makmg some p!ans to undo me, but I shall be ready with mhe, Helen: It is for this reason that 1 have actua!ly decided to try men. Now, I can easily find out that you do not appear to'have meantwhat you said. I do not wish to abandon the taking of blood, simply ,because I have come to you. &in, I do not wish any man with whom.1 am t o be frieodly. to have any other man who is his own friend or brother. The sisters are also to go away. When the man is only ready to satisfj, 'his own wish and forget everything 18 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE about my commandments, T shall not be prepared to have him. Goodbye then my youngman. Farewell to our proposed love. ACT ONE ( SCENE 3 ) ABEL AND HIS LOVER Abel: Get out of this house! Margaret:' Was this how we began the love? It might be anyhow. I will only like you Abel: to go away and tbat is all. Please my dear lady, d o not sta) here, until I come back. Margaret: I actbally have determined to be your wife. Truly, I do not wish to abadon you. There will be no harm, if you only go to cool down yourself for a while. Abel: I would only have to go and pray for death. People must actually d~scredited me for quite a long time. This will surely be the end of my sorrows and like my fore-theres who had bravely resisted any attempts to keep them ashmed, I shall march on and afterwards, history, and nothing but history, shall have to speak of me. It is then that people will have to say that I was once a man who would not like to tolerate the fooleries of a woman. There are some men who may like to tolerate such nonsense as this. But for my part, I consider it nothing short of the abuse of destiny. God himself who created me and brought me into this life, will also hear witness of my actions. Yes, I was forced to marry, when 1 found out tbat many of my own mates have Cone so. But instead of enjoying it 1 found it rather boring. He who can get along w ~ t h bags of insults can do so. I shall not. My heart is seriously aching over this; Life could mean anything to others. 19 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE But for me, it has come to show another thing quite contrary to expectation. I am not a rich man. People like Onyeuku are enjoying themselves and perhaps, if death comes, they might bother. But I am not like that. Everyday, I srt down and look at people enjoying. But I d o not take part. (ENTER O N Y E U ~ U ) Margaret: ( Weeping ) Welcome Sir. Onyeuku: Yes my dear. It appears that you have something worrying your mind. Margaret: I t is nothing else tban love. I only misfired. The man I chose a s my' own lover and husband now wants t o abadon me and 1 d o not know what next to do. Onyeuku: Have you apoloeised to him? Margaret: I have actually done that but it appears that he does want to listen. What next to do, is just beyond my own imagination. Onyeuku: Yes, this why 1 always liketo have money. When a poor man makes love, he does not enjoy it. If you were to be in my house, you could not have felt any type of sorrow. ( Enter Uba ) Margaret: I am prepared to gd away, since all attrmpts t o reconcile have failed. You are only shedding crocodile tears Abel : and that, cannot help you. I am indetd, very sorry for you. Uba: Is it all the same story this way too? A lady coming t o tell me that she would like t o use my mother's head as a stool while taking her bath, is just what I cannot understand. Onyeuku: When did it happen ? �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Uba: It is a very recent talk. Abel: Or else? b b a : , Then there will be no love. Abel: I do not quite understand, what is worrying these ladies. Well, I have taken my own decision. ( Enter Agnes ) Uba: Oho! Here we are again. You blood drinker. Abel: She must have been the fellow. no doubt? Uba: Surely, she is. Abel: Today is my final day in everything relating to the insults of women and everything about their love. (Onyeuku goes away) Uba: I shall be very pleased to have it so, too. T a k e it (He Abel: (Locking the door ) shoots the three and himself too). ACT ONE (SCENE 4) Onyeuku: I am a very happy man in life. At the moment, nothing worries me. As for the money, 1 can say with every assurance, that 1 shall he allowed to take my seat amidst the wealthy people. 1eat.anything that I like and my drinks are costly ones. he money is there and so, I will not like to associate with anything that is inferior. (Enter Ikem, a friend) How are you poor man? Ikem: Yes my friend Onyeuku, 1 admit that I am poor. But as long as I eat well in my house and maintain my family, I assure you that I am equally rich. The fact that 1 have not got a car or erected a skyscraper, does not very much matter. 21 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Onyeuku. You ought to buy a car so that i t can easily be confirmed, that you have the mokley. For my part, I put on costly dresses and in that way, draw the attention of the enlire public. No wonder, when 1 go on foot, eipecially. when I feel like takmg breeze in the evenings people state at me, as if they have seen a god, 0 my dear! it is pleasant to be a big man. Nothing worries the person and no person has authority over him. Ikem: That might be correct. I, however feel that everybody. whether rich or poor, exists until death the leveller, comes to give its verdict.. Onyeuku: Death or no death, I am no: in the least, perturbed. It is only a poor man who is afraid of death, because he has no money t o cure himself, when sick. In my own case, my money can take me to even the most costly hosp~tal. I can even engage about two or three medical doctors to take charge of my health. Thus. sickness will run away acd so. death too, will be afraid to come near. Ikem: Infact my friend Onyeuku, I am not a small boy, as you very well know. I had seen some wealthy men let low into the usual six feet of earth, which 1 stronly maintain, can be said to have been the equaliser of all. I hope that you will not dispute this. For, it is an established fact. Really, whenever it is time, there might be no need resisting, since it will be entirely meaningless, so to do. Surely a man of your own experience and age, ought not doubt the truth in what 1 have told you. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE (Enter Nneka, Onyeuku's wife) Onyeuku. My name suits my position very wek O! How I like it! If 1 were called a bigman and in wealth, I had no stand, I could have liked to commit suicide than to remain and be mocked about by each and every fellojr. D o you fail to realize the fact, that a man who has no money is always a friend of everybody, including even a small boy? Ask my wife, I also purchase costly cloths for inorder that my prestige will stand upright. She has more gold than most of her mates and coupled with a superb maintainance, she thus becomes one of the happiest women that ever lived. My dear wife, is it not so? Nneka. You do not seem to be very much mistaken. But, 1 do not quite think, that eatii~g well and dressing very flamboyantly can ktep a person happy all the days of his or her own life. Ikem. My most respected lady, you have actually made a very wise statement. ( Enter Benson, a potter ) Onyeuku. Yes Mr. man, what is your name and how did you maoage to come ht r&? Benson: Master, I have come to you, for some help My wife has just put to bed in maternity and I need money badly. If and only but if, you can manage 10 assit me out of this difficult situation, 1 shall be most grateful. Onyeuku: Ha! Ha! Ha! Perhaps these people think that it was how we got rich. I do not borrow money and will not like to lend :o any person any brass farthing. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE At the moment, I am determined to sue one man who has lived i n one of my plots for six months now, but does not care to pay the rental. Benson: The position might be so sir, Rut, out of human kindness, try, try sir, to help me, Onyeuku: 1 will not help you. The earlier you go away from here, the better. But, how much do you really want from me? Benson: Any amount. not less than two pounds, will be greatly appreciated and I hope to return that, within a fortnight. Onyeuku: Two pounds? Big money indeed! Anyway I[ have not less than ten thousand pounds as fixed deposit in the bank. In my house here there is an amount not below the sum of two hundred pounds in cash. But, sorry! sorry! I will not give out any money to you. Benson: On my knees, I beg sir! ( Shedding tears ) Help me Sir! Onyeuku: I did not weep before 1 became a rich man. Amuse me more and more. Ha! Ha! Ha! Look at his lips and wrinkled face. Money is hard to get. Benson: If you hzlp me, God will reward you sir. Onyeuku: I am not ready ti, help you at all. Benson: Ehl My poor wife and her child. May you not because of them help me a bit? Onyeuku: They may even die and that will be better! Benoon: If that happens, it simply means that more will be added to my sorrows. There might be no money to purchase coffins for them. Onyeuku: Yes, that is exactly what 1 want. You will then be laughed at, much to my own pleasure. Did I prevent you form being rich? 24 �WOW TO PLAY LOVE Infact, where were you, when I gathered my wealth? Alright, let me come down a bit. Dance for me. Benson: ( Dancing ) I hope it will please you Sir and then you may help me, so that I can go back to the maternity and see the woman and her child. For, by now, the woman might have been feeling hungry. Onyeuku: 0 no! There is money right enough as I said before, but I shall not give you. However, let me just see what I can d o now. Benson: Yes Sir! I beg, try Sir. Try and help me. Onyeuku: bring your head. Renson: (Bows ) At your service, my dear Sir. ( Onyeuku cracks him ). Thank you Sir! Onyeuku: Alright! You may now have t o go away. Renson: What about the help, Sir ? Onyeuku: I am sorry my dear youngman. Yon might very well appreciate that I am not a money-lender. Really. I suffered before getting whatever you now see me use. I will alse like everyother person to sweat very well for cash. G o away! Get away at once! Benson: After all these sufferings received, should I still go away without your help? Onyeuku There is no help at all! ~o!co!away I say! Benson: Thank you very much. God is alive and will be the judge. Onyeuku: Come if what may! My money is there! Benson: Let it be ( He leaves ) Onyeuku: Ssrvanr! ( Servant enters ) Give me one bottle brandy. ( The drink is served and he begins ro take. ) 25 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Nneka: You might not have bten quite rig'it . in treating the poor man in that way. Onyeuku: That is not my concern. I must be hard hearted, since 1am not owing any person. - Ikern: I have no other statement to make. But if 1were you, I should not have like that. Onyeuku: I have obeyed my own conscience and that is all about it. (Exeunt) (ACT ONE SCENE 5) Benson: This is yet, one ofthe most inhuman type of treatrnent,erer given to mankind. That I can go to a wealthy man for some aid and after being subj,cted to series of humiliations, would s:ill come home, just as I had left. 0 God! Why keep n e alive it1 the world to be toyed about, by each and every person who might have been fortunate to get some cash? My wife is still waiting for me. Truly, everybody realises what it is, for a moth:r to be with her child in a maternity. O! no food m i no money to buy some! What next, should I do? MY hopes, now seem, to have been entirely foiled and >haltered to pieces! No help from any source no help at all! But, God is there. (He prays) "0 most gracious Father, who always listens to the cry of His children, kindly come near and help me now. I confide in no other person or thing l know and have also heard of;how far you had !;tlped other people o! I let me be favoured 1ikewi.t-. T h ~ s confidently ask, Amen" Any other thing can happen. - �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Onyeuku or no Onyeuku, since1 have prayed to God, I am happy, For, He never fails. (Enter Joseph, a friend) Can this be you Joseph? Joseph: For many months I had been away to the spanish territory. lnfact I made a lot of profit over there. From the ninet) cases tobacco I broght home, I was able to make a gain of one hundred and ten pounds. This amount of course, exculdes the profit made on the brandy. On the whole, it was a very pleasant trip. I had no difficulty with either the police or the customs watereuard officers. Now my friend, where is your wife Erinma ? Benson: She is now in the maternity. What for ? Joseph: She has recently, given birth to a bouncing baby boy. Benson: Congratulations, my friend Benson: O!The wonders of God, are great! If it were someing to be bought with money, you coulf not have been able to compete with these wealthy and greedy men around us. At any rate, since I shall not be privileged to see her today, (dipping hands into his pocket and bringing our some notes) Take this little amount of five pounds and manage up, until I am chanced to to come back to you. Benson: Thank you very much Joseph. Please, do not fail to turn up on Saturday. For, it is on tbat day, tbat I shall invite friends and wellwishers to my house and all of us will have to rejoice together, over the merciful work of cod to me. Joseph: I hope to be in your house, by then. I still have some revolver and pistol guns, to deliver to customers. 27 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE So,good-bye till then and pass my greetings, t o the worthy woman. finson: I have heard you and I am very grateful, indeed. (Joseph leaves. It is indeed very gratifying, that the fervent prayers of a man of my own type, can thus be easily answered. (He sighs) 0 money ! It was because of you, that I went and vaily suffered every amount of disgrace, toda! . O! when w~ll troubles of this life, cease ? At any the rate, 1 must take h e m . Onyeuku, will not lige forever. (Enter Erinma) 0 b dear. Are you back? l was only preparing t o come for you. Erinma: T o my surprise, a Taxi driver came u p and informed me that your friend Joseph, had paid him, to convey me home ro my husband. I had t o respond at once and together with my child, B:ns oncame home. Thanks be to God, that you are back to this house. ( Exeunt ) ACT TWO ( SCENE ONE ) Onyeuku: (sitting in his parlour, smoking a pipe and with a cup of wine in hand ). I wonder when these poor men, will cease from worrying me. Ha! ha! ha! I created one of them, in the most contemptuous manner, last time. He was talking of his wife. Does he not know that I also have a wife ? Nonsense! Enter Ude, Debtor ) Yes, thanks be to whatever demon that might have brought you here today. where is my money? 1 mean the rental, that you owe me? I am Porry Sir. Infact, I d o not have the money here and I beg you io allow me some days, to look for it. 28 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Onyeuku: Shut up your mouth! I actually have the right t o slap you just now and cover up every thing,with my money. D o you agree that you are my slave right now? Ude: Yes, my Lord. Onyeuku: What I what, is my mofiey. Ude: I have not got it sir. Please consider my plea. Onyeuku: 1 don't Lazy man1 I cannot consider you. What I know, is that you must Pay me today and just now. If nor, you will not step out of thisroom. I will not mind, beating you !o death. Ude: 1 beg you Sir. Onyeuku: Perhaps you not understand what I am saying. Where is my money? Ude: It is not here Sir: Onyeuku Did it run away? Ude: N o Sir. The fa'ct is that I cannot produce i t today Sir. Onyeuku: A Lazy fellow. I wonder why there should be very many lazy people, these days. I will teach you a lesson today. I can even kill and skin you. Afterwards' 1 bury your corpse or leave it for the vulture and use your skin in making a drum, which I will use in entertaining myself, when I want t o add more t o my own comfort. Poor fellow, I am indeed sorry for you., Be sure, that your family will no longer enjoy your company He handles a big stick and Ude escapes). I am sorry that thsi idiot of a man, has escaped. However,it is not difficult to get him round. I wish to d o as already planned. meanwhile, let me sit down and think properly over how to catch and kill him. If possib!e, I can even drink his blood. I want to be as hostile as possible, to any poor man, who comes across iny way. (He sits.down puffins his pipe. 29 �HOW TO FLAY LOVE The wine is still on the table, when death d:essed up in a black suit, entered and stood opposite him). Who are you my man? Death: I am death. I: do not joke, as you might have heard. Onyeuku: It a p p e a r s then, that you might have made a mistake to enter my house. 1 do not want you now. But can i help you and is their anything wrong? Death: (Looking very grave) I did not make any mistake: Is vour name not Onyeuku ? Onyeuku: Sure 1 Onyeuku is my name. Death: What else? I have proposely come to take you. Therefore, prepare at onc and follow me. Onyeuku: ( Sweating 2nd throwing away his pipe) Might there be not mercy? (Looking quite subtle). Drath: (appearing more serious with eyes open). If need be. Onyeuku: Please, what should I do, to cease the situation ? Death: (In a deep tone). Time is flying. 1 have been trained, not to joke with my time. Onyeuku: Although no human being trifles with you and you are not prepared to waste any time, yet, it would be something of unparallelled kindness, ifyou can only, out of goodwill, allow me give some directives, to the members of my family. Truly, everybody fears you and I am no exception. lnfact, I respect you. The truth is that, you do not appear as wicked, as people think you are. Death: (Smilling a bit with one of his eyes, slighly open). Infact, if it were not that, I am duty bound, to safeguard my own business, I could have left you, scotch free. 30 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE But. I cannot help it. As a matter of fact, you are among the few wise people, who admit that 1 am in some cases, kind. Onyeuku: (With some smiles). I have found out that1 cannot escape this. But, still, [ plead that you give me scme days, so that I can hold some discussions with the members of my family. Death: But earlier, I underst'ood that you would resist me. For that, 1 came with full force, to meet you face to face, so as to know who is more powerful than the other. Onyeuku: (Smiling.) Even in dreamland, I cannot tell you or any other person, that I am your equal. I am a weak cre.iture. Infact, such that cannot stand you in any angle. Death: Well, I am happy to hear this. Onyeuku: Furthermore, you know that man, has enemirs. One of the people who my downfall, could come t o you and tell you anything that will make you angry over me. I take you as my master and f r i e ~ d . Dra:h: Though I scarcely go back to my decision, yet, in view of your kind work about my person, I have granted you some days t o have a word with your Fanily..Will you appreciate that I' am kind enough? Onyeuku: Drfinitely, youare! I am grateful indeed. Death: (Smiling and nodding). Remember that I must come. Perhaps, your people who might be laughing now, will then be weeping and gnashing their teeth, on thitt terri- �HOW TO PLAY LOVE ble day. Surely, it is by then, that you will have t o remember your past performances. Meanwhile. let me go and take some rest. I have done a lot of work today. Not less than five hundred people are t o obey me tomorrow. Onyeuku: Safe journey Mr Death. Death: ( With a very low tone ). Thank you very much, Mr Onyeuku. (Exit Death) Onyeuku: ( Pondering ). Thus, man shifts fromthe life of splendour, to agony. That man w~ll be interviewed by death, a monster of that nature, face to face, still appers t o me, as one of the mysteries, yet to be solved be experts in anthropology. For, besides them, none other, can. (Foldmg his arms and with his mouph, wide open, face looking pale with fear). But, how will this type of news sound in the ears of the members of my family? How will the entire public, react to it? Members of my family, might take me serious. It is also likely, that they may feel, that l am telling them lies or cracking jokes. For, no living man can one day confirm that he or she, bad never debated with death. How! How will it be? But was it in dreamland? No. my eyes were c!ear. The figure might be back soon. No need wasting time. For I am no longer, a free man. (Exit) ACT TWO (SCENE TWO) Nneka: I wonder why my husband Onyeuku, has not come to the dining room for food. It is now fifteen minutes after two o' clock. Emeka: Dad, rather seems late to luncheon today. Nduhuisi: I am surprised to see that my brother Onyeuku eats more food, these days. In the �HOW TO PLAY LOVE past, he did not attach importnce to afternoon meal. (Enter Onyeuku, looking sad and disgusted) Ada: Papa, I wonder why you chose to punish me today. You very well know, that I cannot eat in your obsence. Onyeuku: I am very sorry for that, my little daughter Ndubuisi: That might not be correct. 1 also thought so at first But later on, I found out that both the sellers and the buyers, were all victims of the gloom. Onyeuku: (Smiling). When a man sees what is by fat' greater than he can bear there will be no alternative, than to yield. Ikem: Yield to what? T o what! I say! No! Not me forever. ( Emptjing a tumbler of bear). Nneka Of course, it depends upon the circumstance. Ikem: (Emptying anolhcr tumhler of bear ). I care less for m y type of circumstance I damn the consequence. Onyeuku: (Standing up). Let us be serious. Infact I have only some day more to live. I am already a dead mnn. Ndubuisi God forbids. Ikem: I wonder why you try to joke over serious matters. How will such a dream as this come truet when you are not sick, even now. that a fun! Never in histcry, had any persol1 known when to die. Ada: O!papa, d o not say so! If you die now, who will help mum to care for us? (Onyeuku shndding tears and looking at his - children. ) Emcka I am indeed s~:rprised.I do not know uhat nex! to do. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Nneka My husband actually means his speech. Ndubuisi Certainly, he is serious. Ikem: Serious over what? T o die how? My bcs3m friend to die. How does know.? Onyeuku It was rewaled to me. ( All of them burst into tears. Exeunt Act 2 ( Scene I ) Entered Death and Four of his Messengers. Death: (Pinting at one old man). Get hold of him be has spent very many years on earth. Old man: Am I the oldest man today? Death: Shut up your mouth and obey me at once. ( The man dies). 1st Msger: T o where again Sir? Death: G o to the market and get up to so people. Second messenger should go to the Ocean and sink the ship, make sure that many people were got. Tbird messenger should be in the air and crash aeroplanes, while the fourth goes to cause motor accident. I shall go personally to Onyeuku and get him to my Kingdom. All: Your orders must be obeyed Sir, They go while Death makes for Onyeuku's residence. (Exeunt) Act 2 (Scene two) Ooyeuku: Neither sorrow, n o r tears, can disuade death from executing his evil intentions. It is now necessary that I must be separated from you. "Death is an inevitable end of man horn af a woman, and must come. when it will. All that I pray is that my memory should remain indelible into your memories for my part, it is now finish with existence. Act 2 (Scene Two) Onyeuku: Oh, but if I were a bachelor, I could have happily gone away; knowing that 1 have �HOW TO PLAY LOVE nothing to think of. Now, the situation is different. There is no iota or doubt, that this tragedy, will be a big blow to my family; friends and relatives. Oh, death! Thou wickcd monster that will always refuse to be bribed. I am now at your mercy! Take me to any place that you might deem fit, for it is 'through you: that I shall get to my fore-fathers. Only some hours more to go. Poor, Onyeuku will no more eat, or drinlc. Ooly some months more to go, the memeries of Oayeuku, will all be forgetten. It is sure that I must be taken by the cold lands, of death. Bravely however, I shall confrmt it all as others had. Perhaps, it is time. Oh! the memory of my children who will be left as orphans pains me greatly. The die is now case: Terrible! Oh! How painful it is to part from loved once! This i s question of must. (Enter Nneka, Ndubuisi, Emeka, Ada) Nithher tears no sorrows can cease the situation. Ndubuisi: This talk again? Onyeuku: You might sesse from bzing a Thomas when everything is pracrically dzrnonwated Well Emka it is up to you to comfront your mother Nneka brust into tears ) Stay well with your sister too. Although you seem too young to manage a family, just now yzt the will of fate and dsting must be obeyed. Ada: Papa when will you return? �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Onyeuku: O! tender child, Quite ingnorant of what is being said! ( Ndubuisi ) folds his arms and looks at his brother in surprise) My only daughter, when is time, you will meet me there. (Enter Ikem) Onyeuku: My house shou!d not be kept in confusion when the tragic period comes, 1 have uever been a confusionist. Ikem: The death will spare wicked men and easily take the quite ones is something that greatly baffles my intelligence. O! Onyeuku, Is this the way in which we are to part? Death! come too! come I say and take me away. What next are you leaving me for. Onyeuku: If were something that can be prevented by force or money, I would have tried my best. But as it is, I stand confused now as to what else to do than to obey the call. Since all of are preseni, and are quite aware of the entire catastrophe, I shall not regard myself as some body who might have dsed intestate., I now declare in the presence of living witness that I bequeath my estate to my son Emeka, there is no atom of doubt that everything is now, settled. Things may be however what they seem. I shall be the last man to be all that worried, since death is the lot of all human beings, ( Exeunt ) Act Three Scene One Benson: Ladies and gentlemen, I have assembled all of you to this place, so ?hat you can come along and share the joy of the day, with me. Each and every one of you can easily tell, what it is, to heve a wile, who might have safely �HOW TO PLA LOVE given birth to a child infact, it is for that purpose, I have determined not to be alone, but to be in merriment, with you. There might be money or not. But, it will be much to my own pleasure to afford the little presents that I have. Life may be hard or soft. But, I am solely determined, to conquer, all the difficulties, in my way t o success. (They cheer him ) As a matter of fact, I could have been very much let down. But as a resuit of true friendship, I had nothing t o lose. Jasper: We have actually heard a great deal cf your sayings. Even though that be the case, I am opined that things should go in the right form. However, 1 d o not blame you at all. At ?he same time. it will be unfair of me, to pounce upon your opponent, merely for the sake of satisfylog your own very desire. At any rate. I am pleased over the way, in which things are going, at the moment. Your entertainments, I shall have to take. Thank you very much. Joseph. It is true, that I tend t o be one of the most significant figures here, when talking in terms of those, who are somehow. related to Benson. It cannot be disputed, that both of us are quite friendly. Truly, about the most intimate of friends, that might have ever existed. Some people are actually well to do. There are others too, who are not all that. Whatever might have been the case, it wi!l not be advisable, for one section. parrlcularly the wealthy side, to despise the poor. For every body is levelled. by six feet of earth, which ought to be for all. - �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Benson: Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am sayinp without any type of prejudice, that some of these people, who think that money can d o everything for them, might be a bit mistaken. I have no doubt, that you might have heard of or even known, one Onyeuku, 1 actully approached him, when 1 was in a type of financial difficulty. Truly, he subjugated me to series o f , tortures and in the end, made a ridicule, of it all. I am not determined to blame him. But then, he ought to have been in sympathy, with my own situation and then, reconsider my stand, in the .whole affair. At any rate, I am not in the least, perturbed. Jasper: Let the ugly past be forgotten. I have no doubt that the Almighty God, will d o his wish. Joseph: That also, is my own plea. All t h a t ~ I ask, is for God's own protection, over this woman ( Exeunt ) and her child forever. ACT THREE ( SCENE TWO ) Death: Mr. Onyeuku, I have now come! ~ n y e u k u : I have actually found out that I cannot resist. Take me therefore, to anywhere, that you will. Nneka: Master! I understand that your name is Death. Will you please not mind pardoning my husband? Death: In Fairness of it my dear lady, business is to business. I am sure, that you will not l ~ k e joke over your business. Thus, tbisis mine infact, I cannot help it a t all. Your husband must be taken away. Hiscut is now full. When it is your own time too, you will undoubtedly have to come along. No amount of plea, will disuade �HOW TO PLAY LOVE me from my own determination. As a matter of fact, 1 helped him very much. In reality, I. d o not inform people when I wish. t o visit them. But Oiyeuku is the man that I like very much and it will be very unfair t o snatch him away from his family, without notice, hence I gave him a hint to prepare. Ndubuisi: Does it then go to mean that you can take any person whenever you choose to d o so ? Death: Well Mr. Man,the whole thing is that I have m y time table with m, whicb acts like a typeof : 'schedule. Every body's name, is therein listed. You might be the next person t o come. But, since I have not come to you, it i s sure that you might only have t o brag. But my arrival is sure. Truly, by letting him know in time. .Actually some. ptople might spoil me, by branding me bad. I am not so. Please hold on, for your own turn. Ikem: That is nonsense ! Death: You may choose it so t o be. But I a m not worried. The whole thing is thatonyeuku must I repeat must, come along with me. Your own time is coming, You may not even have the mouth t o say this when it is time. Onyeuku ! Onyzuku ! Come along !Come along I a t once and let us go: Forge: everythig about your property, wife and children. Emeks: Since it appears that you d o not seem t o have any mercy, I d o not know, what next, to do. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Death: I pity all of you. In fact, I do not come out for bad. Please, bear any type of inconvenience, like that. I must have to vist teach and every person. It anly depends upon the time. 1 wish you good-luck in all your own undertakings. Nneka: I had thought that even that most wicked people, have some considerations at times. Death: Madam, I cannot do otherwise. I am sure that 1 have actually spoken at length. Let it be, that whatever name you may call me right now, I shall be prepared to answer. But, there is one thing. I cannot Iqve Mr. Onyeuku. He is to get along with me. Ikem: It simply appears that you are adamant to all the please of all of us? Death: Positive! I maintain! Take yourself to be i n m y own position surely, you will do likewise. Nneka: Afterwards, the whole thing, has come to an end. Onyeuku is gone, much to the joy of his enemies. Benson: I had thought that big men do not die. The thing is that it will not be advisable, for a big man to despise a poor man and feel that he is the all in all. Fortune meets people mistakenly. Ude: The man who promised to skin me, is now gone. But however, he did me a world of good. For, he pardoned me, my deabt. Ikem, All said and done, the thing has come to an end. At any rate, no person can tell, when it is his or her own turn, to kick the bucket. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE H e who does good, it is for him and he y h o does bad, it is also for him. Ude: Mr. Death, is there no consideration for this man? Death: I am very sorry indeed. I have actually wasted a lot of my own time. If I could have considered him, you might have been late t o meet me. Benson: But remember, that he is a big man, whose death, might n3t be appriciated by many people. D z a ~ h : That is actually what I want it all to be, Ikem: But do you think that you are very powerful? Death, That might be well answered, when I come to you. Ikem: Shut up your mouth! When are you coming. Why not now, idiot? Death: No more time to waste. ( H e strikes Onyeuku dead and disappears at once. ) Onyeuku- ( A m ~ d stears) It now has become quite t apparent, that I must have to abandon all my proposals and family and get along with my sister - death. ( Enter Ude ) Ifact. I am going to a strnage land; I d o not know any person there. It might therefore, be difficult for me to make friends. However. Ude, you have now come here and I am sure, that i t is for the settlement of the debt. Take it. 1 hate now granted you a pardon.Please, pray for my own soul. ( Enter Benson ) 1 also apologise to all those, that I might have wronged, in one way, or the other. Please, pardon me and only look after my family. By the grace of God, we shall meet again. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE ACT THREE ( SCENE 3 ). Death: (Sitting down comfortably and with his legs crossed ) What a very busy day! Infact, I must have to congratulate myself, for all my activities, within the month. ( Enter Onyeuku, conducted by one of death's Officers ) Ha! Ha! Ha! There is no doubt that this is Mr. Onyeuku, the man who knew what is means, to have my orders, disobeyed. Surely, this is my own palace. You might have seen for yourself, a bit of what goes on here. How do you like the place? Onyeuku: .4lthough I am quite a new man to this kingdom, yet, I shall not hesitate to let YOU know, that as far as I am concerned, there 1s nothing very worthy of a major criticism. Men and women are lively and the place looks quite gay and disciplined Death: I am indeed happy, to hear you say so. This is a place, where people are free from worries of all types. There is no question of sweating very much for daily bread and running very fast, in pursuit of money. Here, communism is practised to the very last meaning of the word. This is one of the reasons why I pity men whenever their families cry in sorrow of my having them snatched away. But i t will be interesting to note, that those who come here, scarcely wish to get out. Officer: Pardon please your worship, May I know what type ofjob to which this new member should be assigned? Death: Of course, that is very much in line, with I the system here E! M ( Scratching his head ) H e is to clean my shoes everyday. Hey l Mr. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Onyeuku, do you know how to clean shoes properly? Onyeuku: I shall have to rehearse that once mcre. For while in the world. Ican assure you, that I had servants who did various types of jobs for me including even this that 1 am now to do for somebody else. In reality, it has taken not less then ten years, since I did that last. Death: Ha! Ha! Ha! That is what you people, d o over there. Any of you ones idering himself wealthy, would at once grow lazy. See now, you have come to a place, where there is no form of discrimination. If the smallest person, receives twelve strokes of rhe cane, you wdl likewise be treated. ( Handling a cup of beer, while Onyeuku looks at him eagerly ) When in the other world, you enjay yourself very much. But here, there is no time for that. Perhaps you are interested i n taking a cup of wine as I am now doing. , Is that correct? Onyeuku: Most certainly, it is. Death: But it is a pity. No person who comes to this kingdom dominated by me, ever drinks. He will only look at me, enjoying myself to the full and will not participate. Onyeuku: Kindly allow me even a sip of the cup. Death: I am sorry my man. That, will be a violation of our principles here. However, I am getting ready for a convention and I hope that you wlll very soon adapt yourself, to the environment. We are good. We are kind and we are the real peace loving citizens. At the same time, I must not fail to let you know that, anything wrongly done here, is seriously accounted for, by -the doer. 43 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE I may or may not know. There are sufficient and able lieutenants of mine, who can deal with various issues. So, in your own interest, I reveal this, since I am only in the position to give commands, which must be executed, without acy disobedience. (He leaves for the convention). Officer: Thenext phase of it all, is to appzar before a iurv. 0nyedcu; What for? Officer: Here, it is always the policy of "NO ANSWERS T O QUESTIONS." Take note of this. (Enter the Jury) Prosecutor: Where is Onyeuku? Onyeuku: I am here. your lordship. Prosecutor: You are commaded to stand properly, before his lordship and confess all that you did on earth. Remember that you will be cross examined. Onyeuku: When I was on earth, I did certain things in order that I might become weahby. The first was to sacrifice my mother to the God of wealth. The second, was to cheat and oppress poor men and widows. That was not all. I bought one lorry, that would always convey robbers, from one place to the other for plunder. At the end of operations, I would have to share the booty, with them, But people did not suspect that I was transacting a business of that nature. For so it is, that when people see a man who drives in a car, they feel that he is above dishonesty. �TO HOW PLAY LOVE Cnyeuku: That is all I can remember, your lordship Associate Judge: Why then d o you bring this man here? His record does not seem as blcck as thought. It ought to b s noted , that we a r e to give people fair trial, s o as to be 'released from the pangs of conscience. Prosecutor: May your lordship listen to prosecution witnesses? Associate Judge: Where are thev? Callthem UD at once. There are many people to be tired and if you have not prepared your case will, this man, can be discharged and acquitted a t once, for want of evidence. Prosecutor: Selinah! (Enter Selinah and she goes direct to the witness box ) D o you know this =an who stands here as a n accused? Selinah: Yes, your lordship. Prosecutor: For good o r for bad? Explain to the court. Selinah: The man standing as an accused., is known as Onyeuku. He was my first husband and I was the first woman, that he married. Prosecutor: Why did both of you separate. Selinah: I t was one night, when he conducted his lady friend inlo my room and introduced her to me. But in actual fact, Goth of us were legitimately married in the court and afterwards, went to a priest and received some blessing. I cou!d not therefore, look to another and Ge too, was bound by law, to be in the same s a t e with me. After some hours, the lady left and of course, that wzs not wi:hout hearing a noisy quarrel, going on between my husband and me. I. clearly pointcd it out to Onyeuku, that I would expose. - - - �HOW TO PLAY LOVE the matter and have him disgraced. At once, he got infuriated and with a bicycle chain around my neck, he strangled me to death. He dug a grave that every night and let low my corpse. Chief Judge: Onyeuku, have you any questions t o ask her? Onyeuku: None your lordship Her evidence is quite correct. Chief Judge: 1 am sure, that apart from this, there is no other hidden deed of his ? Prosecutor: Yes, your lordship. Chief Judge One thing that men and women seem t o forget, is that all their deeds arc always recorded by some unseen hands. I suspect that they simply feel that they can do anyth~ngand run away from it, provided they are not seen by people. One of the offences we regard grave here, is tbat of killing somebody. For, by so doing, out kingdom is overpopulated and souls are sent to us, at odd time, Well, without wasting time, the punishnent, should be inflicted. ( An officer administers twelve strokes of the cane on the buttocks of Onyeuku. ) So far, so good for the day. We should close up. Until we are needed again. (Exeunt ) All: As the court pleases. ACT THREE (SCENE 4 ) Clerk: During the last convention, Life was the chairman. This time, in accordance with the stipulated constituion Death is to occupy the chair. ( Death gets up and takes the seat, to the applause of his supporters. ) �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Dcath: Tam pleased to have been appointed, to direct the meeting. I assure all of ycu, that it is my intention, to try my best, in seeing that ever) thlng, is will carried out. There are no new member and so, it is believed that each and e./ery person here, knows exactly when to say something and what t3 say. I t is usual, that an account of stewardship by each and every officer, is the first item on the agenda. Accident: During t5e last convention, I was ordered to bring nine hundred and nighty eight persons, into our kindom. Within the first six months, I was able to get sixty five people, through road accidents, fifty. Two, by air and after sinking a launch which made one hundred and twenty people on board, perish, I had as my to:al ,two hundred and thirty seven soul, For the next six months, the statistics, stood a s follows. lorry crashes -- two hundred people dead. Aeroplane disaster one hundred and fifty people and one train accident in which o r e hundred and seventy four souls, were f o ~di missing. Thus, on the whole, I was able to can;eplete the figureof nine hundred a n j nlnety c @ r - Death: You did a very good work indeed. . Life: May I know the exacr number of people, that we agreed upon, to be taken away from me last year? Clerk: On the whole, it was five thousand. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Life: But my own record shows that five thousand and fifty persons, were taken away. What might have brought about the surplus. Death: I feel that it would be more convenient to go gradually. After !istening to the activities of the officers, then, we can easily know, where we went wrong. War: I was ordered to combine' with Trouble, Hunger and Suicide. to get the balance of four thousand and two people. One inter-tribal war, gave us three thousand people. Hunger then, rushed out and brought more one thousand and upon finding out that two more were needed. Suicide, stepped in and got them. Thus, we completed the number. But 1 still have got a remark to make. Peace. has found much pleasure in challenging me, whenever I am on duty. In some cases, he even overpower me, since he knows our secrets. I am hereby appealing to all officers, for co-operation in the execution of our respective duties. Peace: Look care Mr. Wat! I actually challenged you as you said. I also, shall continue to do so, until you send back or account properly. for the fifty people, taken away from our own kingdom. If you d o not, then you should bear in mind, that I shall always resist your attempts to take away people from me. If possible Mr. War, 1 would not mind having theissue out with you, personally. War: I suspect that you are not in your correct senses. Infact, you are talking arrant nonsense. It is just like a speech. made by a little boy. Who are you? �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Peace: Damned fool of your own type! A person who can only be out for destruction. D o you at times sit down and think a little bit of what people talk about you! Bloody scamp! War: I find it a waste of time, to exchange words with your corward. People on earth, might talk anything about me. Infact, I do not care. That is how, those in my own kingdom are also talking bad of you too. Love: Well Mr. War, please cool down yourself. Mr. Peace, should also d o the same. If tempers begin lo rise like this, the meeting might have to end in a fiasco. ( War and Peace, shut up their mouths ). Birth: There might not be much need for my own speech. As commanded, I transfered five thousand people safely, from Mr. Death's Kingdom, to Mr. Life. Death! From where then, comes the difference ? Did any officer take more than he was ordered? (Silence for a while. ( Every officer, re.cheking his list ) Trouble: I now remember one thing. Life: What can it be ? Trouble: There are some, that keep on knocking at the gate a t odd hours when asked how they were brought, they cannot explain. They have no tickets and so, and keep on roaming from one end to the other. �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Death:I have now come t o know, the cause of that. There are some, who fall c n their fellow people, out of anger and kill them right away. Since it might not have been, the time we expected such a victim, the soul keeps on walking to and for Thus, such will neither be for lrfe, nor for me. Even in my kingdom, not less than forty souls have appeared and given evidence against their murderers. Truly, we d o not encourage murder and my chief judge, is always ready to apply disciplinary measures, whenever such is noticed. In fairness of it all Mr. Life, you will then appreicate, that I have not robbed you. It is only a mistake on the part of tbe people your in own kingdom Right from time, we had worked co operatively and it is my most ardent wish thatsuch parity should always be maintained. Life: Thank you very much Mr Death, for your statement, which has now thrown light, into the whole issue. It can now be seen, that none of us is wrong and so. tempers should no longer rise. Let us forget the past-indeed, the exchange of words, which took place between one of your lieutenants and mine. Really, they are not small boys and they ought not be reminded, to apologise, without hesitatio one t o the other. War. Well Mr. Peace, I am very sorry for what had earlier taken place. Please pardon me, for any bad statement, that I might have made. Peace. Goodbye to skirmish. Let us re dedicate ourselves to our duties. Mr. War, J am sorry for causing you an inconvenience. (Both of them shake hands and smile,) - �HOW TO PLAY LOVE Death: I have very well come to realise that everybody is alive to his job. P'else. let us get along like this and hope to ahieve a great future. Exeunt ACT FOUR ( SCENE 1 ) Ikem: Well, my friend Onjeuku is dead. Nneka: That is, as clear as crystal. I cannot help it. I am only pleased, that you, his personal frlend, were here during the most part of the incident. You now can see, that I have automatic ally become a widow, at this ycung age, sequal ofcourse, to no direct fault of mine. I am just like a sheep, without a shepherd. Infzct, just like a ship without a pilot. Whither I head to, is not easy for me to tell. Emeka, my only son is still young. Indeed, too young, to manage a family. Ndubuisi, my husband's bcother, is very greedy and jealous. Onyeuku's dcath: has come to dislocate the entire frame-work, of the family. The days of Cowfort, seem to have vanished. My former greatness, is now, something to be told as a tale to children, during moonlight. ikem: You may no doubt realise, that I am still a bachelor. Nneka: That, I very well know. But in what way, d o you think that it will help, solve the problem that I now face? Ikem: My l a t ~friend's wife Nntka. Please note, men are one at all times and every-where. What might differ, is the position, as far as fortune is concerned. However, please be satisfied with the fact that no man or woman, was born together with a bag of gold. 51 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE I concede, that the material thing is life. He who has it, will be capable of doing anything of his, own wish, provided there is the chance I am fully confident, that, hope combined with a burning ambition, will offer such challenge t o misfortune, that neither the devil, can stand. What seems'to matter more in life, is peace and not pieces. With this family, I had been infimate. That is entirely, beyond all reasonable doubts. It is as clear as dayliqht. Again, you can easily confirm, that I had not on any occasion, misconducted myself, either to the annoyance of your own self, or my late friend Onyeuku. Thus, with implicit confidence, 1 maintain, that you can be proud of me. By this time ofcourse, you can also tell about my character. It will cause me a lot of tears, to see my friend's wife languish in agony, f because of the inevitable lcss o the pillar of the family. If and only but if. you can agree, as 1 feel that you might like to consider, I would not mind drawing nearer you. it is in this way I presume, what might have been deemed lost, can be regained, Further, Nneka. it would be ungrateful of me, to refuse to let you know, that you were the main cause fo my friendship, with your husband. Earlier, I had been contemplating upon having a secret deal with you, during Onyeuku's life time. But, just as if plans had worked exactly in accordance with my hopes, he �HOW TO PLAY LOVE kicked the bucket, ofcourse, not at all, to my cwn joy. At arly rate, it is indeed, something that we cannot help. Let us therefore, say goodbye to the past and face nothing but the present. Yaur graceful manners, together with your personal charm, often compel me run crazy, anyday, that I kil to catch a glimpse of this face, which is as bright as the morning sun. Your shape alone, is not to be rivalled, by any other. Truly, I feel that it will be very unnecessary of me, to say all that you might have heard me say. For, you are also a living witness to my behaviour towards you. If 1 am talking a lie, please, without any reservalion, prove me! Prove me at once 1 say-much to my own disgrace ! Nneka; You are not wrong in any from. Ikem: Wellthen, what next?Shall we have to wait for Onyeuku to rise form the dead and instruct us so to do, before wc become active? Surely, if the dead see, he will be very grateful for this approach of mine. Nneka: How then will my consent, ring in the ears of people, particularly, those who might have hated my husband, when be was alive? Ikem: Leave that for me. I shall be prepared to face the scandal My long association with Onyeuku, actually tutored me a great deal. Today, 1 can surmount an insurrection, in all its ramifications. The personaiity of Onyeuku, has been gently transfered to me. It is by his own spiritual guidance, that I move In the dream, he tells me many things �HOW TO PLAY LOVE which 1 shall not be prepred to reveal to even my own mother. Now Nneka, let us bes eriaus. I am not acting on my own directives. Only promise me your love and also, have that effected, at once. Agree that I have become your own sincere husband and I shall take you as my own beloved wife. (Looking at her, straight in the eyes, smiling and holding her arm) Nneka: It is not difficult to agree that I am your wile. Infact, If f had not loved you enough, you could have proved that too. But what binders our getting closely tied up together, is just one thing and that is how will my children or the entire family reach to this new atreement? Emeka is there. At the moment, he is regarded as a small boy. But in reality, he is not all that. He can easdy know what is wrong. Again, Ndubuisi is a full ffetched man. I t is possible that he might form an opinion, which can be detrimental to the tranquility of both of us. However, in doing that, he ought to be supported by even, public opinion. When people are hastily after something, they d o not seem to mdke out some chance to think over certain delicate issues, they might be involved. See now, it can safely be said, that in order to achieve our ends, both of us, had to conspire and kill Onyeuku. We cannot escape the allegation. We shall therefore, be subjected to scandal, contempt and ridicule. Witb what face, can I then stand - �HOW TO PLAY LOVE amidst my fellow women and have a say ? there, will be many opponets and of course, the end might have to mean much, if not tragic. In truth, In truth, I do not disagree to your request. For, it is really quitedifficult, for a women to remain for years, without a man. I know for certain, that death is a national catastrophe, from which no person can escape. Tnat is very sure. But at the same time, you ought to realise, what I am particularly afier. Towards this, I would like you, to give the matcer, a second thought. (Enter Ada) Ikem: If men were only listening to what people say, things could have not been executed in the normal form. (Ada running into ikem's laps and crying, Papa! Papa!) There you are.! Everything now seems to have been made qui'te manifest to you. Let them say anything they like. Forget that and let us execute the proposal and thus? prevent further distress. I assure you, that it w~il in any form, strain relations. not Nneka: I need not to say more. (They kiss) Ikem: Am 1 now your husband? Nneka: Yes I am your wife. Ikem: Truely, together, shall we enjoy the beauty, and prestige ofthis house, by the grace and glory of God. Exeunt (ACT FOUR ( SCENE 4) As one of the elders of this town, I have actueIly found it necessary to summon all the citizens together, so that we can decide upon what steps to take, in finding a person, to take the place of Onyeuku. 55 �HOW TO PLAY LOVE All of you, are fully aware of the fact, that Onyeuku, when al~ve,was our chief. Today, things seem to be going very wrong, since there IS no ruler. It should be made clear, that if we continue like this it then simply means, that we are heading towards a di5aster Fellow old men, youths and women, let us all join hands and make our town, respectable and dignifying. However let it be clearly understood, that I am not longing for the post, since it is something that can be done by means birthright. Thank you Sir. On behalf of the youncg men of this town, I stand up here to move that, the question of having a chief, should be by election. Infact, I d o not support dictatorship. Our former chief I am sorry to say, was very much hard-hearted. He had no regard for the poor people. In truth, he felt that any man favoured by fortune should torture the less fortunate. I d o not belleve. that this ought to happen in a free society, where democracy, is daily harped on. For my part, I do not even pray, to have a ruler. At the same time, I will be interested t o know, who is to be tipped for the position. In my own eyes at the moment, no person seems fit. Joseph: 1 may not find it easy, to agree with you. I have not got much to say. Give the right thing, to the r:ght man and that is good. Kingmaker: Even while in the dream, I was instructed to allow Emeka his right. All: Yea! Right choice ! Grown him ! Kingmaker: Now I consider the opposers as very unfortunate indeed Thus, let it be know this day, that Emeka, the son of late chief Onyeuku, has taken over nls fathers stool. Em-kn: lam grat efui. Inspite of my lender age, J promise to do my best,. with your full-coperation, of course. 56 ��How Tshombe and Mubotu regrettG the death -of Lumumba - 14. HOW get a lady irr love. fo .. . Olritrhr - Nigeria. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Onitsha Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource How to play love Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stephen, Felix N. Type The nature or genre of the resource Onitsha market literature Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Onitsha, Nigeria : Njoku & Sons Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1962? Language A language of the resource English Subject The topic of the resource Nigerian literature (English) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ksrl.c3275 Description An account of the resource This quirky yet refreshing play by Felix Stephen (a.k.a. Nathan Njoku) does not spell out a clear moral or seek to be prescriptive, unlike many of the Onitsha plays. In addition, the misogyny is downplayed. In many ways the play's title is not a clear representation of its message, since death trumps love (and money) here. A somewhat disjointed story, How to Play Love lacks the development of other plays written under the name of Nathan Njoku that appear here in the Onitsha Market Literature Collection. Each act of these four-act plays could stand on its own, and none of the plots or characters have much impact on the other acts.<br /><br />The play begins with the search by Uba (the main character of the first act)for a prospective lover. He tells the audience that he will "play love and will, [sic] not care what people may say," (pg. 5). However, he appears somewhat inept at the game. He approaches the first two candidates through letters because he was too tongue-tied to seek them out in person. He declares that since love is a magnet, there is "no need of rejecting me," (pg. 5). Neither letter nor approach receives a desired response. Uba then decides to try to be more direct.<br /><br />This is how he meets a vampire, Helen Nwamma, who would happily take him as a lover, albeit with a few conditions. Uba finds some of these conditions distasteful. He states "my approach of you, might have been somehow misdirected . . . Please, I can now say goodbye to the request that I had earlier made. I shall always continue to be liking you," (pg. 13-14). Uba discovers that he does care what other people may think, and he realizes that not all beautiful women are good partners.<br /><br />The second half of this act brings in Onyeuka (the rich man), Abel (a friend of Uba's), Agnes (Abel's wife), and Margaret (Abel's lover). Abel and Agnes have recently married and are having difficulties. Abel flees to Margaret, and he discovers that Margaret also wants to get married. Abel tells both women that he is not a man to be trifled with. He runs into Uba, who tells him of his fearful encounter with Helen. All four end up locked in a room with a gun.Uba mistakes Agnes for Helen. Helen, the vampire, serves as a warning against powerful, demanding and beautiful women. This mistake is fateful and reveals some of the underlying misogynistic logic of the play. Agnes, like Helen, is unreasonably demanding and bloodsucking. One can only assume that this mistake costs Uba his life, as Abel ushers them all into the room and murders Uba,Margaret and Agnes before committing suicide.<br /><br />The second act begins with a rich man, Onyeuku, declaring that rich men are immune to death. Thus begins the other main story line--a declaration that the power of money and the privilege of wealth have limits, for Death reigns supreme. This message continues for the remainder of the play, and each of the following acts show how Onyeuku is punished for his rich life. The final insult occurs as his loving wife happily marries his best friend. 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