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Act II · Chicago

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Act two of Chicago by Maureen Watkins. This is a LibriVox recording. All
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LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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please visit LibriVox dot org. Act two, same scene. One month later,
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early afternoon of May the third, a stolid figure in blue calico sits
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sewing by the grate end windows. Liz with bucket and brush, is busy
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scouring the floor. Through the half opened bunk door can be seen a reclining
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figure that looks very much like our friend Roxy. The center of the stage,
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however, both physically and emotionally, is held by Velma, who stands
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on top of one of the white tables and turns slowly while the matron turns
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up the hem of her dress, making it now a good twenty inches instead
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of sixteen from the floor. It is a new Velma. Ten year years
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at least have gone from her age. Smooth lithe, clear eyed, and
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well groomed. Her shingle bob fairly glistens with something or other, and there
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is a touch of tangerine rouge from the huge makeup box on the table on
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each soft cheek, and her lips are arched in a scarlet bow that matches
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her dress of lipstick red, which certainly catches the eye. At present,
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she is in the agony of suppressed hysterics. Tears would spoil her makeup and
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uncontrolled rage distort her face, so she keeps a calm mask and rolls out
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a continuous flow of bitter invective in a gentle monotone damn Marshall Field. Matron
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punches dress so Velma can feel where it stops. Is that short enough?
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Liz pauses for a glance and giggles, Oh my, that'll bring the jury
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to your feet. All right. Roxy comes out from her bunk and leans
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against doorsill, eyeing Velma with venom. My god, what house have they
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raided? Now? Velma wheels and Liz giggles so loud it woke me up.
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Lord, how bet every bull in the stockyard hears it and is the
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nesh in his teeth. Velma tearfully to Matron, it's true, think of
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it their last picture of me in this damn Marshall. Field points trembling to
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empty soup box on table to send an empty box. Matron peers in box
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again while Roxy looks like the kitty that's gulped a canary. Wherest thing I
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ever heard of? Just a bunch of tissue paper, not even the bill.
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But you can get your money back money? What the hell do I
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care for money? It goes to the jury this afternoon, and I can't
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stand it now, Dearie, it's certainly got style. Roxy snorts. But
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what's that the other had? Meaning? Mister Hessler picked it out himself,
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a beautiful soft green that would stand out in the crowded courtroom. You never
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saw such a crowd. I had a crowd too, but not like mine,
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Liz Shrilly, I did too, didn't I missus Morton? Velma ignoring
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her every seat taken the hallway jam A lot you know about crowds now at
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my auction, Liz screams, shut up about your old auction. There were
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thousands and thousands. How do you know the papers all said so, didn't
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they missus Morton? Yeah? And there are a bunch of darned liars complacently
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to Velma. We see our crowds, don't we a handful in a courtroom?
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There's hundreds of them, thousands, millions. Roxy in impotent rage,
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You goddamn bunch of four flushers. Matron bangs her hand down on table.
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Now Roxy, Roxy goes in, sell, oh, tie it outside.
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If you've got a headache, sleep it off. If you ain't, go
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on upstairs where you belong. I've had enough ragging out of you today.
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Roxy turns for a last shot. Anyway, they paid for my auction,
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and that's the rancid test. Well, you're just a free show, that's
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all. Bangs the door, Liz chance and sing song. Roxy's mad and
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I'm glad. Shut up. Liz returns to scrubbing. Jealous, that's what
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she is. Jealous. Roxy reopens the door with dignity. When my lawyer
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comes, Matron looks up from hemming process. Now get that out of your
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head, mister Flynn, ain't got time to be running over here. Whenever
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you take a notion, Roxy loftily, this ain't a notion. Hits something
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very important once in the papers, that's what it is. And he is
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coming. I sent word by Mary Sunshine slams the door after her the next
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time she puts in on an interview the way she did this morning. My
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god, can't you hurry? Maggie and me never dulled up this way,
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did we? Maggie, the figure in the rocking chair doesn't answer, yeah,
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and look what you got to the rest of your life? And Jo
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Lae Liz Shrilly, I don't care. I told him what I thought,
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didn't I The judge and jury everybody flings her arms out in dramatization. Hang
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me, I said, that's what I said. Build a platform right down
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the state of Madison and invite the whole town. Reserve seats for everybody so
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they can all come and have a good time. That's what I said,
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right to the judge to velma uh. And that's more'n you've done for all
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your clothes. You ain't said a word, now, have you? Not
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a word? My lawyer won't let me. Yeah, he knows once you
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opened your mouth and hang you. That's a lie. They can tell just
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by looking at me. I'm a lady. That's why it's so important what
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I wear. Something quiet and refined. The green would have been just right.
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Suddenly, this won't do it, simply won't do. Ready to cry,
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She jumps down from the table. Oh I could kill Marshall Field stalks
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upstairs in rage. The bell rings, Matron answers, and Roxy peeps out
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from sell is that mister Flynn say? What are you gonna do? Make
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a will? Roxy darkly, it's all right, what I'm gonna do?
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I want him? Roxy's mad and I'm glad. Matron calls for Maggie.
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You at the screen. Figure at windows starts up, bewildered. She's a
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rough peasant type thirty five or so with straggly black hair and large plain features.
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Liz nods towards screen, go on, it's your husband and kid.
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Maggie gives a guttural cry, drops her sewing in the chair and scurries heavily
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to the screen. Liz trails after her. The matron is still at the
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door and no one is looking. Roxy comes out from her cell with the
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green dress she has stolen, runs quickly and puts it back in the marshall
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Field box. Then extracts lipstick from the makeup box and hurls it through the
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bars as Jake and the matron enter. She then melts away to her cell.
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Velma's dressing. Do you want to see her? Jake throws admission card
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on table. No thanks, I'm waiting for this one. Matron reads card,
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my land are they sending her? Jake grins do this afternoon from the
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deplane station. And she's a hell cat for sure. That's so they call
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her, go to hell kitty Matron. Tragically, on top of everything else,
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Jake toss his hat on table and takes chair. What else two convictions
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this week? Ain't it terrible that Allays gives everybody the blues? Well,
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Velma will cheer him up. She's getting away of the murder all right by
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the judge himself says she's classiest one he's ever had. Well, I hope,
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so another day of this dress and I'll be going crazy. Goes on
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down the corridor. What a life? What a life? Liz unconsciously imitating
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the matron. And on top of all that walks his silking like the devil
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Roxy. Liz lowers her voice with warning, look toward Roxy's bunk. Sh
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she'll hear you and pounce. Jake, amused, what's the matter with her?
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Says she's got a headache. But it ain't no surreen unbroken nose,
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that's what it is, out of joint because of Velma's it now instead of
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her. No more presents or letters except from that durned fool admirer A slick
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guy for free advertising papers. Missus Morton. Everybody's making over Velma and she
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won't even help her dress or wish her luck. Mean, that's what she
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is. Just like my jury because I wanted him to hang me. That
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they wouldn't spite work, That's what it was. Never mind you couldn't appeel.
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Liz straightens up and go through another trial. Not much, I don't.
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I didn't mind going over once. The lawyers and judge has got to
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have something to do, and I don't mind helping them once. But I
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ain't got time for such foolishness again. The folks likes their fun, and
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I done my part. Smiles in pleased recollection, didn't I? Jake also
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smiles. You certainly did. My lawyer had me talked to show him I
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was crazy. But I fool him, all right, didn't. I begins
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rocking and sobbing and wailing. Roxy sharply opening door. Shut up, Liz,
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you're making my head worse. Lot of it. Hope it busts a
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shoe sails by. Roxy limps out to retrieve it and becomes angelic at the
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sight of Jake. Why mister Callahan, Hello Kertz, go away, he's
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mine. He's having an interview with me. To Jake, ain't you tries
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to push Roxy back with her soapy hands. Roxy administers a good sharp slap,
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and Liz cries, hush or I'll tell God on you. Liz muttering,
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go on and tell you're such an old liar. He won't believe you.
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Returns to scrubbing. Roxy sweetly to Jake. Oh, mister Callahan,
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I'm so glad it's you. You've been so kind to me, so so
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oh magnanimous, says that to all them. Don't you believe her? Roxy
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soulfully to Jake, and now I'm gonna do something for you. It's a
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story, all right, Spill it, Roxy, wearily, I can't sleep.
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My head hurts. I've had a terrible night, tossed and wept sobbed
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remorse. Jake gets up in disgust. Oh my god, don't stop that
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again. Nobody gives a damn how you're sleeping, Roxy, shrilly. They
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do too, don't you remember, follows him? Sure once, and the
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story was new, but he's dead now you'll have to pull a better line
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than that. Roxy, with sudden inspiration, I've got it a scoop for
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you a front page story. Jake skeptically, Yeah, it's a dress.
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Yes, you can raffle it off, sell chances on it takes Velma's green
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dress from the box. He shakes his head in rejection, and she goes
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on with inspiration. The dress I wore the first time I ever went wrong.
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Oh my god, backs away from her. It's a museum piece,
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follows him, then put it back in the case. Roxy dangerously, I'll
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give it to another paper. Just shry it, you little publicity hound.
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You've sure got it bad. Now listen, you'll have another fling it from
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page when a trial starts. But until then, there's not a chance in
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the world. But they've caught Kitty Baxter. Oh my god, another one,
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and she's got she faded, Roxy. She's a tagy cat and you're
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just a little wide kitten. But I'll do this, use you in a
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picture with her. The jis Slayer meets the banded Queen. Nothing doing hell
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cheese or none. Huh. Well, sue yourself, but if you can't
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play ball, you'd better curl up, nods towards cell and go to sleep.
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For the next four months. Roxy genuinely startled four months it ain't gonna
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take that long. Sure the September calendar, maybe October. Billy goes abroad
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for July and August. What hoof sit to Europe on my money? The
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clothes I sold off my back to pay him? Can I stay cooped up
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here? Her eyes flash? Do you think I'm going to stand for that?
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Jake calmly, sure? What can you do about it? Roxy determinedly.
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I don't know, but TAP's foot thinking, God, damn it.
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And I got my clothes all planned for a summer trial. The bell rings,
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moans and whales are heard from Maggie at the end of the green and
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out of sympathy, Liz starts up. Also, Sunshine comes in and stops
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in chagrin at the sight of Jake. Oh dear, Jake grins, I
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beat you, but we're both early. Roxy goes to her confidentially, Oh,
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miss Sunshine, I've got something very important to tell you something. Sunshine
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slips out of her grasp with a sweet smile. Later, my dear,
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I've got a message for Filma. First goes on upstairs. In the meantime,
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Matron has heard it. Maggie and her visitors, dimly seen through the
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screen down toward the elevator. Maggie weeping great sobs and wails, mine,
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baby, mine, baby, Give her to me. Matron grasps her arm
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and tries to draw her away. Shut up, you, Maggie clings to
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screen with both hands. Let me see her, just let me see her.
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Funts shut up. You can't see her, do you hear? To
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man outside? Go on away? Your Tom's up to elevator. Man,
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take him down. Tom Funs let me hold her, runs along the screen
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like an animal, and gives a final piercing wail as the elevator clicks.
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That's enough out of you. Now your baby's gone. Do you understand gone?
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What's Sarah? Who's she? Moonshine Maggie. Oh the honyak they nod
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for sewn booze. Get her to tell you about it. She's a scream,
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Maggie. Come here, woman comes slowly. What's the matter, Maggie.
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Why don't you go with your baby? Maggie simply looking up through her
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tears. They won't let me? Who won't let you? Sam crying again,
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Oh missus, please missus here, Wait a minute. Why won't he
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let you? You killed a man, that's why you're a bad girl to
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Jake in enjoyment. She always cries at that, to Maggie encouragingly, come
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on, tell us about it, pointing to Jake with a burst of inspiration.
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Here's your uncle Sam. Now, Maggie peers through fingers at Jake.
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You my uncle Sam, Matron pleased with her genius. Sure, and he
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can help you if you just. Maggie flings herself on knees before Jake in
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wild earnestness. Oh mister, mister uncle Sam, let me go. My
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baby need me Maggie, not bad? Wait a minute, why did you
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kill him? Maggie, Roxy, perched on the table smoking, watches thoughtfully.
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The scene that follows. Maggie clasps her hands on Jake's knees and her
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eyes search his may not kill him. Mister pulls the words out one by
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one and gestures he come to our house. Mine husband, me, mine
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baby. Two months old. She was a little baby. Sobs forget the
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kid, Go on, Jake gently, who came Maggie? Johan him Christmas
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Eve? Jake to Matron this Christmas a year ago, been waiting trial.
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Jake to Roxy, see and you a grown over four months? She tosses
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her head, and he say, give me drink, Maggie, and I
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give him and he'd drink. I drink mine husband all grows distray and next
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day men come, men come for me and say I kill him. Me
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beats her breast and sobs again. Found him dead in a ditch. Too
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much moonshine. Jake soberly, gotta know your bootleg of these days? And
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they took me away, and I not see mine baby just there, points
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to screen. Oh, uncle, Sam, mine baby need me? Funny?
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Ain't it the way she takes on over that kid? Did they use
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it at the trial? Matron shakes her head. Lord, what rotten management?
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Oh mister, please give me mine baby. Start sobbing and wailing.
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Matron takes her arm. That's enough, now you can't have your baby.
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You're a bad girl, starts her to the stairs. Maggie shrieks, but
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mine baby baby, shut up. Nobody cares about you or your baby.
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Follows her up the stairs. Jake soberly, Yep, nobody cares. Liz
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bursts into shrill laughter. It's because we ain't got Bob's hair and were cotton
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stockings, Maggie, that's what it is. Bell rings and Matron answers,
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what do you reckon? A jury thinks about jury's don't think they acts.
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But what counts most just being a woman. Yeah, look at Maggie.
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That wasn't the jury's fault. She had a bum lawyer. Do you remember
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the Holland case She fed lie, sold her two stepchildren, and the baby
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died the last day of the trial, and they had the other one running
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down the ile crying Mama, Mama, and the jury send her home to
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her husband and the dear little one who needed her. And now this sonyac
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a decent lawyer with a sob like that would have the jury wiping its eyes
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and giving her a mand gee, it gets me wasting a kid that way,
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shakes his head regretfully as he saunters down the corridor, voices upstairs,
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good luck, Velma, Happy days, Bye bye old timer. Velma enters,
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followed by Sunshine in beige coat dress with slip on gloves, Scarlet Guardina
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carrying a blue dress, and will sail the sixteenth if everything comes out all
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right to Matron holding up blue dress. I'm taking the blue so if you
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don't like this, I can change goes to makeup box just a little more
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color. Beige is so trying, carefully, adds Rouge. You better hurry.
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The bailiff's waiting, Velma with genuine tragedy. My god, the lipstick's
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gone. The matron dashes to her. They search frantically. Yes, it
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is gone. Here take mine. Velma reaches for it eagerly, then sinks
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in despair. But it's rose and irony, tangerine. Velma clasps her hand
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to her head in frenzy. God, I can never face the jury now,
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staggers to the door. Well you gotta go anyway. Roxy grabs Sunshine
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as she tries to follow Velma. Oh, miss Sunshine, I've got a
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scoop for you. It's a letter from the guy who bought my garters,
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and he's going on a hunger strike until I'm freed. Sunshine tries to pull
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away. Roxy lowers her tone mysteriously, And I've got a package, a
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dress, and I want you to send it back and tell him it ain't
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refined to take clothes from men. There's a noise in the hall, the
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sound of scuffling, muffled oaths, and a husky voice snarls, you goddamn
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bums, Sunshine, rushes away, leaving Roxy alone in the middle of the
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floor. She stamps her foot and once more retires to her cell in rage.
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Matron at door, No, you needn't an If she tries any bitin
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here, I'll have em pull a ratooth in her head. Enter the Baxter
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Girl, a wiry, young tuff with insolent eyes set deep in a thin
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white face, square hard jaw, and straight scarlet mouth now drawn tight.
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She wears a rough top coat over sweater and skirt, and a velvet tam
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over a matted, curly bob. There's a moment's silence as she saunters to
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the middle of the floor and takes in the room, the white walls,
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the bunks, Liz kneeling like a statue, Sunshine quivering with excitement, Jake
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slouched against the wall, the matron watchful and waiting. She swings herself up
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on the table, takes off her hat and runs grimy hand through grimier head.
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Sunshine tremulously, Oh, miss Baxter. Kitty turns u I'm from the
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Evening Star, Mary, Sunshine from the Evening Star, and falters under Kitty's
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gaze. And we'd like for you. Everyone is so interested. I wonder
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if you'd mind just saying a word or two, Kitty agreeably, Sure,
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I'll say three. Go to hell. Oh dear, oh dear matron severely.
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Now look here, Kitty, that's no way to talk the young lady.
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Kitty impatiently to Jake get into this. I can't fight with old women,
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and I eat children like half for breakfast. Nods towards Sunshine. What's
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on your chest? Spit it out? Do you remember me? Kitty shakes
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head flippantly. I've seen so many handsome faces in the last two days.
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Quietly, I was at the show up when Mickey pointed you out, Kitty
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eagerly, you want what did he say when I'd gone? Tell me?
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Goes into a rage? Damn him. If it wasn't for him, but
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daddy squealer, I wouldn't be here, Sunshine tremulously, Oh miss Baxter,
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are you? Are you sorry? You little fool of cass? I'm sorry?
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Who wants to get caught? And I'd made my getaway? Pretty sick,
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wasn't that though? Past three cops? And if I hadn't waited for
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him turns her back, and when she faces them again, her face is
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wet with tears of rage. Oh, women are fools, Matron sympathetically.
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I never knew a killing yet that a man wasn't back of it. Jake
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easily and this other guy Kitty swiftly? What other guy? Jake, with
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a knowing look say, don't you think we know? I know? Damn
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well you don't. Don't you think Micky told me? Micky don't know.
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Gad and me are the only ones, and we don't tell it would help
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your case? Yes, indeed, miss Baxter, I've heard that line for
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days now, and get this. I don't squeal the send me up.
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I guess maybe I'll swing, but I'll die like a lady. Jake heartily
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at a boy. Kitty Sunshine hurriedly, Oh you want to swing? Women
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never swing? Say I wear skirts, but I got guts and I don't
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yell King's X when I'm caught, and I'll get mine, all right.
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You see, I didn't just kill a man. What's a little murder?
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But this was a stick up? Would I believe it? And then us
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I'll watch in four dollars and a man accidental I gets bumped off. Yes,
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they'll get me. You can poison your husband and shoot your lover,
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but the pocket book hits them where they live. Even a jerryman has four
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dollars in a ningasol, and that makes me a dangerous woman. Think of
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it, me, Kitty slumps in dejection. Got on a job like that?
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How long have you been banditing? Say, for the last ten years.
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I've carried a gun and most girls carry a powder puff? Flippantly,
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I direct descendant of Captain Kidd. Roxy opens the door, Kitty turns,
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and the two stare at each other in instant and thorough hatred. What about
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your angel face? Don't you want to know this? That's Roxy heart Kitty?
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And who the hell is she? Matron proudly prettiest one we've ever had?
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My goad? What is this a beauty contest? You've read about her?
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Kitty coolly? I don't read news. I make it. Roxy flares,
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So do I a damn sight more than you ever will? Ah?
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Is that so? Yes? That's so? Thirty five columns and twenty two
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pictures? Hell, what's this? If I told you all I know?
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It would make a dictionary? Two reporters, won't it? Sunshine? Afraid
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to breathe? Oh? Yes, miss Baxter, it's so, so significant
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of this age, youth and jazz and the quest for shut up? To
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Jake, what's her racket anyway? Roxy, on verge of raging tears.
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You know what I did? Sunshine trembling a man another man? Ah,
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yes, you're sweetie, killed him rather unloose him, I remember, say
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that's old stuff to Roxy. Move on, sister, y'all dead and don't
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know it. Roxy screaming, I am not dead. I'll show you.
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She grabs Kitty's hair, all ready for a grand feminine fight, but the
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tiger girl tosses her off. She starts back for more, but the matron
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interferes. Now Roxy gives her a push that sends her spinning toward her cell.
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Roxy spits like a kitten at her enemy, who triumphantly seats herself on
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the table. What's up? Wreck it anyway? Watch me bust it?
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Jake to Kitty, shoot the works kid. Roxy paces up and down in
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thought and rage as Sunshine and Jake cluster around Kitty. Tell us just how
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you happen to start? What were the factors in your life that caused you
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to take it up? Was it jazz? There for excitement? The quest
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for adventure? Are you a thrill slayer. Unable to endure it any longer,
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Roxy gives a sudden shriek and crumples in a faint. The Matron sunshine
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and Jake wheel from Kitty. Liz stops scrubbing and sits up like a squirrel.
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Kitty from the table watches in disgust. Good lord, oh what is
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it? She's fainted? My god, on top of everything else. They
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all rush and kneel beside her water water water. She rushes over with her
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bucket of SuDS, and is intensely disappointed when Jake prevents the administration of her
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aid. Has she been sick? Jake to Matron, shall I get the
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doctor? Kitty contemptuously from her perch, hain't ba just like a woman,
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Roxy moans, with eyes still closed. Oh dear, oh dear, oh.
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Matron bathes her head briskly. There there, Roxy opens her eyes and
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smiles wanly, Roxy, weakly and sweetly, little Eva on route to heaven.
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I'm all right, don't worry about me. She's coming around, all
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right. To Roxy, who tries to sit up, aren't you ashamed?
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To Roxy sinks back, gasping, I can't breathe here, help me with
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her Jake nods toward the cell and there Matron shakes her head Nope. On
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the table. Air Sunshine gets a pillow from the cell and brushes Kitty aside
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to make room for the improvised cot look out. Jake lifts the drooped body
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there to Kitty, impatiently clear on out upstairs, show her Liz. He
31:00
follows Liz in swaggering silence, and the matron disappears for camphor and ammonia.
31:06
Sunshine and Jake stand looking down at Roxy. Roxy revives a little crying,
31:12
Oh, dear, dear, I can't bear it. Her slender frame shakes
31:19
with sobs. Thew what darling, tell me go away, let me alone,
31:26
sobbing more heartily here in jail, Oh dear, my baby. The
31:34
matron returns on this word, and there's grand astonishment all around. Baby Roxy
31:42
faintly wanly when my child is born? Jake in genuine alarm, Good God,
31:52
say I must get the doctor. Matron applies, smelling salts ammonia et
31:56
cetera. I knew she wasn't well, but I never dreamt this Sunshine in
32:02
hushed ecstasy. Isn't it too divine? Store covers over County jail to Jake,
32:09
could you ask for anything better? Jake dubiously, no, just so
32:16
it don't light right now, Sunshine superiorly, don't be silly, it won't
32:24
How do you know? No such luck? Matron with sudden inspiration. That's
32:30
why she wanted her lawyer. Jake revives, gosh, it's a wail of
32:37
a story. Think what it will do to her case. Young mother waits
32:43
trial. Sunshine corrects. Girl mother awaits trial. Isn't it too wonderful to
32:50
Matron? Was one ever born here before? Matron shakes head, Not in
32:55
my day? The bell rings, and she goes to an answer. Roxy
33:00
tries to sit up. Sunshine tenderly. No, no, darling, Lie
33:06
still adjusts her pillow. Roxy faintly and sweetly. I don't want to bother
33:15
you, Sunshine purrs, dear missus hard tell Sunshine, Tell Sunshine all Jake
33:23
awkwardly, feeling better, Roxy in hollow voice, Oh yes, I'm all
33:31
right, sinks back, Exhausted to disprove words, Matron admits mister Flynn,
33:38
who tries to conceal his perturbation over what the Matron has evidently told him.
33:44
Sunshine skips to meet him. Oh, mister Flynn, isn't it too marvelous?
33:50
It's a knockout, isn't it. What's this, young lady? Why
33:53
didn't you let me know? Roxy looks up sweetly. I did too,
34:00
but you wouldn't come. Hmmm, Yes, I was busy. Well,
34:07
well it's all right now, Roxy with sweet bitterness. All right, Sunshine
34:15
hops up and down. Isn't it gorgeous? Aren't you? Glad? Glad?
34:21
Oh? Gives a moan to have your baby born? Here? They
34:28
all look at each other, startled wonderful. I've phoned all the women's clubs,
34:32
the parent teachers, the civic league will ask for letters. Shall it
34:37
innocent child bear the stigma of jail? They'll eat it alive, Flynn to
34:44
Sunshine good. And then a petition, Oh yes, miles and miles of
34:51
names, asking the bail be granted so that an innocent babe can be born
34:54
in God's great outdoors. His arm sweeps the western hemisphere. But she won't
35:01
wait for that, will you? When when is it to be? Closes
35:06
her eyes a moment, Oh not till fall is September. Hmm, then
35:14
I'd better crowded in before I sail. Yeah, I'll rush it to the
35:19
jury in June. A look of triumph flashes over Roxy's face as she sinks
35:24
back on the pillow. What jury would condemn a mother to be? And
35:30
Billy? Could a jury condemn her to death? Or would it be passing
35:34
judgment on two lives instead of one? And if they did, could the
35:37
sentence be executed? Or see the state's attorney on that chuckles it's a solar
35:45
plexus for him? All right? Roxy sits up dramatically. My own life
35:51
doesn't matter, but that of my child gives a little tremolo as she sinks
35:55
back. My child, don't my dear, the American public will fight to
36:02
the death for your innocent, unborn babe and every true woman. Why motherhood
36:09
itself is at stake, isn't it, mister Flynn? Oh, wouldn't it
36:14
be wonderful the trial could chum just before Mother's Day? Roxy soulfully, you've
36:21
been so kind to me, Miss Sunshine. If it's a girl, I'm
36:25
gonna name it after you. Sunshine kisses her. Oh, you, darling,
36:31
that's just too sweet. Roxy takes Jake's hand and looks up fondly at
36:37
him. And if it's a boy, after you, Jake beams fatuously holds
36:45
her hand a moment, then drops it like a hot cake. Now no,
36:50
I'm married, happily married and aim to stay that way. Thanks,
36:54
thanks, but backs off. Slip it to Billy here Flynn, also in
37:00
alarm as she looks up at him. Oh, no, no, I
37:06
appreciate the honor, but the first son should always be named for his father.
37:10
Slowly, slowly, his expression changes, Say who is papa, Flynn,
37:20
simulating indignation. What I'm ashamed of you? Jake? Ashamed? Jake
37:28
slaps him on back. Take hid he sy, I mean casely or heart
37:34
to think you'd insult this brave little woman. Insults or not, it's what
37:38
they're are going to be asking. Flynn steps toward him in pretended rage.
37:45
Callahan, get out, I don't want to talk to you. Get out.
37:50
Matron sings out at door, your husband missus Hart. Jake grins and
37:57
goes, that's the bird eye. I want to see Mary Sunshine and Jake
38:02
scurry to the door. Flynn fiercely to Roxy, who half rises from her
38:07
couch. You little fool, who is the father anyway? Roxy shrugs her
38:15
shoulders wisely, don't worry he'll stick. I don't want him to bitterly,
38:22
it'll make you look as black as hell. All the sympathy for him,
38:27
I can handle him, all right. Shut up, you've done enough.
38:31
I've got to make him divorce you. Roxy sits up, alert, Alimony
38:37
falls back as Amos enters with hat on back of his head and fatuous grin.
38:45
Jake saunters on one side, Sunshine skips on the other, and the
38:50
matron trails after them. Amos genially to Flynn, who comes to meet him,
38:55
Well, I guess the cigars are on me. If Flynn slaps him
39:00
on the back, that's the way to take it hard. Be a sport.
39:05
What do you care if people laugh? Amos blankly, losing a little
39:09
hilarity, laugh after all people's jokes. Jake suddenly, by god, it
39:19
is funny. They've reached the couch. Amos tiptoes in awe and looks down
39:25
at the heaving figure, face hidden by her arm. Amos, in awed,
39:30
whisper, will she know me? Jake gives a howl of merriment.
39:37
Ha, Oh my god, she ain't out of it now, oh,
39:42
mister Hart, not till fall September. There is a pause, Amos stands,
39:47
eyes cast towards ceiling, lost in calculation. Jake lifts his hand with
39:53
a knowing look toward Flynn. Sunshine gives a gasp. Oh, mister Hart,
40:00
you don't mean. Amos holds up hand to stop her. Wait a
40:06
minute finishes calculation. Say you don't put nothing over on me, Sunshine in
40:15
ecstasy over possible new turn, lovely, lovely. Flynn in melancholy tone.
40:23
My client needs your support, mister Hart. Amos bitterly, Yeah, meal
40:30
ticket, that's all I've ever been. Say you can't make a fool out
40:36
of me. What are you gonna do? Divorsa Amos loftily. I ain't
40:43
saying what I'll do, starts off, but stops as Babe is admitted with
40:47
camera. Oh babe, A couple of flashes here. Babe backs off from
40:53
Roxy and makes for the stairs. Not that lens louse, I'm after the
40:59
tie girl. It's a scoop kid. Come on with a grand gesture toward
41:04
Roxy, waiting the stalk a baby Babe to Amos as he sets up camera,
41:12
Well, court plaster, you in on this. Flynn doesn't give him
41:16
a chance to answer. No, He's cast her off forsaken her. Well,
41:22
I see my lawyer. I ain't as dumb as I look. September
41:29
Hell goes off grandly Amos my husband through tears with outstretched arms to Amos when
41:39
she's sure he's gone deserted in my hour of need, look at the camera,
41:45
sweetheart, Wait a minute to Sunshine, my sewing. Sunshine hands her
41:52
the baby dress left by Maggie in the rocking chair. She bends over the
41:58
dress in sewing posture, then turns Madonna face to the camera. I'm making
42:05
every stitch myself. Flynn takes pose by her side, deserted wife and mother.
42:13
Hot stuff, hold it, flash bang curtain and of act too