Then they and Star-of-Spring become aware of each other.  They stop.  Natiqua frowns.  Star-of-Spring points to place where Priscilla sat with her spinning-wheel, and by animated gestures portrays what has taken place.  But neither Natiqua, Forest Flower, nor Heron’s Wing is in the least interested.  Natiqua shakes her head and frowns.  It is evident that the wonders of the palefaces are not to her mind.  She lets slip from her back her double pile of fagots, then replaces one, and Star-of-Spring takes up the other.  Then, in Indian file, they cross the scene to right, and slowly disappear from view.

COSTUMES

PILGRIM MAIDENS.  The Pilgrim maidens should wear plain black dresses ankle length, with white cuffs and Puritan caps, and white kerchiefs.  These dresses may be made of black cambric, worn with the glazed side turned in.

THE PILGRIM LADS.  The Pilgrim lads wear black suits, with full knee-breeches, black stockings, and low black shoes with silver buckles.  Their hair comes to their ears, and they have white collars turned down on their coats, and deep white cuffs on their sleeves.

THE INDIANS.  The Indians wear costumes of cotton khaki, the necks gaily painted with Indian designs.  Strings of beads and shells.  Natiqua has a green and scarlet blanket.  She and the Indian maidens wear their hair in braids.  They also have a gay strip of cheesecloth—­red, green, or yellow—­bound about their brows, and a quill stuck upright in the back.  Heron’s Wing has a head-dress of blue-gray heron’s feathers.  All wear moccasins. (See description of Indian costumes in “Princess Pocahontas.”)

FERRY FARM EPISODE

CHARACTERS

LORD FAIRFAX
MARY BALL WASHINGTON
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Plantation hands
    AUNT RACHEL
    SAMBO
    LUCY
    DINAH
    PETER
    NELLY
    SUSY
    UNCLE NED

SCENE:  The lawn of Ferry Farm, 1748.  A wide expanse of green.  Trees right, left, and background.  The trees in background supposedly screen the Colonial house from view.  At the left the estate supposedly stretches to the highway.  At the right, behind the trees, it is given over to flower and vegetable gardens.

At the beginning of the scene the grassy space is deserted, but from the distance, right, comes the sound of singing.  The sound swells louder and louder in the rhythm of one of the oldest of African songs, “Mary and Martha just gone ’long to ring those charming bells.”  The first verse is sung before the singers appear.  With the second verse those who have been at work in the fields come into view, their gay and colorful costumes bright against the green background.

Two of the children run into sight first; then comes a group of nine or ten young people.  Some carry between them baskets heaped quite high with fruit and vegetables.  One boy holds a hoe.  A girl carries a rake.  Another an armful of dried corn on the ear.  Two more a low basket heaped with cotton.  In the center of this group hobbles old Aunt Rachel, turbaned, and leaning on a cane.  By her side walks Lucy, carrying a great bunch of pink “Winter Roses.”