Anderson, Sherwood, 1876-1941, Mother Electronic Edition by Alexander Street Press, L.L.C., 2011 . © Sherwood Anderson, 1937. Also published in Plays: Winesburg and Others, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY, 1937. [Author Information] [Bibliographic Details] [Character Information] [1937] [PL033497]

Characters

Mary Horton, the Mother

George Horton, the Father

Mabel Clark, a Dressmaker

Fizzy Fry, a Hotel Clerk

Act

The action takes place in MARY HORTON'S room in a shabby little hotel, in a Middle Western American town. It is Sunday afternoon. The room is a rather large one. The wallpaper is faded and streaked but MARY HORTON has made an effort to save the room from complete ugliness. There are a few cheap prints and pictures on the wall and clean lace curtains at the windows. There is a bed in the room and the bed covering is worn but clean. Beside the bed there is a cheap dresser on which is a lamp with a crinkly red tissue paper lamp shade. There are a few chairs, one of which is a rocker. There are doors left and right and two windows at back looking into an alleyway

MARY HORTON is a sick-looking woman of forty. She is somewhat thin and faded but there is still fire in her. The impression should be given of a woman who has had a good deal of illness. AT RISE she is sitting in a rocking chair near one of the windows and is dressed in a plain worn black dress with white lace at the neck and sleeves. She sits tense and nervous in the chair

Outside in the alleyway voices are heard. Boys are playing ball and there is the sound of a thrown ball striking on a catcher's mit. A WOMAN'S VOICE is heard

WOMAN'S VOICE 

Sharply Will and Fred, you come in here. I won't have you playing ball on Sunday.

-- 3 --

BOY'S VOICE  Oh, Maw. O Gee!

WOMAN'S VOICE  Come in here, I say.

New voices are heard just back of the wall of MARY HORTON'S room. Two men are walking along a hallway

A MAN'S VOICE  Here it is, Fred. This is my hole. Some hotel to be stuck in on Sunday.

SECOND MAN'S VOICE  Hell, yes. I wanted to get into Chicago. I've got a woman there. I slept too late and missed the morning train. I'm going to take another sleep now.

FIRST MAN'S VOICE  Might as well. Say, Fred, suppose we can pick up a couple of skirts in this burg tonight?

SECOND MAN'S VOICE  I don't know, Al. We can try.

FIRST MAN'S VOICE  All right. See you later. So long.

There is the sound of a slammed door and of another man's footsteps dying away in a hallway. MARY HORTON gets up out of her chair and moves hurriedly and nervously about the room. She goes to a glass over the dresser and adjusts the lace at her neck and sleeves and then suddenly, tearing a little piece off the red paper lamp shade, wets it with her tongue and tries to rouge her checks with it. She smiles and shrugs her shoulders, looking at herself in the glass, as though to say, "What's the use?" Again she hears footsteps outside the door, left, and goes quickly over toward the rocking-chair by the window, but before she has reached it, the door, left, opens and her husband GEORGE HORTON enters. She looks quickly over her shoulder and sees who it is

-- 4 --

MARY HORTON  Oh, it's only you.

She goes to the chair and, sitting, closes her eyes for a moment. She does not look at her husband. GEORGE HORTON is a man of forty-five or fifty, a little fat and unhealthy looking. He is annoyed and angry. He shuts the door with a bang and stands near it looking at his wife

GEORGE HORTON  Only me, eh? Just your husband, that's all.

MARY HORTON 

She sits in the chair with her eyes closed, not looking at him. She speaks quietly but sharply
Well, did you do what I asked you? I sent for you but couldn't find you. So I told your clerk, Fizzy, what I wanted. Did he tell you? Have you done it?

GEORGE HORTON 

Angrily
Hell, no. What do you think I am? Do you expect me to stay around here, always, at your beck and call? Fizzy told me what you were up to, sending for that woman. Of course I didn't do it. What do you think I am, an errand boy? I told Fizzy he could go for her if he wanted to but that's why I came up here. I wanted to tell you what I thought of this scheme of yours.

He begins moving heavily about the room and sits down heavily in one of the chairs
It's all damned foolishness, I tell you. Now, Mary, you let me handle this.

Begins to grow more angry and a little pompous
This is a man's job. I should never have told you about this mess. Anyway, it may all be a lie. Can't you see what you would get into, butting into this? Suppose it is true that our boy Harry has been fooling with this woman? A man should never tell a woman anything. You've got to be slick in a thing like this.

He is growing angry and more excited
Women are all a lot of fools. I don't know why I told you. Now you look here. If it is true that our Harry has got mixed up with this dressmaker -- a woman old enough to be his mother -- you leave it to me and I'll fix it.

-- 5 --

MARY HORTON 

Looking up at him and speaking coldly
How? How would you fix it?

GEORGE HORTON 

He gets up out of his chair and goes to stand by the bed, bracing himself with a hand against the bed
I'll tell you what I'd do. If it is true that Harry is mixed up with her, I'd get him out of town, that's what I'd do. I'd hide him out till it blows over. If she is going to have a kid, as they say, and Harry's gone she'll blame some one else. She won't get him.

He grows boastful
I tell you I've got influence. Harry can go to some city till it blows over. He ought to get out of this town anyway. He ought to go to some city where he can begin to amount to something. He can go to a city, get a job, and change his name. I can fix it. There are men who come here, traveling men who stop here with us -- you don't know any of them, of course. You are always stuck up here in this room. You don't know nothing and then you butt in. I know men who have plenty of influence. More than one of the men who come here has said to me, George, they've said, that boy Harry of yours is all right, he's a bright boy.

MARY HORTON 

Interrupting. She makes an impatient movement with her hand
Yes, yes, I know, but never mind all that. I know how much influence you've got. So you want to make a sneak out of Harry. If he's in trouble with this woman you want him to run away and hide himself. You would. That would be your solution.

-- 6 --

GEORGE HORTON 

Also angry
Well, what would you do? You're so smart. What is it you want Harry to be? Do you want him to get tied to this woman almost old enough to be his mother? Do you want him to stick here in this town and amount to nothing, a failure on our hands?

MARY HORTON 

Sharply
In any event, he won't be on your hands.

Her voice softens a little
But man, man, we've only got this one child. We don't want to make a sneak out of him.

GEORGE HORTON 

Interrupting
But, hell, if you would only let me manage him.

MARY HORTON 

Growing hard again
Is this Mabel Clark coming here? Did Fizzy deliver my note? Do you know?

GEORGE HORTON starts to sit on the bed but she stops him. She speaks again
Don't sit there.

She points
Go over and sit in that chair.

He goes sullenly to the chair and sits. She speaks again
Now try to be sensible and make everything clear to me. Try to forget yourself for a moment and how much influence you've got. Tell me the whole story, all you know about this affair between Harry and this Miss Clark. Who told you this story?

-- 7 --

GEORGE HORTON 

Still angry and impatient
This is a man's affair, I tell you. What do you want Harry to turn out to be -- a sissy, eh -- hanging on to the skirts of his mother?

MARY HORTON 

Coldly and quietly
You haven't told me the story yet. You just came in here and hinted at it. You stormed around and then went out.

GEORGE HORTON  Well, all right. A young boy, Harry's friend … you don't know him … you always keep to yourself … you don't know any one. His name is Will Howard. He is the son of the Presbyterian preacher here. I'll tell you what, I wish our Harry was like that boy. He doesn't smoke or swear or anything. He's got a good job, too.

MARY HORTON 

A little smile goes across her lips
What a paragon, really! But what about him? I want to know what he told you.

GEORGE HORTON  He was up in Harry's room early this afternoon. He had heard things. I am not like you, I'm a man who keeps his eyes open. I stopped this boy coming down from Harry's room and asked him. I'll tell you what, there's a boy who will get somewhere.

MARY HORTON 

She interrupts impatiently. She has aroused herself and is sitting up straight in her chair and is looking hard at her husband
Yes, yes, all right, all right. Get on with the story.

-- 8 --

GEORGE HORTON 

Defiantly
He said that our Harry has been going down to Mabel Clark's house at night. He goes sneaking down there. This young Will Howard saw him do it. He followed Harry and watched him. He just told me because he doesn't want Harry to get in trouble. He says this Mabel Clark's going to have a kid. He told me because he wants Harry warned. My God, Mary, a woman of that age fooling with a boy like Harry, the damned slut. Will says that Harry is stuck on her, that he's in love with her. Now he says he thinks that she's that way -- that she's going to have a kid.

He jumps to his feet and walks angrily up and down the room
I tell you this boy Will knows what he is talking about. He got in with Harry and got Harry to talk. And I saw something myself. Only the other day, right on Main Street, I saw Harry walking with this woman. I came right up to them. You should have seen his face when he saw me. I was never so ashamed in my life.

MARY HORTON 

Also jumping up out of her chair and moving about the room All right, all right, but you keep your mouth shut. Don't go 'round town indulging in talk. And if you have got so much influence, you stop that boy, that paragon of a boy -- you use your influence to stop his talking. As for this Mabel Clark, I'll talk to her. I'll see her. And if she won't come here to me, I'll go to her. That's what I told her in my note.

She whirls suddenly on her husband
And don't you ever again call any woman a slut in my presence.

-- 9 --

GEORGE HORTON 

Getting away from her toward the door left. He is near the door
You go to the devil. I'll call any one anything I want to. You can't browbeat me. I'm not a boy. I'm a man.

The two stand staring at each other, the man excited and nervous and the woman now gazing coldly at him. There is again the sound of foot-steps in the hallway outside. The attention of both the man and the woman is immediately diverted and they both stand tense listening

MARY HORTON 

In quiet, commanding voice
Wait! Stand still! Don't move!

She goes quickly over to the rocking chair by the window and sits to compose herself. There is a knock on the door. In a quiet voice
Come in.

The door opens and the head of a young man, FIZZY, the hotel clerk, appears. He steps inside. He is a young man with a long nose and a pimply face and has a great mop of yellow sandy hair. There is a lighted cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He looks from one to the other of the two people and then turns to MARY HORTON

FIZZY FRY  There's a lady to see you, ma'am.

He grins
It's a lady named Mabel Clark.

FIZZY has left the door open behind him and MABEL CLARK appears standing in the door, back of FIZZY. She is a rather handsome woman of thirty and is rather overdressed. She stands staring boldly into the room and GEORGE HORTON, seeing her, is immediately disconcerted. He pushes past FIZZY and the woman and exits. He speaks gruffly to MABEL CLARK

-- 10 --

GEORGE HORTON  Hello.

MARY HORTON 

Speaking quietly
Come in, Miss Clark.

FIZZY stands staring about and grinning and MARY HORTON speaks sharply to him
That's all, young man. And thank you for your trouble. That's all. You may go now. Good-by.

FIZZY evidently hates to leave the room. MABEL CLARK enters and FIZZY goes to the door and stands there grinning and staring at the two women. MARY HORTON speaks again sharply
Good-by, I say. You may go now. Please shut the door.

FIZZY exits reluctantly closing the door slowly The two women are left alone together in the room. Immediately a change comes over MARY HORTON. She becomes all animation. Springing out of her chair she runs over to MABEL CLARK, who is standing in the center of the room, her shoulders thrown back, looking very defiant. MARY HORTON rushes to her and attempts to take her two hands, which MABEL doesn't offer. MARY however grabs them and pumps them up and down

MARY HORTON  Oh, Miss Clark, how splendid of you to come! I am so glad you could come, that you would come. Oh, this is splendid of you!

She rushes over to a chair and places it for MABEL
Do sit. Oh, I have been wanting to know you for such a long time. It is so lovely of you to come up here to see me. It is such a day, so hot outside. Were you at church this morning? Was there a crowd out?

By her eagerness she has half forced MABEL across the room and into the chair. She keeps on speaking rapidly
It is so hot out, isn't it? You must excuse me for the looks of my room. You see, I've been a sick woman. I do think sick women are such a nuisance, don't you?

MABEL, who is now seated in the chair, looks at MARY HORTON with amazement. She is surprised and startled by the outbreak of words but is on her guard and ready to be defiant

-- 11 --

MABEL CLARK  You asked me to come here. You sent me a note. You said if I didn't come here you would come to me. I don't want any trouble with you. I'm not looking for trouble.

MARY HORTON  Trouble? Why, what an idea! But yet … of course … I know. We all do have our troubles. Sometimes it's one thing, sometimes another. It's money, bad luck in business, or it's sickness, or it's some one else sick, or in trouble, some one you love, some one you care for. Life is so strange. It's so hard sometimes. Why, I know just how you feel. A person sits and thinks. It seems sometimes every one is in trouble. You want to talk, if you're a woman, to another woman.

She seems to grow suddenly half gay. MABEL CLARK sits staring at her
Oh, Miss Clark. Let's forget troubles. Please, it's hot in here, isn't it? What a pretty dress you have on! Oh, I do so love beautiful clothes.

She laughs gaily and, jumping up, stands before MABEL
You wouldn't think it, would you, to look at me?

She tries to straighten her gown, brushes the skirt with her two hands, runs to the glass, rearranges the bit of lace at her neck, runs back to MABEL, who stares silently
Look at me, will you.

MARY HORTON runs across the room and draws her chair to sit near MABEL, looking directly at her. She is determined not to let MABEL CLARK get on top of the situation. She sits for a second and then jumps up again eagerly. She makes a motion about the room and smiles
Oh, this life of mine, here in this hotel room! I can't seem to make it homelike. Do you know, I am actually ashamed to have nice people, like you, people I admire, come in here to see me. You have such a nice home right in your own shop where you work, haven't you? It is so nice to be as you are, creating beautiful clothes for people to wear. Oh, I envy you so. You live such a life. You are free, independent, free, free!

MABEL CLARK is growing more amazed and confused

-- 12 --

MABEL CLARK  Well, I don't take orders from no one. You sent for me to come here. You sent a note, said that if I didn't come to you, you'd come to me. I guess I know what you're up to.

MARY HORTON 

Interrupts. She jumps up and stands before MABEL, puts a hand on her shoulder. MABEL gets up -- draws away from her
Of course! Of course! You take orders! How absurd! You say you know what I'm up to, sending for you. I wonder. Oh, woman, woman … I wonder if you can know. A woman like you! Oh, how splendid! Oh, I like you, Mabel! You won't mind my calling you Mabel -- a woman like you? Oh, Mabel, I used to dream so of independence for myself. I wanted it -- freedom -- courage -- courage to stand alone, on my own feet. Oh, I think it's glorious! And so I sent for you, wrote you a note. I was so desperate, so lonely. I sat here thinking. Please don't think I'm silly, will you. I thought of every woman in town. There are times, you know -- you must know -- when a woman must have another woman. I thought of you, so independent, so strong.

MABEL CLARK 

She has become more and more puzzle
Well, I guess I can take care of myself all right.

MARY HORTON  Of course, you can, of course! Who would dare question it? Do you know, Mabel, that's what I say. How strong! How splendid! I've thought for a long time -- but I'm afraid you'll think it's silly of me … I am so much older than you are. You are young and beautiful while I -- what a beautiful dress you have on. I can see you have lovely taste in clothes. It's so important in a woman, don't you think?

She laughs softly, again sitting near MABEL
And will you look at me. What a frump I must seem, Mabel, I don't know why I let myself go as I do. You see -- after a woman marries -- marriage is so important, don't you think so, Mabel?

MABEL'S defiance is a little broken down but she is puzzled and on her guard. She speaks hesitatingly

-- 13 --

MABEL CLARK  Why, ye-e-e-s, Mrs. Horton -- ye-e-e-s, of course.

MARY HORTON  Oh, do please call me Mary. I wish you would. You see I want to call you Mabel. I'm already doing it. How bold of me! You don't mind, do you? You see I've been such a lonely person.

MABEL CLARK  I guess I don't mind. It don't make no difference to me.

MARY HORTON 

She runs suddenly over to the door left, opens it and calls. For a moment she goes outside the door and her voice is heard offstage, calling. She calls
Fizzy. Fizzy.

She darts back into the room
Mabel, I want to get you some tea. Some ice tea would be nice on such a hot day. But I should have had it ready for you. I knew you would come.

MABEL CLARK 

Getting up from her chair
But, Mrs. Horton, you see I can't stay here. You sent for me. You wrote me that note. If you have anything special to say to me …

MARY HORTON runs over to her, acting very hurt. She half forces MABEL back into her chair. She keeps moving restlessly about the room

MARY HORTON  But, Mabel, I have, I have, I have so much to say to you.

She comes suddenly over and puts a hand on MABEL'S shoulder. MABEL is becoming more and more embarrassed
It's like this, Mabel. … Oh, where shall I begin? I have so much to say to you. You see -- when I was young as you are now -- you don't remember -- I'm so much older than you are -- look at me, Mabel. You would not think, would you, that people once thought I was beautiful? Mabel, I want to tell you something. Do you know that, when I was young, as you are now -- beautiful as you are now -- people said all sorts of things about me. Oh, Mabel, they gossiped about me. They said terrible things.

Mabel becomes interested

-- 14 --

MABEL CLARK  They did?

MARY HORTON  Oh, yes, Mabel, they said terrible things. You see -- it was like this. When I was still young … Oh, Mabel -- such a woman as I was then, and as you are now -- you are independent -- you don't care what people say, you stand on your own feet. Oh, I admire you so! People accused me of all sorts of things. They weren't true. But Mabel --

She becomes suddenly coy
Now, Mabel, don't you tell any one what I'm going to say to you. Some of the things they said about me were true.

MARY HORTON begins to walk proudly up and down the room and MABEL CLARK sits looking at her, becoming all the time more puzzled. She is growing a little afraid. She jumps suddenly to her feet

MABEL CLARK  Mrs. Horton, I'm sorry, I must go, I can't stay here.

Mary Horton runs over to stand before her

MARY HORTON  But no, no -- no, not yet, please! Do stay! You must! You see, I have so much to say to you -- I have so much to tell you.

MABEL CLARK  But I must. I'll come see you again. I must go now. I have an engagement.

She starts toward the door but stops. MARY HORTON has hold of her arm. For just a moment the two women confront each other. At this moment FIZZY appears at the door and MABEL CLARK again sits. She sits on the edge of her chair, while MARY HORTON turns to face FIZZY. FIZZY steps into the room and looks at the two women. The cigarette is still dangling from the corner of his mouth. He takes it out, grins, and then puts it back again

-- 15 --

FIZZY FRY 

To MARY HORTON
Did you call me, mum?

MARY HORTON 

In the grand manner
Yes, yes. Some ice tea -- and some cakes -- and at once.

FIZZY FRY 

Puzzled
Tea, Mrs. Horton? But Mrs. Horton, it's Sunday. There ain't any tea. The cook's gone. There ain't even the girls here. They'll all be gone all afternoon.

MARY HORTON 

Still being imperious
Make it yourself then and at once. Bring it here.

FIZZY FRY  But there ain't any ice for no tea.

MARY HORTON 

Going over to him, half pushing him through the door
Get some then. Go to the drug store. Go anywhere. Do as I tell you. Hurry now.

She pushes FIZZY through the door and turns to MABEL. Laughs
Such people, Mabel -- so stupid, you can't do anything with them. But, Mabel, I do so admire independent, intelligent women like you. I so admire people you can depend on -- in any situation -- to do the right thing.

She walks over to MABEL. She keeps on talking
Most people are such a mess. I so admire people who won't let themselves get into a mess.

-- 16 --

MABEL CLARK 

Gets again to her feet
Mrs. Horton, I can't stay here. I must go. I don't feel very well.

MARY HORTON runs over to her and puts an arm affectionately about her waist

MARY HORTON  But no, Mabel, not yet. Listen. There, there. I've worried you. I've talked too much and this is your first visit to me. And, oh dear, I did have something I wanted to say to you.

The two women are now standing and MARY HORTON takes her arm from about MABEL'S waist
Why, look what I was doing. I had my arm about your waist. Why, I did want to talk to you but it's not so important. It is so foolish -- there has been some gossip -- you see some one came to me with an absurd tale -- about you and my boy Harry.

She pats MABEL on the shoulder and steps a little away from her

MABEL CLARK 

Drawing herself up
Mrs. Horton, I must go. I don't care what people say. I didn't come here to be cross-examined.

MARY HORTON 

Interrupting, clapping her hands together like a child
There, there, that's it, that's why I asked you to come. Oh, I'm so glad I wasn't mistaken about you. I knew what you were. I knew you were a free, proud, independent woman.

She grows suddenly confidential and talks rapidly, MABEL all the time looking more frightened and helpless. Again she half forces MABEL to sit
You see, Mabel, when I was a young and beautiful woman, as you are now, there was a tale all over town about me. It was just such a silly tale as this one about you and Harry. He was a sweet boy, too -- just as Harry is. He and I were such friends.

MARY HORTON'S voice drops and she speaks softly. MABEL CLARK is altogether confused now and sits on the edge of the chair, looking frightened. MARY stands before her. MARY speaks
You see, Mabel, we -- that boy and me … we were really friends. He was such a sweet boy, a dreamy one, just like my Harry. Really I suppose I was half in love with him. I wanted to have a son like that boy. That must have been it. It touched another side of me, you see, Mabel. I knew, oh, I knew so well, that it was just that way between you and Harry. Then people began gossiping about us, just as they are now doing about you and Harry.

She shrugs her shoulders
A proud, free, independent woman like you and a boy like Harry -- how absurd, such a woman as you.

MABEL CLARK cannot stand any more of it. She gets up determinedly and moves toward the door

-- 17 --

MABEL CLARK  I must go now, Mrs. Horton, I must. I tell you I don't feel well.

MARY HORTON follows her to the door, again taking hold of her arm, stopping her at the door

MARY HORTON  No, no, don't go. Stay a while. I know what it is. It's the heat. Wait. Stay here. It will get cooler. Let's talk. Let's be friends. I so need a woman friend. I'm so lonely here. You see, I wanted to ask you to help me with my boy Harry. Mabel, I can't depend on his father and I know that you and Harry are real friends. You see I'm a sick woman and go very seldom out of this room. I don't know people. I want a woman like you, Mabel -- free, proud -- independent -- intelligent -- a woman not afraid of the gossip of a small town -- I want such a woman to be my friend and my boy Harry's friend.

Her voice becomes pleading
That's why I sent for you, Mabel. I want you to stick to Harry -- take my place -- be his real friend. Go about with him, tell him things a mother can't tell a son.

She keeps smiling
You see, some really designing woman might … well, you know. You can be such a help to him.

MABEL CLARK forces herself past MARY and to the door. She has become afraid of MARY HORTON

-- 18 --

MABEL CLARK  Yes, yes, Mrs. Horton, I will, I will. I'll do anything you ask. Let me go now. I must go.

MARY HORTON still clings to her, her hand on MABEL'S arm

MARY HORTON  But, Mabel, if you must go. But I won't be rude. Come again, when you can. I know you'll come soon. We are going to be friends. I need you. I knew you would help me with Harry. You promise me, don't you? You are so good. You'll come to see me often after this, won't you? I know Harry admires you so. You'll be his friend and my friend and you'll help us both. You see I'm so helpless, so helpless. You will help me, won't you? I know you will.

MABEL CLARK 

At the door
Yes, yes, I promise. I'll do anything. I promise. I must go.

MARY HORTON 

Standing in the doorway
Oh, Mabel, I'm so sorry you must go. Now remember your promise. You'll come again soon, won't you?

Speaks brightly
If you don't, Mabel, I'll come to you.

MABEL CLARK 

In the hallway outside agitated
Yes, yes, I promise. I promise. Good-by. Good-by.

MARY HORTON 

In the doorway
Good-by. Good-by, Mabel. Oh, you darling! You have made me so glad, so happy.

She calls
And you will stick to Harry, won't you?

-- 19 --

MABEL CLARK 

From the distance
Yes, Mrs. Horton, yes, I will.

MARY HORTON stands a moment in the doorway looking out into the hall. Her figure suddenly changes. It slumps and she turns and comes back into the room and closes the door. She stands a moment at the door, clinging to the doorknob and then half staggers across the room to the rocking chair. For a moment she sits with her face in her hands and then her head falls against the back of the chair and she lies there white and still. She smiles. There is a time of silence in the room and then a man's voice is heard from outside, in the hallway. The man is singing a popular song of the period

VOICE FROM OUTSIDE  One little girl in blue, lad,
Won your father's heart,
Became your mother,
I married another,
But now we have drifted apart.

There is a knock on the door and when MARY HORTON does not answer, the door opens and FIZZY appears holding a large shabby-looking tray. On the tray are some thick slices of bread and two cups, of the heavy unbreakable sort found in cheap restaurants in small towns. Standing just inside the room with the tray in his hand, he looks wonderingly about

FIZZY FRY  The drug store was closed and there wasn't any ice and there isn't any cake. I got some bread and some cold coffee, left from dinner.

MARY HORTON slowly raises her head and stares at him as though not understanding him. Suddenly she speaks impatiently, tensely

-- 20 --

MARY HORTON  Yes, yes, all right, all right! That's all! Go now! Take it away.

She becomes half hysterical and shouts at him
Go! Go! I tell you.

FIZZY is amazed and frightened by her look and her tone. He turns and bolts through the door and as he does so, the tray hits the side of the door and the heavy cups filled with cold coffee and the thick slices of bread fall to the floor. FIZZY is heard hurrying away down the hallway as MARY HORTON'S head falls back over the chair top. She is laughing, half hysterically, as the curtain falls

Play Title:	Mother
All Titles:	Mother
Primary Author:	Anderson, Sherwood, 1876-1941
All Authors All Forms:	Anderson, Sherwood, 1876-1941; Sherwood Anderson
Gender:	M
Age When Writing:	61
Race:	White
Ethnicity:	Not indicated
Nationality:	American
Sexual Orient:	Not indicated
Alternate Publications:	Plays: Winesburg and Others, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY, 1937
Year Written:	1937
Year Published:	1937
Previously Unpublished:	No
Original Language:	English
Written for:	Stage
Genre:	Drama
Number of Characters:	4
Number of Acts:	1
Setting - Area:	Suburban
Setting - Locale:	Hotel
Setting - Geographic:	Midwest States
Play's Subjects:	Family
Characters' Names:	Mary Horton; George Horton; Mabel Clark; Fizzy Fry
Characters' Occupations:	Homemaker; Hotel owner; Seamstress; Servant
Characters' Sexual Orientation:	Heterosexual
Characters' Gender:	F; M
Characters' Race:	White
Performance Rights:	All rights, including performance rights, are reserved. For details click here. Inquiries concerning rights to MOTHER should be addressed to the author's Estate, c/o Harold Ober Associates, Inc., Attn: Craig Tenney, 425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
Play Copyright:	Copyright © 1937, by Sherwood Anderson.
ASP copyright:	2005-2008
Play Code:	PL033497