Scene 1. Opening music is given by angel's flute or autoharp. For the first time, it has some definitely melancholy but sweet strains in the music. The tempo picks up at last, then abruptly cuts off.
Narrator: "Mama gets her boy at last. Her fervent prayer may have been delayed by the charming, vivacious, big-hearted Estelle, but her seventh child was clearly a boy. His name was Arthur, an angel of a lad of the most quiet, grave, and sweet disposition. Soon followed by another girl, a handful of activity and selfless devotion if there ever was one, as if to make up for the "mistake" in Arthur's gender, and she was named Ruth. But again Providence turned mysterious and chose to temper the staunchly feminine line of the Alfred Stadems with the male variety, perhaps for Arthur's sake, giving him a brother, Leroy, the last of nine Stadem children but certainly not - with his steadfast and caring ways - the least. Soon, all too soon, however, comes a parting of they ways. And for the bid Stadem family it began with Christian high school, entailing a trip by train from Bryant to far-off Canton, South Dakota."
The Chorus sings "Off to the Academy!" along with the intermixed melody of the old hymn, "Praise God From Whom all Blessings Flow," as the oldest Stadem children stand on a railroad platform and then go and put their sad faces into the "windows" of a cardboard train compartment.
Narrator: "Papa and Mama have worked, loved, and prayed unceasingly, and the fruits of their long labors are maturing. They have brought up a family on the Dakota Prairie, right through the Great Depression and the worst droughts and dust storms of the `Dirty Thirties.' Many fled the Dakotas during these hardships. The Stadems stayed, and, in family at least, flourished. The nine beautiful male and female children are now grown into mostly teens and young adults. The seven sisters are attractive and marriageable young women. Somehow getting all their varied schedules and locations to agree, they assemble with their two brothers, along with Papa and Mama, slightly grayed in hair and stockier, for a family portrait."
The Chorus sings "Family Portrait."
The Narrator calls out the names of the girls and boys in turn as they take place for the portrait, so the audience can learn all their names as a photographer out front makes the motions of taking the picture.
The picture-taking over, young men appear and go and pair off with various of the girls after a respectful bow to (and an approving nod from) the seated parents. The first young man, dressed in a spotless white flight cap and uniform, comes to court his chosen sweetheart and first hands a little gold airplane to Papa Stadem, who makes it swoop about in the air before he "crashes" it nose-down on the floor for fun. Papa Stadem throws his arms around the young man when he approaches, leading Pearl as his choice. Evidently, he has taken Bob close to his own heart. For Arthur, he stands gravely with his brother like Joseph with Benjamin in Patriarchal Times (see Explanation).
The curtain is raised (or lowered as the case may be), and Bernice stands before the audience. Mama Stadem goes into the yard, dressed in her everyday housedress and apron, to water her flowers with dish water from the sink. Bernice gazes at her while the Narrator speaks her thoughts. When she is finished, a young man in a stylish cowboy hat comes, takes her hand, and leads her away behind the curtain or down between the rows of seats and they proceed slowly as if in a wedding march, the young man's eyes straight ahead and Bernice's eyes modestly lowered.
Narrator: "`Mama,' by Bernice Stadem."
When `Mama' is finished, Ruth comes out. Papa replaces Mama in the "yard." He sits on a stool fixing something, or he is mending boots and shoes after looking at the sky through the open sole of one of them and giving a doubtful shake of his head.
Narrator: "`Papa,' by Ruth Stadem." She has a little mixed bouquet of Papa's lilacs or Mama's flowers in her hand. A "wind" is blowing on her, ruffling her plain dress and hair. The strong, sweet scent of the flowers, carried by the "breeze," goes out to the audience.
Scene 2.
The flute music, turning even more plaintive, resumes. It dies away, again abruptly. The curtain moves and is gathered in folds about a bed on which two sisters, Alida and her youngest sister, Ruthie are lying. Alida is tossing about, her eyes closed. She suddenly sits up and cries out soundlessly.
Narrator: "They crashed! They crashed! Arthur and Bob crashed! Oh, the smoke and fire! It's that plane Mr. Shoup sold Bob - it wasn't fixed after all like he said!"
Ruthie clutching a faceless, worn-out doll, does not awaken. Alida stares at her, looks as though she will try to wake her, then shakes her head, covers her face with her blanket, and the scene ends with the return of the music, but it is very sad and gentle, like a funeral dirge. There is once again the sweet scent of lilacs in the air.
Scene 3 Narrator: "But dreams are dreams. They may not come true. Thinking it the wise thing to do, Alida keeps silent about her terrible visions of the night. After all, who - she thinks - would believe her? Who, indeed? On the other hand, something is definitely wrong with Papa Stadem. He has grown more and more upset and unhappy. His pastor's children, for instance, can do nothing right, according to his view. He is also upset with Bryant, the merchants who have turned so `worldly' in their ways he will not allow Mama to do business with them. Even the baseball club comes in for its share of Stadem fire when it holds a meet on a Sunday. Papa Stadem has only to see the pastor passing in the street and he is filled with uncontrollable fury. What has become of the man who planted all the sweet and beautiful lilacs? He is on the verge of becoming a fire-breathing dragon! And Mama is concerned - very concerned."
Chorus: "Fishin' on Sunday."
While the Chorus is singing, a group of "slackers," "loafers," " Town ne'er-do-wells" are acting out various pastimes - practicing casts with bamboo fish poles, reading the funnies in the paper, playing cards, or catching forty winks with a bottle in hand, all while Papa Stadem looks on with dour and disapproving grimaces, a Bible clenched in hand.
Then flute gives out wild catcalls and devilish whoops and Papa Stadem, unable to endure the merriment any longer, swings a horse whip about and scatters the laughing peanut gallery. He follows them out as soon as the Narrator has spoken what he is soundlessly mouthing.
Narrator: "`To the firepits of Gehenna with them! May they all burn on Gehenna, I say!'"
Mama Stadem comes out, looks sadly around, shaking her head. She stands, facing the audience, head down. Papa comes back out, his clothes all rumpled and a big stick in his hand, and he stands face to face with red-haired Mama like a snorting bull before a red cape.
Narrator: "Uff da—a—a—aa! Oh Papa, God might take von of us, if vi don't stop dis all dis judging and putting down of udders.!"
The music, now unmistakably ominous, resumes, and breaks off with a clash of cymbal as of thunder as water pelts down and Mama stands her ground while Papa ducks his head and scurries for cover. She seems to be pondering something only she knows.
Narrator: "What is Mama thinking might happen to her beloved family? Does she know something of what is in store for her? Arthur - what of him? He has gone off to war in the South Pacific, serving in the Navy. Little Ruthie - the soul of family devotion - is staying close by the home fires, and Leroy is too young yet to venture forth (though soon her will as another Navyman!), but her other children are scattering to the far corners of the earth, to Alaska, Washington and California, even to the jungles of Brazil as missionaries. Yes, what does the troubled heart of Mama Stadem discern in the dark clouds swirling overhead, darkening the sky over Plain View Farm?"
