PUNCH'S MORAL MUSIC-HALL DRAMAS.
No. XII.--CONRAD; OR, THE THUMBSUCKER.
_(Adapted freely from a well-known Poem in the "Struwwelpeter.")_
CHARACTERS.
_Conrad (aged 6). Conrad's Mother (47). The Scissorman (age
immaterial)._
SCENE--_An Apartment in the house of_ CONRAD'S _Mother, window in
centre at back, opening upon a quiet thoroughfare. It is dusk, and the
room is lighted only by the reflected gleam from the street lamps._
CONRAD _discovered half-hidden by left window-curtain._
_Conrad (watching street)._ Still there! For full an hour he has not
budged beyond the circle of yon lamp-post's rays! The gaslight falls
upon his crimson hose, and makes a steely glitter at his thigh, while
from the shadow peers a hatchet-face and fixes sinister malignant
eyes--on whom? _(Shuddering.)_ I dare not trust myself to guess! And
yet--ah, no--it cannot be myself! I am so young--one is still young at
six!--What man can say that I have injured him? Since, in my Mother's
absence all the day engaged upon Municipal affairs, I peacefully
beguile the weary hours by suction of consolatory thumbs. _(Here he
inserts his thumb in his mouth, but almost instantly removes it with
a start.
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