Centerstage Monday 2024- Daddy Long Legs

Taking tea breaks, having reports written, they hurry away the night for house in the city. And I watch them with 97 orphans. Poor Jerusha Abbott, never breaking free of this place. Poor Jerusha Abbott, the oldest orphan in the dog's rear end. Little Tommy Dillon comes up the stairs. "Jerusha Addams, you are wanted in the office and you'd better hurry up." I hurry to the office. The long, lovely hallway is quite dark. One last trustee is leaving through the big front door, his arm raised, waving to the automobile in the drive. A perfectly awful day. A silhouetted figure, tall and gangly, sprouted in the darkness. I cannot see his face, but the headlights in the driveway cast a shadow sharp against the wall. Looking like a daddy long legs, the biggest one that I have ever seen. A creeping, crawling daddy long legs, and it makes me laugh. On this awful day, being traversed at it, the oldest orphanage in the town. We're home! This is living.

Who is it from?

From Miss Abbott, 351 Riverside Drive, Manhattan, May 1st, 1908. The further education of Miss Jerusha Abbott by Mr. Mr. John Smith. 6-point plan. Further education. 1. Owing to the exceptional talent that Miss Abbott has shown in her original and amusing essays, Mr. Smith has decided to send her to college. 2. It has been Mr. Smith's plan that Miss Abbott should educate herself to become a writer. 3. Miss Abbott must write a letter of acknowledgement to Mr. Smith once a month. Not thanks. Thanks must never be mentioned. 4. Mr. Smith's name is obviously not Mr. Smith, but he prefers to remain unknown. To Miss Abbott, he will never be anything but Mr. Smith. 5. Miss Abbott's letters must tell of the progress of her studies and details of her daily life, such a letter she would write her family, if she had one. 6. Mr. Smith will never answer Miss Abbott's letters nor take the slightest notice of them. He detests letter writing, and above all, does not wish Miss Abbott to become a burden.

B. Dear Aunt Josie who sends orphans to college, here I am.

College is the biggest, most bewildering place. Classes don't begin until next Monday morning, but I just wanted to write a letter now just to get acquainted. It seems queer to be writing these letters at all. And why couldn't you have picked out a name with a little more personality? I might as well be writing letters to Dear Hitching Post.

Or Dear Clothes Pole.

I guess I could call you Mr. Girl Hater, Mr. Girl Hater, but that's too insulting to me. It would never do. Or I could call you Dear Mr. Rich Man, thanks Mr. Rich Man, but that's too insulting to you. Yes, you might not be rich for that much longer, but I'm pretty sure you'll stay tall.

So I'll call you dear Daddy Long Legs, old Daddy Long Legs.

I'll keep calling, rubbing my hoof at you.

Don't mind Daddy Long Legs, it's just a pet name.

We won't tell a soul. Now the bell sounds, I must go. For his Jerusalem outfit, whose education is underwritten by a man I lovingly call Mr. Hitching Post Clothes Old Daddy Long Legs Smith.

P.S. I know I'm not to expect any letters in return, and I've been warned not to bother you with any more questions, but tell me, Daddy, just this once.

Given you're a tall, old man who hates girls but is very generous to one quite impertinent girl, What do you look like?

Somewhat amusing. A semblance of style.

Certainly better than many a letter I've read in a while.

But what makes me chuckle? Lo and behold! She thinks I'm old.

And crusty too, perhaps, and old.

She thinks I'm old. I miss Conceitas.

Dear Daddy Long Legs, I love college, and I know dates must never be mentioned, so I won't mention them. But I feel sorry for everyone who isn't a girl and who can't be here.

There are two other freshmen on the same floor as me named Sally McBride and Julia Rutledge Pendleton.

Sally has red hair and a turned-up nose and is really quite friendly.

Julia comes from one of the first families in New York and hasn't noticed me yet.

Sally's the most entertaining person in the world.

And Julia Rutledge Pendleton the least so.

She believes that if you are a Pendleton, that fact alone admits you into heaven without any further examination. Julia and I were born to be enemies. Dear Daddy Long Legs, the postman brought me 3 letters today. All bills, which is all I ever get. Maybe one day I'll get a personal letter. What would that be like? I can only imagine. Oh, and Daddy, you never answered my question, and it was very important. Are you bald? Please inform me. And Daddy, did you ever hear of Michelangelo?

He was a famous artist who lived in Italy during the Middle Ages. The whole class laughed because I thought he was an archangel. That joke has gone all over college.

We died about an abyss of ignorance by calling him a demon. The names that most girls know to the properly assorted family and friends at library, I never even heard of.

I didn't know that she'd be so clever. I never dreamed of such imagination. I never read a thought so expressive. I really must reread, for it counts to my English score. What am I thinking? I'm missing appointments to read what she studied in French. I'm baffled, I'm perplexed. Oh, Captain, my Captain. I really must get back to work. I wonder what she'll write me next.

Dear Daddy, it's Christmas Eve.

There are snowflakes the size of dinner plates falling outside, but I'm very happy curled up on my window seat reading my latest favorite book, Jane Eyre. It's almost dark now. I close my eyes halfway and peer through the falling snow and wonder if I can almost see you looking back at me. And I—

I send you my love.

I send you my love.

Lucia.

P.S.

Maybe it isn't proper to send love. If it isn't, please excuse. But I must love somebody at Christmas, and there's only you, so you'll have to put up with it.

It's lost on me. I only wish I knew what does she mean by love.

Dear Daddy Long Legs, this is a letter in the middle of the month and in the middle of the night because I'm so lonely and I can't sleep a wink.

I've been in the infirmary for 6 days now with severe tonsillitis and a miserable fever.

Well, I don't know why I'm bothering to tell you. You are probably the hardest one out of all those horrid trustees, and the only reason you are educating me is not because you care about me, but from a sense of charity. You never answer any of my questions. You never show the slightest bit of interest in my life or my feelings. You are not the man you appear to be. Are they for me?

I'm a beast. I'm a bird.

Daddy, please forgive me. What I said, I didn't mean. I'm sad. Rob Bagley, I'm no good at being bad. I thought I imagined you, Daddy. Now I know your technique. You don't have to answer my letters if you were the one.

From the desk of Mr. Jervis Pendleton. Miss Abbott, I put pen to paper with some trepidation, but with a feeling after your last letter that I really do owe you some sort of response. I shall wander down to college one of these afternoons and introduce myself. But perhaps it isn't wise to reveal reveal myself just yet. Why not meet you as the man I really am? Why not introduce myself as Julia's uncle? Daddy just for now remains discreet. So, Felicia, when shall we meet?

Dear Daddy Gomez, what a day we've had today! A strange man was sighted on campus. Humanity being so exclusively female, any unknown male specimen is practically a scandal.

The man in question is a Mr. Jervis Pendleton.

Of the House of Julia.

Her uncle, in short.

Or in long, I should say. He's as tall as you, Daddy.

Being in town on business, he decided to run out to college and call on his niece. Julia and Sally had classes they just couldn't cut.

So Julia begged me to look after him for the afternoon. I said I would, though my heart sank because I don't care much for Pendletons. Anyways, it turns out he's a Sweet as a lamb, he's a real human being, not a Pendleton at all. With a sweet dark face and the funniest underneath smile that ever quite comes through, but just wrinkles up in the corner of his mouth. We went for tea at an outdoor café. Oh, and his eyes are both blue, by the way. Even Steve, my crush, from here from the world, laughed at my jokes. The big fierce face seemed down below. I'm feeling more like a girl and less like a One day you'll be looking into—

Daddy Long Legs, help!

I just had a letter from Miss Mrs. Lippet from the John Greer Home. Since I have no place to go to this summer, she orders me back to the asylum to work for my board till college opens in the fall. I hate the John Greer Home. I'd rather die than go back. Yours most truthfully.

Dear Miss Abbott, Mr.

Smith instructs me to tell you that he would be pleased if you would agree to spend the summer at Lock Willow Farm. Address and directions are enclosed. He trusts you will find the accommodation acceptable.

Please acknowledge by return. Yours, etc., Secretary to Mr. Smith.

Dear Daddy, you are such a brick!

Brick?

I am so, so happy to spend the summer at Lock Willow Farm, though I'm scared that Mrs. Lippet will stretch out a long arm and drag me back. Lock Willow. What a lovely name for a farm. Oh, Daddy, happy day! I'm here, and I'm on a farm!

It's It's heavenly. The people who live here are Mr. and Mrs. Simple, who farm the land. My room is big, square, and empty, with adorable old-fashioned furniture and windows that have to be propped up on sticks.

And a large pine table. I'm going to spend the whole summer with my elbows spread out on it, writing a novel.

I made a truly amazing discovery. I was searching the attic for something to read when I came across what looked like a pirate's chest.

I opened it up, and inside was a pile of very thumbed-through boys' adventure stories. On the front cover of one of them, in a funny little boy handwriting, were the words "Jervis Pendleton." I ran downstairs to show it to Mrs. Semple, and she told me that the Pendleton family used to own this farm, and Julia's uncle, who she calls Master Jervie. Dear Daddy Long Legs, sophomore year has begun, and can you guess who I'm rooming with? Sally McBride!

And Julia Rutledge-Pelton.

It's the truth!

Oh, and Daddy, guess what? Sally McBride invited me to spend the whole Christmas break with her in Massachusetts. Isn't that lovely? I'm so excited to go, you have no idea.

They're such a close-knit family, dear Daddy Longlegs.

How will I fit in?

Families. I never dreamed that they could be so nice.

Sally has a father and a mother and a grandmother!

And a big, good-looking brother named Jack. Jimmy, who's a junior at Princeton.

Would you be terribly displeased, Daddy, if I didn't turn out to be a great author after all, but instead just a plain girl?

Dear Daddy, Julia's desirable Uncle Jervis came to see us this afternoon and bought a 3-pound box of chocolates.

I told him I'd spend the summer at Loch Hollow Farm. He was surprised I knew the place.

But remembered it very well himself. Dear Daddy Long Legs Smith, you'll never guess the nice thing that has happened. Mrs. McBride invited me to spend the summer in the Adirondacks with the whole family. Jimmy McBride is going to have some college friends visiting, so we shall have plenty of men to dance with. Dear Miss Smith, dear Miss Abbott, Mr. Smith prefers that you should decline Mrs. McBride's invitation.

Why, why, why? Mrs. McBride wants me really and truly. And she wants me as a companion for Sally. And Jimmy McBride is going to teach me how to ride on horseback. And paddle a canoe and shoot and fish and teach me to He's going to teach me to do everything I've always wanted to do. Please let me go, Daddy. I've never wanted anything so much.

Dear Miss Abbott, Mr. Smith has made his decision. You shall return to Lock Willow same as last summer.

Sir, regarding yours of the 7th, in compliance with the instructions received through your secretary, I leave on Friday next to spend the summer at Lock Willow Farm. I remain yours, et cetera, Gertrude.

Out. Miss! I am just a fool, an impostor, and a fool. Faith like the lady of the lake, I'm drowning in the waves of my deceit, but rescued by your face each time we meet. If I tell you the truth at last, would I earn your esteemed affection? Would you hate me and curse my fate? I'd only have myself to blame. So why upset you now when we can still be friends? As the truth just slightly bends, I'm happy in my mad hypocrisy. Pretending I'm the man I'll never be.

Dear Miss Abbott, I've just heard from Julia that you are in Lock Willow for the summer. Lucky you. By an extraordinary coincidence, I'm about to visit an ailing elderly aunt. Uncle.

Aunt.

Who lives just north of there, and I'll be motoring back home in just over a week's time. I really must drop in and pay my respects to the Samples, so I hope you don't mind me sharing the old place for a few days. What a pleasure it will be to see Lock Willow again after so many years. And you too, of course.

Well, Daddy, you'll never, never, never guess who's arrived at Lock Willow Farm. Master Derby! And such a nice time we're having. He still looks like a true Pendleton, but he isn't in the least. He's just as simple and unaffected and as sweet as can be.

Such a lot of adventures we're having.

On Sunday we scandalized the Settles by skipping church.

We climbed Sky Hill instead and stood at the top for sunset. We built a fire in some rocks and cooked our supper for the evening.

Then we came down by moonlight. It was so beautiful.

We laughed and talked and joked the whole way.

He's read all the books I've ever read, and lots of others besides.

Before we got home, we got caught in a rainstorm and ran like crazy children and took shelter in a grove of gigantic old pines.

We sat there, silent, till the rain stopped and the moon came sailing back over the sunny clouds.

I imagined the secret of happiness was the art of— eyes. I discovered the secret of happiness is looking in her eyes. Happiness comes as a total surprise, and the secret, the secret of happiness is living in the now. Living in the time it takes to blink, I think is how we're meant to be living. I discovered the secret of happiness is all the stars that shine. I discovered the secret of happiness is something more to 'Cause her happiness is more precious than mine. And the secret, the secret of happiness is—

the secret of happiness is— the secret of happiness is—

the secret of happiness is—

6 short stories and 7 poems. Those I sent to the magazines all came back with the most courteous promptitude, but I don't mind. It's good practice. Yours with fraternal love, Jerusha.

Dear Daddy, such a busy time. Vacation in 10 days, examinations tomorrow.

Julia is going abroad this summer to Paris and wants me to go with her, and Sally and Jimmy invited me to go to the Adirondacks with them. So what do you think I'm going to do? You may have 3 guesses.

Paris.

Wrong.

The Adirondacks?

Wrong. I'll tell you, Daddy, if you promise not to make a lot of objections, and I warn your secretary ahead of time that my mind is made up.

I'm taking a job.

It's time for me to start paying back my debt. So I shall teach French and algebra this summer and begin to support myself.

Dear Jerusha, just back from Paris. What a fascinating city, and how sad the lives of those who never see it. Now, what do you think? I'm looking at my diary and I see that the first week of September is remarkably empty, so I could just squeeze in a visit to Lock Willow. I assume you'll be free to join me. No answer necessary. I will see you there.

Sure.

Dear Daddy Long Legs, A horribly complacent little note sent from Master Durby expecting to see me in Lock Willow in September. And a lovely long letter sent from Sally and Jimmy at the same time. Must I ask your permission to go? Or may I manage without it, please? Yes, I'm sure I can. I'm nearly a senior now, you know. Anyways, I want to see Sally, and I want to see Jimmy. And I want Master Durby to arrive at Lock Willow and find me not there! He must learn that he can't dictate to me. No one can dictate to me but you, Daddy, and you can't always.

Miss Abbott, Mr. Smith positively forbids you to fritter away any more of your time in a purely social excursion to the— in the rondacks.

Sorry, Daddy, but your letter didn't come in time. If you wish your instructions to be obeyed, you must have your secretary write more promptly. Anyways, the woods are fine, and so is the camp. And so are the McBrides, and so is the whole world. I'm very, very happy.

Jerusha, I'm afraid I can't join you at Lockwillow after all. I've been invited by some very close friends to go yachting at Rhode Island. Have a lovely summer and enjoy the farm.

Dear Daddy, what do you think of this? He's sorry, but he probably can't join me there. He's going yachting with some friends instead. But all this time he knew I was looking at Brads, for Sally told Julia and Julia told him. You men ought to leave intrigue to us women. You haven't a light enough touch. Oh, there's Jimmy calling for me to go canoeing. Goodbye! Dear Daddy Long Legs, back at college and a senior. Also editor of the monthly. I love my student life, but But this year is different because it's the last. No news from Master Jerviette. I fear he won't forgive me for ignoring him this summer. But I can't think of him now. I must work and write, devote myself to you and all that you've done for me. Dear Daddy Longlegs, graduation is 3 weeks from next Wednesday. You will come make my acquaintance, won't you? I shall hate you if you don't. Sally's inviting Jimmy. Julia's inviting Master Durby. I'll finally get to see him again, but he won't be there for me. He cares nothing of me anymore, and I'm sure of that now. So who is there for me to invite? Just you and Mrs. Lippet, and I don't want her. You have to come, Daddy, to be proud of me, just this once. Why does it feel like I'm flying? Somebody wake me at last, for I'm right on the edge of the wide, wide world. As I look at so many faces in the place I never dreamed I would be, there is one empty chair that I simply can't bear to see. And I'm fighting back the tears. Yes, I'm fighting back the tears on graduation day.

I'm here, Jerusha.

I'm standing in front of you now.

I'm here, Jerusha.

I just would like to say, you know, I'm here, Jerusha.

I'm here, Jerusha. And I'm fighting back the tears. Yes, I'm fighting back the tears of that joy short-lived.

Well, this is your loss, Mr. Closepole. Mr. World-Hater. Dear Mr. Smith. For whatever you are, you did not show. You are not here, and now I'm fighting back and showing my fears. For I will stand up from the ground and make somebody proud.

Lucia Abbott, Bachelor of Arts, Class of 1912, Valedictorian. You did it. I helped a little, but it was only money. Money, it now seems, that has outlived its usefulness. Charity. It's a wall of gratitude that can never be climbed from either side.

Dear Daddy Long Legs, I'm educated. My diploma is in the bottom bureau drawer with my two best dresses. I'm here in Lockwell over the summer. Grammarly. Master Durfee wrote me a very sweet letter full of warm wishes for the future. He seems to have recovered his lovely, funny, sunny self. But there's something missing, and I can't figure out what that is. Oh, and Jimmy McBride is dropping by sometime during the summer. I used to think that you would come motoring through Lock Willow one day, but when you didn't come to my graduation, I gave that up as a hopeless dream and buried it forever. Oh my soul, you have heard me for the last time, and I won't go running. You'll never hear another plea. Yes, you've got your freedom, Daddy.

Who is helping who tonight? Who is helping who tonight? Just answer me, please.

Dear Daddy Lovewells, something has happened. I know I've washed my hands of you forever, but I need advice. I need it from you and from nobody else in the world.

Marry me, Jerusha. Give me your heart. You know you have mine.

Oh, why? Why did I refuse? Now he's gone away imagining that I want to marry Jimmy McBride. I don't in the least. Jimmy's a lovely boy, but he isn't grown up enough, and I don't think he ever will be. The truth is, Daddy, I care too much for Mr. Pendleton to let him marry me, because I know he would regret it in the future, and I couldn't stand that. It just doesn't seem right for a person of my bringing to marry into a family such as his, and I couldn't bring myself to tell him about the John Grier home. But oh, Daddy, I miss him. I miss him and miss him. The whole world seems empty and aching without him. I hate the moonlight because it's beautiful and he isn't there to see it with me. But maybe you've loved somebody and you know how I feel. If you have, I don't need to explain. If you haven't, I can't explain. Please let me see you, Daddy. Please.

My dear young lady, please come see me next Wednesday afternoon at 4:00. 4 o'clock. I hope you have no difficulty making your way to the above address. I'm afraid, however, you may find me deficient in the sort of wisdom that you seek. I'm in fact rather unpracticed in matters of the heart, as I fear you will finally discover when we meet. Your—

Your—

Daddy Wallace.

Hello? Hello, Mr. Smith? What are you doing here? Do you know Mr. Smith, or whatever he's called?

Yes, yes, I do.

So you know about me then? You know about the John Weirdhole?

I do.

How long have you known? Don't tell me. Kathy, his secretary? No, not exactly. Where is he?

He's right here, I'm afraid.

You?

You read my letters? All of my letters? The ones about you? They were private letters.

I know.

They were letters to him, not to you.

I know.

You're not even old.

Guilty. Guilty as charged.

I'm a beast. I'm a disappointment. And I've earned your contempt. I was rash. I was wrong. Oh, Jerusalem, I'm good at being strong.

How strong did you have to be to pick up the fountain pen?

So many times I wanted to tell you, but I lost my nerve. And now I feel your scorn and frustration. Frustration. It's a bitter blow. I well deserve.

Anyway, it was all your fault.

My fault?

I never intended to pay the least attention to you. I said so in my perfectly sensible six-point plan. But then you saw started sending me all those ludicrously expressive letters, and my curiosity got the better of me. I just had to see who this— imagine who this delightful person was. And I couldn't very well dress as a bald old coot of 93. So I went as myself, such as I am.

Thor?

I would have never done such a stupid, irrational Idiotic, childish thing if I had any idea, any idea at all, that I would fall completely, madly, and hopelessly in love with you.

Always here with me, and yet it appears I never knew all this time Daddy has been you. Yet you lied and betrayed my trust, and you made me appear so far I'd be a fool to let you go. Life may not last forever, and hearts might not play the game.

There are love-like hearts to share.

All this time I've been in love with you. And it seems as I say these words that I am finding my first love better. It surprises me even now. and makes me laugh that I know how. So with all my heart, praise thee as it soars, I am most sincerely yours, Tricia, who will keep her derby strong. And forgives her dying long legs for not being pulled.

Pray for Bob. And for Heidi from her summer home. 10-minute intermission.