Part 23 (1/2)

Oh, next time! It's always next time.

_Mary_

Wash up now, and you can have a hot dinner.

(_They wash listlessly._)

_Jim_

Mary, I think you'd better telephone for the doctor to come and have a look at Rosie.

_Mary_ (_hesitating_)

I did--this morning. He said he didn't have time to come out to-day.

_Jim_

Dr. Lowden?

_Mary_

Guess he's tired o' comin' for nothing. You can't blame him.

(JIM _hangs his head. A knock at the door._ JIM _rises and opens it._ CHO-CHO _enters giggling and grimacing while the farmer and his wife are speechless with amazement._)

_Cho-Cho_

You sent for a doctor?

_Jim_

Yes--but--you--ain't--no doctor.

_Cho-Cho_

No, I--ain't--no--doctor (_mimicking_), but my daughter is a doctor and here she is now.

(_Enter_ EVERYCHILD _disguised as a doctor, with a long black cape hiding her white dress, a pair of goggles over her eyes, a long white beard, a white wig, a man's hat on, a little black bag in her hands._)

_Jim_ (_tearing his hair distractedly_)

You say that little old man is your daughter and a doctor?

_Cho-Cho_

That's right--but a new kind of doctor. This is a Health doctor, not a Disease doctor. Present treatment for Health--absent treatment for absence of Health. (_Ha--ha--hee--hee!_) I'll leave the doctor here.

(_Goes out._)

_Everychild_

Well, well, where is the patient? (_Putting hat on chair._)