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Allensworth, California, September 15, 1914
SCENE 1: INT Baptist Parsonage Bedroom, before dawn.
Josephine Allensworth, age 72, stirs as she is awakened by the sound of a steam locomotive within a quarter mile of the house. We hear her voice in the darkness as she sits up in bed.
Josephine
No! I can't believe it--that sound of an approaching steam locomotive. It's already the dawn of the worst day of my life. The 6:00 AM north to San Francisco used to stop here at Allensworth, dropping milk and mail. No longer since so many folks left us out of fear. The engine's going full steam ahead, laboring at thirty mile per hour, five hours out of Los Angeles, another seven to San Francisco. Wind is out of the south, blowing over the veranda into the living room and through the open door of my bedroom. I can smell the burnt coal. Soon soot will settle over the cottage, fanning out over the rest of this dusty town.
Josephine arises and walks through the compact, four-room bungalow, to the open front door. She turns and faces the interior of the house.
Josephine
I must catch the next train south to Los Angeles at 8:00 AM. The Stationmaster will flag it for Nella and me. Allen's mangled body waits claiming at the morgue. Train's gone. Now, silence as usual until... No! Allen's dead and gone. He's not snoring in his room next to mine. Instead, Nella's in there keeping an eye on me. She's a late sleeper. When she is at home on the other side of town, we meet at the school around nine o'clock. Here I am for the first time in fifty years without my beloved Allen, husband of my youth and old age, dead, murdered mercilessly yesterday in Los Angeles. About this time every morning, he would come into my room from his, give me a kiss and whisper I love you. I would turn over, and this time of year he would be up.
Nella Allensworth, age 35, is heard from the bedroom.
Nella
Mother, is that you? It's too early for breakfast. Go back to sleep.
Nella sees Josephine turn and walk toward the front door.
Nella
Mother, where are you going? It's dark out.
Josephine
Nella, I didn't mean to awaken you, but that sound worries me. Maybe they're coming to kill us, too.
Nella
No, Mother, it's only the gravediggers, setting up for father's funeral tomorrow. Stay inside, and I'll fix coffee for you.
Josephine
Go ahead, Nella, brew the coffee. I'll just go out on the veranda for some air and reassurance.
Josephine goes out onto the porch and only we hear her words.
Josephine
Actually, I must see what they are doing. It's chillier out here than yesterday when Allen headed to Los Angeles for the fundraiser. If only we knew of the real danger. I should have connected the bad water with the bad feelings of the whites. All we black folks wanted in our paradise apart was a chance to grow and enjoy life far away from slavery and oppression.
SCENE 2: EXT Streets and Cemetery, first light.
From above, we see that Allensworth is a dusty country town with planned streets. The east border of town is marked by railroad tracks and the depot. Next, we see an almost dry reservoir just north of town; then the stores along Palmer Avenue; finally, the Allensworth House two blocks south of downtown. We focus on Josephine, running frantically from her house into the cemetery to the south.
At ground level, Josephine encounters Gravedigger #1 and Gravedigger #2 as she enters the cemetery.
Gravedigger #1
Why, Mrs. Allensworth, what are you doing up so early on this dreary day?
Josephine
Just worried about them.
Gravedigger #2
Who?
Josephine
The killers.
Gravedigger #1
They ain't here. No one murders in the morning. Evil lurks at night
Gravedigger #2
Just us folk are here. You're safe.
Josephine seems to be in another world.
Josephine
I didn't mean to interrupt. This is only the second funeral here in five years. Why did it have to be the Colonel?
Gravedigger #1
Pardon, Ma'am, maybe you should go your way and not trouble yourself so much?
Josephine falls to the ground and weeps by Allen's grave.
Josephine
My husband, my life! Why, oh, why did they murder you?
The Gravediggers rush to rescue Josephine, but she is in a trance and doesn't respond to them. Only we hear Josephine's voice.
Josephine
I'm sinking into the unforgiving ground. My hands are gravelly, pierced, bloodied. I want to join Allen; be in his grave first.
Josephine realizes that she is not alone.
Josephine
The men are standing over my frail, cramped, torn body. How embarrassing. I should have stayed in the parsonage. Why don't the men kill me?
Josephine lapses into another trance. She puts her head down on the grave.
Josephine
My ear is on Allen's grave. Allen is not calling as I wished he would. No voice. Nothing, just emptiness, silence, cold shivers. Is that a snake beside me? No rattle. Don't move, Josephine. Who's up there?
Nella
Mother. Mother, can you hear me? Let me help you up.
Josephine stands, abruptly spins out of Nella's grasp, and runs toward the house. Nella firmly intercepts her. Josephine attempts to free herself from Nella's grip, as she screams
Josephine
Why? Those land thieves. They murdered him.
Nella
Mother, we don't know that. Anyway, we must go to Los Angeles to identify father's body.
Josephine
And bring him back here for burial.
SCENE 3: INT Baptist Parsonage, moments later.
Josephine runs to her bed. Nella follows.
Josephine
Do we have everything we need?
Nella
Yes. I think so. Are you ready? Train's due in just over an hour.
Josephine
Yes, I'm ready, so many memories.
Nella
Mother, you must talk to me about everything. I loved this place, too. Father would want us to keep on telling those rich stories. Up from slavery. The military. And, Allensworth, as I'll always say, a place worthy, and worth all our troubles.
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