"That Pale Faced, Mealy Mouth Ninny!"

  " Oooh!" cried Scarlett as Mammy pulled her stays hard, lacing her up for the barbeque.

  "Jus' hole on an' suck in,"  commanded Mammy, her hands wrapped tightly around the stays.

   Just as Prissy walked into the room with a breakfast tray Mammy finished lacing Scarlett. When Scarlett saw the breakfast tray she said, "You can take that all back to the kitchen! I won't eat a bite!"

   "Oh, yas'm, you is! You'se gwine ter eat eve'y moufful of dis!" ordered Mammy as Prissy set the tray down and fled the room.

   "No, I'm not," said Scarlett, her teeth clenched and her voice high. "So put on the dress because we're late already."

    Giving the stays one last tug Mammy said, "Whut mah lamb gwine wear?"

    Pointing to the fluffy green sprigged muslim dress Scarlett said, "That."

    "No, you a'int! You kain show yo' buzzum befo' three o' clock. Ah's gwine to speak ter yo' ma 'bout you!"

    "If you say one word to Mother I won't eat a bite," said Scarlett firmly, knowing that she had won the arguement.

 "Keep yo' shawl on yo' shoulders. Ah ain' aimin' fo' you to git all freckled after de buttermild Ah done put on you all dis winter, bleachin' dem freckles-"

   "An' now, Miss Scarlett, you come on an' be good an' eat jes' a lil'," she said.

   "No!" said Scarlett. "I'm going to have a good time today and do my eating at the barbeque.

   Mammy launched into a lecture about how people tell a lady about how she eat's in front of people. "An' Ah ain' aimin' fer you to go ter Mist' John Wilkes an' eat lak a fiel' han' and gobble lak a hawg.

  "Fiddle-dee-dee!" said Scarlett. "Ashley Wilkes told me he likes to see a girl with a healthy appitite."

  "What gempmums says an' whut dey thinks is two diffunt things. An' Ah' ain't noticed Mist' Ashley axin fer ter mahy you."

With a scowling face, Scarlett threw her parasol to the ground and started eating hastily. "Why does a girl have to be so silly to catch herself a husband?" she asked Mammy. Before she could recieve an answer, from outside her father's voice called her. "Scarlett! Scarlett O'Hara! If you're not here before I count ten, Katie Scarlet, we'll be going without you!

Scarlett conversing with Mammy  

"I'm comin', Pa!" called Scarlett as she grabbed her parasol from under the bed."Oh, oh dear, my stays are so tight, I know I shall never get through the day without belching."

 As the O'Hara  girls arrived at the barbeque India Wilkes said to her father, " I can't stand that Scarlett. If you'd see the way she throws herself at Ashley-"

 With a toss of his head John Wilkes remarked, "Now, now, that's your brother's business, India-You remember your duties as hostess."

    As Scarlett was greeted her eyes searched for Ashley through the crowded hallways that buzzed her name. "Good mornin', Miss Scarlet. Wait a minute, Scarlett. It's a pleasure to see you, Miss Scarlett." Scarcely turning her head she said, "Good mornin'....Mornin'....Mornin'

  When she saw Ashley her face lit up. "Ashey!" she called and ran toward the staircase which he was descending.

   "Scarlett, my dear!" said Ashley.

    "I've been looking for you everywhere. I've got something I must tell you-Can't we go someplace where it's quiet?" she asked with a beam on her face.

    "Yes, I'd like to. But I-I have something to tell you, too. Something I-I hope you'll be glad to hear," he said, leaving Scarlett in puzzled fear and hope.

    "But come say 'hello' to my Cousin Melaine first," said Ashley.

    Scarlett's face fell. "Oh, do we have to?"

    "She's been looking forward to seeing you again," said Ashley.

    Scarlett chatted with Melanie with the utmost cattiness, embarassing Ashley more and more as the conversation advanced. Suddenly Charles Hamilton, Melanie's brother, came up beside Scarlett. "Why, Charles Hamilton, you handsome old thing, you!" she flirted.

   "But....oh.....Miss O'Hara...."

   "Do you think that was kind to bring your good-looking brother down here just to break my poor, simple country girl's heart?" asked Scarlett extending her hands to Charles.

  In the far corner of the room India Wilkes and Suellen stared at her in growing jealously. "She's never even noticed Charlet before. Now, just because he's your beau, she's after him like a hornet!

   Gushing to Charles Hamiliton Scarlett said, "Charles Hamilton, I want to eat barbecue with you, and mind you don't go philandering with any other girls, 'cause I'm mighty jealous!" She flounced off leaving Charles Hamilton saying, "Oh, I won't, Miss O'Hara! How could I!"

  As Scarlett walked up the stairs she greeted Frank Kennedy, Suellen's beau. "I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you don't look dashing with that new set of whiskers!"

  A flattered Frank said, "Thak you... thank you, Miss Scarlett.

  "You know, Charles Hamilton and Rafe Calvert asked me to eat barbecue with them, but I told them I couldn't because I promised you," she teased him.

   As Scarlett flirted India said, "You needn't be so amused, Suellen. Look at her! She's after your beau now," leaving Suellen to run to Frank's side.

  A quite and plain girl joined Scarlett as she made her way up the stairs. "What's your sister so mad about, Scarlett? You sparkin' her beau?" asked Cathleen Calvert.

  "As if I couldn't get a better beau than that old maid in britches!"

  As she and Cathleen ascended the stairs, Scarlett's eye caught a dark and handsome man standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at them. "Cathleen-who's that?" she asked suspiciously.

  "My dear, don't you know? That's Rhett Butler. He's from Charleston-and he has the most terrible reputation.

"He looks as if-as if he knows what I look like without my shimmy!"

Cathleen and Scarlett's talk

"Scarlett," gasped Cathleen. "Why, my dear, he isn't recieved! He's had to spend most of his time up North because his folks in Charleston won't even speak to him. He was expelled form West Point, he's so fast. And then there's that business about that girl he didnt' marry.

"Tell! Tell!" asked Scarlett eagerly.

 "Well," continued Cathleen. "He took her out buggy riding in the late afternoon-without a chaperone! And then-he refused to marry her." She whispered something in Scarlett's ear and Scarlet whispered back. "No-but she was ruined just the same," finished Catleen.

   Outside on the verandah Melanie and Ashely held hands in a scene of ultimate rapture. "Ashley!" said Melaine.

   "Happy?" he asked.

   "So happy," she answered.

    "You seem to belong here-as if it had all been imagined for you," he said tenderly.

   With a sad smile Ashley said, "It's so unconscious that it

may not last-forever."

   "You're afraid of what may happen if the war comes, aren't you?" she asked taking his hand. "But we don't have to be afraid-for us. No war can come into our world, Ashley. Whatever comes, I'll love you-just as I do now-until I die."

Melanie and Ashley's talk

     Out on the grass underneath a shady tree, Scarlett was surrounded by men. "Now isn't this better than sitting at an old table? A girl hasn't only two sides to her at a table!"

The men laughed with hearty apporval as Brent and Stuart Tarelton and Charles Hamilton jumped to their feet, pleading to bring her desert.

     "I think...mmmm....I think Charles Hamilton may get it!"

     Charles' face lit up as if he was allowed to do a great deed. "Oh, thank you, Miss O'Hara! Thank you."

     "Go get it! Isn't he the luckiest-," said Stuart.

    Scarlett's face fell as she saw Ashley and Melanie walking arm in arm coming from the direction of the house. As Charles Hamiton came up to her with the desert he said, "Miss O'Hara, I love you!"

    Pushing the plate away from her Scarlett said "I don't guess I'm as hungry as I thought."

     Later it was time for all the girls to take their naps. "Why do I have to take a nap? I'm not tired!" complained Scarlett to Mammy.

    "Well-brought up young ladies takes naps at parties. And it's high time you started behain' lak you wuz Miss Ellen's daughter," replied Mammy sharply.

     "When were at Saratoga, I didn't notice any Yankee girls taking naps."

      "No. An' you won't see any Yankee girls at de ball tonight neither."

 Suellen came up cattily to her sister. "How's Ashley today, Scarlett? He didn't seem to be paying much attetention to you."

    Making sure that no one can hear her Scarlett said with a sneer, "You mind your own business! You'll be lucky if you don't lose old Whisker-Face Kennedy

       "Miss Scarlett! Miss Suellen! Behave yourseffs! Actin' lak pore white trash chillen! If you'se old ernuff to go to parties, you'se old eruff to ack lak ladies."

       "Who cares!" said Scarlett in disgust.

      Scarlett had dressed herself and was creeping out of the room so that she could find Ashley. As she crept down the stairs she heard her father's voice say, "We've borne enough insults from the meddling Yankees. It's time we made them to understand we'll keep our slaves with or without their approval. 'Twas the soverign right of the State of Georgia to secede form the Union!"

   As the men discussed their war theories, threat's rang through the air. "One Southerner can lick twenty Yankees," called Charles Hamilton. Then the men turned to Ashley, the leader of their troops. "Well, gentlemen, if Georgia fights, I go with her. But, like my father, I hope that the Yankees will let us leave the Union in-in peace. Most of the misery of the world has been caused by wars. And when the wars were over, no one ever knew what they were about."

Ashley's Theory on Wars

     Gerald spoke up again. "Now gentlemen, gentlemen," he said to the disappointed crowd. "Mr. Butler's been North, I hear. Don't you agree with us, Mr. Butler?"

    Taking a step forward Rhett said, "I think it's hard winning a war with words, gentlemen....there's not a cannon factory in the whole South...the Yankees are better equipped than we. They've got factories, shipyards, coal mines, and a fleet to bottle up our harbors and starve us to death. All we have is cotton...slaves....and arrogance.

Rhett's Idea About the War    

"That's treachery!" declared Stuart Tarelton.

    "Sir, I refuse to listen to any renegad talk....I hear that you were turned out of West Point, Mr. Rhett Butler, and that you aren't recieved by any decent family in Charleston-not even your own," blurted Charles Hamilton.

    With a smile, Rhett replied, "I apologize again, sir, for all my shortcomings. Mr. Wilkes, perhaps you won't mind if I wlak about and look over your place. I appear to be spoiling everybody's brandy and cigars and dreams of victory."

Rhett's Sarcastic Apology

  "Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Butler is our guest-I thik I'll just show him around," said Ashley.

     As Ashley entered the hall Scarlett called to him, "Psst!Psst!." He followed her into the library where she shut the door and stared at him. "What is it Scarlett- a secret."

    She tried to speak several times and finally blurted out. "Oh Ashley-Ashley-I love you!"

    "Scarlett!" he said surprised.

    "I love you I do!"

    "Well, isn't enough that you have collected every other man's heart today? You've always had mine," he said with a paternal tone in his voice.

    "Oh, don't tease me now. Have I your heart, my darling? I love you! I love you!"

 "You mustn't say such things. You'll hate me for hearing them

"Oh, I couldn't hate you! And I know you must care for me, because....Oh, you do care, don't you?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, I care," he said. "Oh, can't we go away and forget that we ever said these things....I'm going to marry Melanie."

 "But you can't. Not if you care for me," she said gripping his arms.

 "She's like me Scarlett," he said. "She's part of my blood-and we understand each other."

"But you love me," said Scarlett  confused.

 "How can I help loving you? You, who have all the passion for life that I lack! But that kind of love isn't enough to make a successful marriage when two people are as different as we are. You see, Scarlett, you-

 "Well, why don't you say it, you coward! You're afraid to marry me! You'd rather live with that silly little fool who can't open her mouth except to say 'Yes' and 'No' and raise a passel of mealy-mouthed brats just like her!

   "You mustn't say things like that about Melanie.

   "Who are you to tell me I mustn't? You led me on-You-you made me believe you wanted to marry me-" she raged.

   "Now, Scarlett! Be fair. I never at any time..."

   "You did! It's true. You did. And I'll hate you till I die! I can't think of anything bad enough to call you," she said slapping him hard across the face. He opened the door and walked out of the library.

Ashley and Scarlett's Conversation

Scarlett was furious! She picked up a tiny china bowl on the table next to her and flung it at the fire place.

   From behind the fireplace came a long, drawn-out whistle. Rhett Butler emerged from behind the couch. "Has the war started?" he asked.

  Shocked and hurt Scarlett said, "Sir, you-you should have made you prescence known!"

"In the middle of that beautiful love scene? That wouldn't have been very tactful, would it? But don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

  "Sir, you are no gentleman," exclaimed Scarlett.

   "And you, miss, are no lady," he responded.

   "Oh," she gasped.

   "Don't think I hold that against you. Ladies have never held much charm for me," he continued.

    "First you take a low, common advantage of me, then you insult me!" she flared.

     "I meant it as a compliment...and I hope to see more of you when you're free of the spell of the elegant Mr. Wilkes. He doesn't strike me as half good enough for a girl of your...What was it?...your passion for living.

    "How dare you? You aren't fit to wipe his boot," said Scarlett in rage.

    "And you were going to hate him for the rest of your life," said Rhett laughing.

Rhett and Scarlett's conversation

     The Rebel Yell startled Scarlett from her hiding space under the stairs, where she had been listening to India insult her. And the only person who had taken her side was Melly, that mealy-mouthed ninny! As she walked up the stairs, Charles Hamilton ran to her and escorted her to a window.

     "Isn't it thrilling? Mr. Lincoln has called for soldiers-volunteers to fight against us.

     "Oh fiddle-dee-dee! Don't you men ever think about anything important?"

     "But it's war, Miss O'Hara! And everybody's going off to enlist. They're going right away. I'm going too."

 "Oh, Miss O'Hara, I've been wanting to ask you-but I was scared. But I thought perhaps now-now that we're going and you say that you'll be sorry-Oh, Miss O'Hara, I told you  loved you. I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world....and the sweetest, and the dearest. I know I couldn't hope that you could love me....I'm so clumsy and stupid...not nearly good enough for you. But if you could...if you think of marrying me, I'd do anything in the world for you-just anything, I promise."

"What did you say?" asked Scarlett.

"Miss O'Hara, I said would you marry me?"

 She was silent for a moment and then spoke with determination. "Yes, Mr. Hamilton, I will."

"When may I speak to your father?"

"The sooner the better."

"I'll go now. I can't wait. Will you excuse me...dear. Dear?" he said in excitement.

Scarlett stood by herself at the window and watched Ashley kissing Melanie passionately, then riding off to enlist. "Oh Ashley, Ashley-"

Onward...