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Comic dialogue.
"Only a Tea Cup."
It's a homely sort of little act for Miss Dunn, written by her husband, John Stokes, who, though he had delivered a pleasing sketch, has much more virile things to his credit. The story isn't new in idea. It concerns a quarrel between a young couple and the sudden visit of a stranger whose chatter about her own affairs makes the young folks recognize that their tilt was really a foolish affair, The action takes place in the home of Joe and Minnie. Joe is a section boss of a gang of railroad "bone heads." He enters singingly calling for Minnie who isn't anywhere around the works. Joe is hungry and so when Minnie does enter he has darned harsh things to say to her. Words lead to action and Minnie throws a tea cup at Joe, the cup
breaking. Joe all but strikes Minnie in return and it's enough for the little wife to declare everything is off. So it looks like divorce. Comes a knock on the door and enters the stranger (Miss Dunn). She has missed a train or something and as there was no lunch room in the town she had called to seek a cup of tea, for which she would gladly pay. Joe invites her in, but cannot accept money. The stranger tells of her journey; how she is going to Omaha, there to marry her husband. This she explains after complimenting the couple on their home and
the love that must have built it. She tells the young pair that she too had a home, but that it was broken up through petty squabbles which ended when hubby struck her. All she had done was throw a tea cup at him. But now it was all different and she was going to meet hubby in Omaha, that being half the distance that separates them. The stranger then spoke of
things married couples must learn to bear and forebear, to give and take. Upon her exiting Joe and Minnie quickly become lovers again and promise each other to come "to Omaha." T.M. Koupel as Joe and Vivian Allen as Minnie were quite acceptable, but Miss Allen should be a bit more careful how she throws the cup. The door which is presumed to open on the
highway disclosed the same carpet which covered the floor of the room, spoiling what illusion there might have been that it led out of doors. It is a pleasant act for Miss Dunn without
giving her much chance to display her talent.
Source:
Variety, 54:13 (05/23/1919)