Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

About the show

This synopsis is based on the 1924 revision by Anne Crawford Flexner. Act I (Kitchen of Mrs. Wiggs' cottage, a large open area that doubles as living room and sleeping quarters.) Mrs. Wiggs and her daughters are preparing for Miss Hazy's wedding to Mr. Stubbins, which will occur in the Wiggs' parlor. Miss Lucy stops by to show off her own engagement ring. Billy's horse Cuby is heard outside the window, but its really Chris Hazy imitating him. Deacon Bagby, Mr. Stubbins, and other neighbors come through the kitchen to the parlor. A wagon is heard stopping outside, and Billy ushers Lovey Mary and Tommy inside. He had picked them up as they wandered looking for a place to stay. Mrs. Wiggs serves them food and allots sleeping places. Everyone but Mary goes into the parlor for the ceremony. While Mary sits alone in the kitchen, a man enters. It is Ezra Wiggs, who is unaware his family now lives here. Ezra asks Mary if she's seen a strange girl and baby. She says no, and he departs. The ceremony over, the guests pour out into the kitchen to eat and dance. (Curtain) Act II (Exterior of Mrs. Wiggs' cottage. Miss Hazy's house is next door, and the railroad tracks behind. Sunday afternoon, a week later.) Miss Hazy and Stubbins argue over her cooking. He is unaware that Mrs. Wiggs supplied the food that Miss Hazy gave him before the wedding. He starts into town to visit some GAR friends but encounters Mr. Bob. Stubbins shows him an ad from his newspaper offering a reward for information on Mary and Tommy. Mr. Bob says the ad is legitimate. Mrs. Wiggs returns from taking flowers to the Children's Hospital. Asia and Chris have a spat about her going riding on Billy's wagon with another boy. Mary is surprised when Billy asks her to join them on the ride. Mrs. Wiggs presides over a Sunday School of local children. Mrs. Eichorn and Mrs. Schultz argue with Mary about her singing for the church vaudeville show. Chris and Asia make up and are caught kissing by Miss Lucy. Miss Lucy confesses to Mrs. Wiggs about her own trouble with Mr. Bob. Mr. Stubbins is seen staggering along. He drunkenly berates Miss Hazy and Mrs. Wiggs for deceiving him then passes out. Mr. Wiggs and the Deputy Sheriff come by with a warrant for Mary. But when Ezra Wiggs sees Mrs. Wiggs, he tears up the warrant, and they leave without the refugees. Stubbins has become a liability, so Mrs. Wiggs, Billy, and Mary load him into an empty west-bound freight car, with some of Mrs. Wiggs' pies beside him. (Curtain) Act III (Same as Act II, but with a platform built in front of Miss Hazy's house. It is evening, several days later.) Mrs. Wiggs tells Mary she is worried by Mr. Wiggs going off again for three days. An envelope arrives for Hiram Stubbins at Miss Hazy's house. Mr. Jones comes by looking for the money Stubbins owes him for the marriage, but leaves unpaid. Alone together on the front porch, Billy tells Mary he loves her. Soon neighbors arrive for the church benefit show. Miss Hazy asks Mrs. Wiggs to open the envelope for Stubbins, fearing another unpaid bill, but it contains a letter authorizing his Union Army pension and a check for $800 in arrears. The women are astonished and regret shipping Stubbins off so soon. Mr. Bob and Miss Lucy arrive by auto; they are now Mr. and Mrs. Redding, on their way to Niagara Falls. Next Stubbins appears, having walked back to the Cabbage Patch, propelled by the memory of Mrs. Wiggs' pies. He and Miss Hazy reconcile, while the others prepare to hear Lovey Mary sing. The Deputy Sheriff returns with another warrant. Ezra and Stubbins try to stop him, but the Deputy lays hold of Mary and is soundly beaten and driven off by the Cabbage Patch residents. Ezra apologises to Mrs. Wiggs over his long absence, and admires her for raising the family alone. She tells him that Jim helped her, but three years ago... Feeling ashamed, Ezra won't enter the house until Mrs. Wiggs calls him inside. (Curtain)