No, no--here he is! here is de
paper! [_Gives it to_ JUDGE, _who reads it._

JUDGE.

'Tis Rip Van Winkle! [_All gather round and shake hands with him._

RIP.

Oh! everybody knows me now!

HERMAN.

Rip Van Winkle alive! then I am dead to fortune and to fame; the fiends
have marred my brightest prospects, and nought is left but poverty and
despair. [_Exit._

GUSTAFFE.

[_Without._] Room there! who will keep a child from a long lost father's
arms?

_Enter_ GUSTAFFE, _with_ LORRENNA, ALICE _and_ KNICKERBOCKER.

LORRENNA.

My father! [_Embraces_ RIP.

RIP.

Are you mine daughter? let's look at you. Oh, my child--but how you have
grown since you was a little gal. But who is dis?

ALICE.

Why, brother!--

RIP.

Alice! give us a hug. Who is dat?

ALICE.

Why, my husband--Knickerbocker.

RIP.

Why Knick, [_Shakes hands._] Alice has grown as big round as a tub; she
hasn't been living on pumpkins. But where is young Rip, my baby?

KNICKERBOCKER.

Oh, he was in the court-house just now. Ah! here he comes!

_Enter_ RIP VAN WINKLE, JR.

RIP.

Is dat my baby? come here, Rip, come here, you dog; I am your father.
What an interesting brat it is.

KNICKERBOCKER.

But tell us, Rip, where have you hid yourself for the last twenty years?

RIP.

Ech woll--ech woll. I will take mine glass and tell mine strange story
and drink the health of mine frients. Unt, ladies and gents, here is
your goot health and your future families and may you all live long and
prosper.

THE END.

TRANSCRIBERS' NOTES

The following substitutions were applied to the text by Project Gutenberg
proofers and transcribers--

On page 43, Rory speaking:

though, for its full of emptiness.--Ha, ha, ha!
though, for it's full of emptiness.--Ha, ha, ha!

In the long footnote on page 62, Dame speaking:

Her's will break if she is compelled to--
Hers will break if she is compelled to--

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REPRESENTATIVE PLAYS BY AMERICAN DRAMATISTS: 1856-1911: RIP VAN WINKLE***

CREDITS

December 18, 2008

Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1
Produced by David Starner, Ralf Stephan, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at <http://www.pgdp.net/>.
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