Word: overdo
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Dates: during 1900-1909
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...Land Busy, both hypocritical Puritans, agree to escort her to the fair, where it may be obtained, although they protest loudly against the vanity of such shows. The Rabbi salves his conscience for going by promising to eat to the fall of the wicked and to "eat exceedingly." Overdo, a justice of the peace, appropriately disguised as a fool, comes to the fair on the scent for "enormities" which he immediately begins to discover and try to correct; but he ends by getting himself well beaten on the suspicion of having cut Cokes's purse...
Arrived at the fair, Busy warns the Littlewits to beware of the "heathen," and all enter Ursula's booth to partake of pig. Justice Overdo enters, still preserving his incognito, and the extravagant Cokes begins to buy up all the toys and ginger-bread at the fair. He has his purse cut by Edgworth while Nightingale creates a diversion by ballad singing, and Justice Overdo, suspected of the theft, is given into custody. The Puritanical Busy then tries to seize Leatherhead's toys on the ground that they are "idols" which must be "torn down," and is arrested...
There is very little plot, and the action centres around the four principal characters: Littlewit, a proctor; Busy, a Puritan; Cokes, an esquire of Harrow; and Overdo, a justice of the peace. The scene is laid at Bartholemew Fair, where the characters have gone for recreation. Cokes is buying toys and ballads, when Edgworth slips up and picks his pocket. Justice Overdo, who is present in disguise, is accused and placed in the stocks. Then the Puritan Busy enters, and, filled with fanatical zeal, tries to destroy the gaily-colored booths. He is also put in the stocks, where...
...last act Littlewit goes to see how a puppet-show is conducted by Leatherhead. Busy rushes on and attempts to stop the performance, but is persuaded to be quiet. Now Overdo appears and discloses his identity, thinking he has discovered the perpetrators of all the crimes at the fair, but finds himself mistaken. Trouble-all, a mad man, Mooncalf, a tapster, and Haggise and Bristle, two drunken watchmen, furnish the low comedy parts...
John Little wit, T. Eaton '08Zeal-of-the-Land Busy, J. C. Bills '09Winwife F. Izard 08Tom Quarlous, O. M. Lyding '09Humphrey Waspe, H. R. Shipherd '08Bartholemew cokes, F. A. Wilmot '10Adam Overdo, C. B. Wethere 08Lanthorn Leatherhead, J. A. Eccles '01Ezekiel Edgworth, L. R. Martineau '09Nightingale, C. C. Rausch 09Mooncalf, C. W. Burton 08Dan Jordan Knockem, A. W. Sampson '09Val Cutting, G. A. McKay '08Trouble all, R. H. Smith '01Bristle, C. w. Burton '08Haggise, F. S. Howe '08Pocher, J. W. Baker '08Mrs. Littlewit, L. B. Packard '09Dame Overdo, L. F. Black '09Dame Purecraft, N. B. Cole '09Grace Wehborn...