A Baby Tramp
By: Ambrose Bierce
Comic Adaptation:
Grace Seward
Page 1:
Panel A: Zoomed out view of a small, grimy looking four year
old boy standing alone on a corner in the rain. The scene is dim and grey.
Narrator: If you had seen little Jo standing at the street
corner in the rain, you would have hardly admired him.
Panel B: Zoom
in on his face. It’s young and covered in dirt that doesn’t wash away but only
seems to stick more as water hits.
Narrator: the
water appeared dark and adhesive – sticky
Panel C: A view of the sky and it’s clouds. long horizontal
panel.
Narrator: But that
could hardly be so, even in Blackburg, where things certainly did occur that
were a good deal out of the common.
Panel D: Back to a more square panel, just slightly
wider than the ones before. The street corner is more lit and people’s shoes
can be seen as well as frogs hopping about in people’s way.
Narrator: Ten or twelve years before, a shower of
small frogs had fallen
Panel E: Move up, showing a man nonchalantly
noticing the falling frogs while reading a paper.
Man:
“Hm…not so bad growing weather…”
Page 2:
Panel A: Long horizontal panel. Same corner
covered in red snow with equally red water seeping into the drains.
Narrator: Some years
later Blackburg had a fall of crimson snow.
Panel B: Rectangular panel taking up 3/4ths the
page. Zoom out of the street where several scientists in suits examine the snow
and water and men of Blackburg that stood back musing with each other in a
small group.
Narrator: The phenomenon had attracted wide
attention, and science had as many explanations as there were scientists who
knew nothing about it. But the men of Blackburg shook their heads and said
something would come of it.
Panel C: Smaller panel inside panel B.
Narrator: And something did…
Page 3:
Panel A: Full page showing the town in a state of
trouble. People are crying as others are being carted away to the hospital and
morgues.
Narrator: A mysterious disease carried away a full
half of the population.
Page 4:
Panel A: Focus on an old family photo. It’s sepia
colored and features very prim and wealthy looking people. The men are dress
like politicians.
Panel B: Zoom out to a room in which the picture
is displayed on the wall along with diplomas and other travel souvenirs.
Narrator: Most of them were educated elsewhere and
nearly all had traveled.
Panel C: Zoom in on another photo in the room. A
beautiful woman is featured there, her face sweet and she holds herself with
good posture.
Narrator: Hetty was loved for her sweetness, purity, and personal beauty.
Panel D: Zoom out on the picture, revealing her
husband and her son that’s cradled lovingly in her arms.
Narrator: She and her husband Parlow loved their son Jospeh,
Panel E: A view of Joe, barely able to stand, in a
cemetery with a tall man. The stand in front of a grave.
Narrator: But their love was not enough to save them.
Page 5:
Panel A: A view of a wagon passing by the cemetery.
Caption: 3 years later…
Panel B: Zoom in on several young people merry making.
Panel C: Their party ceases and their faces are stunned/shocked.
Young Person: “Is that…”
Panel D: A view of the cemetery gates reveal the
silhouette of a ghostly Hetty Parlow stretching her arms out toward the west.
Panel E: A view of the evening star shines in the west.
Ghost:
“Joey, Joey!”
Panel F: The view returns to a zoomed out view of
the cemetery gates and the wagon, though the ghost has vanished.
Page 6:
Panel A: Bird’s eye view of Joey fiddling around in the brush of the desert.
Narrator: Meanwhile, in Nevada, Joey strayed from home
Panel B: A view of Joey stumbling into an Indian
camp where he is met by the curiosity of the Indians.
Panel C: The family feeds him leftover scrapes of their meal.
Narrator: and was found…
Panel D: A worm’s eye view from Joey’s perspective
shows the Indians and along with a woman at a train station.
Panel E: A long horizontal panel is again from
Joey’s view as he looks out the train window at the Indian’s who are counting
their gold.
Narrator: and sold by Indians.
Page 7:
Panel A: Joey and his new mother sit in the train
cabin, his legs hanging off the seat, his eyes on his feet.
Mrs. Darnell: Do not fret, little one.
Panel B: Voom in on Joey as a arm reaches in frame around his small shoulders.
Mrs. Darnell: We are both alone in this world, but now we have each other.
Panel C: The train continues on its course toward
green lands and past a sign that reads Ohio.
Page 8:
Panel A: A silhouette looms in the corner of the
panel, watching Joey toddle through a yard, away from a nice looking house.
Police Office: Hey little guy, where are you off to?
Panel B: Police officer crouches down in view.
He’s young and his uniform still looks new and Joey stands in front of him.
Joey:
a goin' home…
Police Officer: Well be careful, don’t wander too far
Panel C: The view shows Joey wander further from
the house and the officer standing, looking confident.
Page 9:
Panel A: Sign for Infants’ Sheltering Home in Whiteville
Caption: 3 days later
Panel B: Joey squirms in a bathtub as he is scrubbed clean by older women.
Narrator: Having somehow traveled by rail, Joey
found himself imprisoned once more.
Panel C: Shows Joey slipping out of his bed and creeping from his bedroom.
Panel D: Birds eye view of him sliding down the steps.
Panel E: Shows the woods ahead and the home in the distance.
Narrator: Joey ran away and into the woods and the
home knew him no more.
Page 10:
Panel A: Return to the first panel f Joey standing in the rain.
Narrator: And here he is
Panel B: Zoom in on Joey’s red and swollen bare feet.
Narrator: no shoes
Panel C: Slide up to his tattered and flimsy damp clothing.
His arms crossed against his chest, holding his cold body.
Narrator: no warmth
Panel D: A view of the near by houses. They give off a soft
bright glow in the darkness.
Panel E: Zoom out to Joey stumbling slowly toward one of the
houses.
Page 11:
Panel A: Worms eye view of Joey standing in front of a house
as a large dog looms in the doorway.
Panel B: Close up of both the dog’s mean face and Joey’s
shock.
Panel C: Joey shuffles away as quickly as he can down the
road, leaving the shadow of the dog behind.
Page 12:
Panel A: Full page. The next morning Joey is seen laying on
his side, one hand cupping his cheek and the other tucked away to keep warm.
His body is lifeless.
Caption: The Next Morning
Panel B: Inside PA near the bottom. Zoom in of the grave,
Reading Hetty Parlow.
Narrator: The grave had not opened to receive him. That is a
circumstance one may wish had been ordered otherwise.
