This author was a writer his whole life (poetry as well as prose). This short one-act
play is generally classed as
a
melodrama. The characters tend to be black or white,
good or evil -- caricatures as much as, or more than, rounded-out, life-like characters.
As the play opens, the people of Cross Corners,
New Hampshire (USA) are dancing
and partying to celebrate the marriage of Jabez and Mary Stone. Jabez has become
(surprisingly) rich, and even been elected a State Senator. This has aroused some
suspicion and apprehension among his neighbors. Old Scratch (the Devil) shows up at
the dance, demanding Jabez Stone's soul, per the contract the young man had signed
ten (10) years before. Daniel Webster has also shown up, and agrees to be Stone's lawyer
at a trial with any judge and jury the Devil wants. All the people have run away, except
Mary, the young man's new wife. She prays for him, and although they send her away,
she stays nearby, praying.
Although the judge is an unrepentant hanging judge from the Salem witch trials (who
denies every motion by Mr. Webster), and the jury is made up of the worst of the
damned from America; but because of Daniel Webster's eloquence in reminding them
of life, and freedom, and what it means to be an American, they set young Jabez Stone
free. Daniel destroys the contract, gets a commitment from the Devil to leave New
Hampshire people alone, and gets the people to come in and drive the Devil away for
good.
This is a play fundamentally about redemption -- not only of the young man (who did
what he did only for love of Mary), but, in a sense, of the jury of the damned as well. It is
also about love, innocence, faith and redemption, and the power of prayer, too.