SCENE II.—_A curtain arranged from front to back, dividing the

stage into sitting-room, L., and kitchen, R., as both must be seen at once. There must be a door between. MRS. HOBBS is in the sitting-room, sewing, R. MRS. SKINFLINT enters, L._

MRS. S. How d’ye do, Mis’ Hobbs?

MRS. HOBBS. Why, how d’ye do, Mis’ Skinflint? I’m glad to see you. Sit right down in the rockin’-chair, do. (_She sits down, L._) It’s a pleasant evenin’.

MRS. S. Yes, very pleasant. I cum over this evenin’, Mis’ Hobbs, to see if there’s a peddler stoppin’ here. I bought a clock of one, this mornin’, and he sed he boarded here. The clock don’t go, and I want him to come and fix it, or give me another one.

MRS. H. Yes, that’s him; jest come into the kitchen. He’ll be right in, I guess. He always sits in here, evenin’s.

(_Just then voices are heard in the kitchen. SARAH JANE is seen knitting, L. EZEKIEL enters, R._)

SARAH JANE. Well, what adventures have you had to-day, ’Zekiel?

EZEK. The richest was with Mis’ Skinflint. Mis’ Deacon Pettengill told me she was as mean as dirt (_here MRS. S. starts, but, on second thoughts, waits to hear what is coming next. MRS. HOBBS smiles, grimly_), and I thought I see if I couldn’t sarcumvent her.

S. J. What did you do?

EZEK. I offered her a clock for twelve dollars, and she beat me down to five. I usually sell ’em for a dollar and a half.

S. J. I suppose ’twasn’t worth even that.

EZEK. It doesn’t go much, but when it does, it makes up for lost time. Then she wanted some _spettercles_. She took a pair for two dollars and a half that I generally get seventy-five cents for; but I’ll warrant they won’t magnify any too much, for there’s nothing but winder-glass in ’em.

MRS. S. (_emphatically_). The villain!

S. J. You was rather too bad, ’Zekiel.

EZEK. Not at all. She bought some calico, and asked if it would wash. I told her it would wash like white cloth, and I guess ’twill. After two or three washings, there won’t be a bit of color left in it.

MRS. S. Oh, the wretch! Won’t I give it to him! (_MRS. HOBBS smiles. She evidently enjoys the scene._)

EZEK. But the cream of the joke was that she wanted some hooks and eyes and a spool of thread, and gave me a mince pie for them. I tasted it, but it was such wretched stuff that I couldn’t eat it, so I threw it into the river for the fishes.

(_MRS. SKINFLINT dashes into the kitchen with arms akimbo. EZEKIEL shrinks back with mock terror. SARAH JANE and her mother come forward, smiling, to see what will be done._)

MRS. S. What do you mean, you wretch, by cheatin’ me in such a way?

EZEK. I didn’t cheat you. You tried to keep me from gettin’ any profit on my goods. I put a price on them, and you could take them or not, as you pleased. You was willin’ to pay what I asked for them; so I don’t see how I cheated you.

MRS. S. You didn’t tell me the truth about ’em (_furiously_). Then you called the nice pie I gave you wretched stuff. I shouldn’t ’a thought of givin’ it to you ef ye hadn’t said you didn’t git anythin’ fit to eat here.

MRS. H. (_starting forward_). What’s that? What did he say?

MRS. S. (_gloating over her discomfiture_). He said you wasn’t much of a cook, and, ef it warn’t for courtin’ Sairy Jane, he couldn’t stand it boardin’ here.

MRS. H. (_to EZEK._). So that’s the way you repay my kindness in taking you in, is it, you miserable villain? I’m mad enough to pull your hair—if you only had enough to pull.

EZEK. (_glancing sideways at her_). I shouldn’t dare to pull yours, marm, for fear ’twould come off in my hand.

MRS. H. (_advancing with a threatening air, and catching up the tongs as she goes_). Get out of the house, you insultin’ creature, and never let me set eyes on you again!

(_EZEKIEL goes out as if in fear, R., slyly beckoning to SARAH JANE to go too. She nods and goes out by another door, R. MRS. HOBBS throws EZEKIEL’S pack after him._)

MRS. H. (_going toward MRS. S. with tongs upraised_). Now, old Skinflint, do you go too. You’ve made mischief enough here. I don’t blame the man for throwin’ your miserable pie away. I hope it wont pizen the fishes.

MRS. S. (_looking back as she goes out, R._). I guess you’ll find you’ve got enough to look after, without ’tendin’ to your neighbors’ business (_pointing_). There goes Sairy Jane with that peddler’s arm round her waist.

(_Exit MRS. SKINFLINT from one door, R., while MRS. HOBBS dashes out from another, R. Curtain falls._)

MRS. GRUNDY’S TYRANNY.

CHARACTERS.

MR. CHARLES GOODENOW, ⎫ MR. EDWARD HENDERSON, ⎬ Merchants. MR. FRANK BURLEY, ⎭ MRS. BURLEY, Mr. Burley’s Wife. MRS. STOCKBRIDGE, ⎫ Mrs. Burley’s Friends. MRS. WHEELER, ⎭ JAMES, A Customer. BRIDGET MURPHY, ⎫ Owners of Fruit Stands. KATE O’CALLAHAN, ⎭