SCENE III.—_MRS. PAYNE’S sitting-room. MRS. PAYNE present

sewing, R. MR. BLISS enters, L._

MRS. P. Good-morning, Mr. Bliss.

MR. B. Good-morning, and a charming morning it is. I came, Mrs. Payne, to speak further on the matter we were talking of last evening.

MRS. P. Last evening? You mean a week ago.

MR. B. No, I mean last evening.

MRS. P. But you were not here last evening.

MR. B. (_perplexed_). Certainly not; but you called on me.

MRS. P. What do you mean, Mr. Bliss?

MR. B. (_smiling_). I mean that you made a leap-year call on me last evening, and offered me your heart and hand, which I accepted.

MRS. P. (_casting down her eyes_). I am sorry to dispute you, but I had a severe headache last evening, and did not leave the house.

MR. B. (_in a disappointed tone_). Is that so? But certainly some one bearing your semblance called on me last evening. (_A pause._) It must have been one of Dick’s harum-scarum tricks.

MRS. P. No doubt it was. He is full of mischief.

MR. B. Mrs. Payne—

MRS. P. (_smiling_). Well, Mr. Bliss.

MR. B. (_fidgeting nervously_). Couldn’t we make my vision of last evening a reality?

MRS. P. Possibly we might, if you desired it very much. But I’m afraid you haven’t counted the cost. You have been a bachelor so long, that you might soon tire of a wife, and consider her an intruder.

MR. B. I am satisfied it would not be so. Besides it seems as if I had known you before; where can I have met you?

MRS. P. Why, don’t you remember? I knew you at once—I was formerly Minnie Warren.

MR. B. Then I claim you by right of an engagement made between us forty-six years ago—when you were twelve and I was fourteen. Have you forgotten it?

MRS. P. Oh, no, I remember it perfectly well; and how I cried when we left town because you could not go too.

MR. B. (_drawing his chair nearer and placing his arm around her_). There is a good deal of change in the age and size of your lover as he was and as he is. Are you not afraid of repenting if you should marry him?

MRS. P. (_archly_). Oh, no. It is a good trade to exchange a little Payne for a greater bliss. I am satisfied as far as I am concerned.

DICK (_entering, L._). Hallo! What’s all this? I’m afraid I’m intruding. (_Looks anxiously at his companions._)

MR. B. Not at all. Allow me to present you to your future aunt.

DICK (_bowing low—aside_). There’s my inheritance gone to the dogs, and by my own act. (_Aloud to uncle._) This is something new, isn’t it? How did it all come about?

MR. B. (_significantly_). I had a leap-year vision last evening, and have concluded, this morning, to make it a reality.

(_Curtain falls._)

HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

MISS EVELYN MONTAGUE, A lady of Wealth. KATY MAGUIRE, ⎫ ANN FLAHERTY, ⎪ BRIDGET MAGLONE, ⎬ Her Servants. MARY FINNEGAN, ⎪ JAMES DUNN, ⎪ PAT. GARVEY, ⎭ ELLEN SWEENY, ⎫ JULIA GRIFFIN, ⎬ Servants of Mrs. Bradley. CORNY REILLY, ⎭