SCENE III.—_Dining-room at country farm-house. Table is set for

dinner. MRS. JONES brings in pie, R._

MRS. JONES (_turning as she enters, and addressing PATTY in next room_). Dish up the beans, Patty, and be spry now. (_Places pie on table and goes out, R. FLORENCE enters L., and sits down._)

(_MRS. J. enters with potatoes, and PATTY with a dish of baked beans, both of which are placed on table. PATTY goes out, R._)

MRS. J. (_addressing FLORENCE_). Go and tell your mother dinner’s ready, child.

FLOR. (_bridling_). My name’s Florence Malvina Montgomery.

MRS. J. (_glancing over the table to see if everything needful is upon it_). Yes, I know it. Go and tell your mother dinner is ready.

(_FLORENCE goes out L., and soon returns with her mother and brother._)

MRS. J. Dinner’s ready, Mrs. Montgomery. Take that chair if you’re a mind to (_indicating it_), and the children can set, one on each side of you. (_They sit._) Will you have some baked beans, ma’am?

MRS. M. Thank you, no, I never eat them.

MRS. J. Don’t eat beans! Why, they’re the wholesomest victuals there is. I’m sure I don’t know what I can give you to eat, then. I haint got nothin’ else but some cold corned beef, and was savin’ that for dinner to-morrer.

MRS. M. I might, perhaps, eat a little of the cold meat.

MRS. J. (_in a loud voice_). Patty, bring in the cold beef that was left yesterday.

PATTY (_outside_). Yes’m. (_Brings in meat R., then exit._)

MRS. M. Haven’t you any new potatoes yet?

MRS. J. Yes, but we thought, as we had these left, we’d use ’em up first.

MRS. M. But these are watery, and not fit to eat.

MRS. J. Oh, they aint bad for the time o’ year. Mr. Jones carried the new potatoes to market this morning. They bring a good price now.

MRS. M. Well, I’m sure I cannot eat these. You may give me a piece of pie, if you please.

GEO. Mother, I can’t cut the pie-crust.

MRS. M. I’ll cut it for you. (_Tries to cut it, but it is so tough the knife slips and falls to the floor._)

MRS. J. Let me cut it. (_She, with some effort, cuts it and returns it to GEORGE._)

MRS. M. Haven’t you any strawberries?

MRS. J. Yes, we’re goin’ to have some on the table Sunday. We send them to market every day, the first of the season, they bring such a good price.

MRS. M. (_sarcastically_). I suppose you sell your cream too.

MRS. J. Yes, we find we can make more money that way than by makin’ butter and cheese. So we buy our butter at the store.

MRS. M. (_indignantly_). We came to the country expecting to get fresh fruit and vegetables. But it seems we are more likely to find them in the city. I am half inclined to go directly back; however, I will perhaps remain one week. It depends on how we are treated whether we stop any longer.

(_Exit with children, L._)

MRS. J. Lor’ now, what airs these city people do put on! Seems to me there’s no end to their whims and wants. They don’t have the least thought about economy. (_In a loud voice_) Patty, you and Jonathan come to dinner.

P. (_outside, R._). Comin’, ma’am.

(_Curtain falls._)