Chapter LV: Act I

_Miss North is discovered in a very much starched gown, big apron,
dusting-cap, and gloves; arranging the chairs more evenly and dusting.
Expression of heavy responsibility in her face and manner._

_Flora announces Mrs. Price, who enters--right door--at once. Though
Mary explains she is busy, Mrs. Price stays. Sits on the sofa. Mary in
rocking-chair to left of stove. Dialogue in which Mary explains she is
determined to let her mother end life happily in her native town and
she expects her to arrive any moment. Mrs. Price offers assistance
in fixing up the house and begins to gossip about the fact that her
father-in-law, the Captain, who lives in the Price house just across
the street, tried to elope with Mrs. North when she was eighteen. Mary
becomes very indignant, but sees her mother through the window and
dismisses Mrs. Price politely but not sweetly. Exit Mrs. Price by the
right door, Mary by the left. Enter Mrs. North by the right and Mary
is seen hurrying by the right door with a small wooden chair in her
hand._

_Mrs. North begins to look about the room while she takes off her
calash and leaves it on the piano, her shawl and puts it on the shelf,
her gloves and leaves them on a chair. Mary enters, right, with the
chair, during this business and remonstrates with her mother for
getting out of the chaise without the aid of the chair. As Mrs. North
drops her things Mary picks them up. Mrs. North sees the Price house
through the window and mentions, cheerily, that the Captain used to be
her beau. Mary is shocked. Tries to have her mother put on one of the
little shawls and goes to make her some beef-tea. Hangs her things on
the hat-tree in hall beyond left door as she goes out._

_Mrs. North discovers the Captain going down street and calls him in.
Enters right door with his pipe. Both sit in the rockers before the
stove and are deep in reminiscences when Mary enters left door. The
Captain is requested to put up his pipe, not to talk quite so loud,
and not to stay long because of Mrs. North's delicacy. When Mary
offers to make him some beef-tea, too, so her mother can take hers, he
leaves precipitately, very much cowed._

_While Mary is trying to soothe Mrs. North after the undue excitement,
Flora announces Cyrus Price who has come in search of his father--at
Gussie's tearful instigation. Mary and Cyrus hold an anxious aside,
while Mrs. North expresses her pleasure at seeing the Captain again.
Curtain falls on Mrs. North trying to pick out some of the old tunes
on the piano, and Cyrus and Mary bidding each other a stiff
"Good-morning."_