JESSICA. It is not absurd! I can certainly earn my own living somehow and so can Clara. CLARA. Doing _what_, I should like to know! I see myself! BLANCHE. Jess is right. I'll take care of this family--father always said I was "his own child." I'll do my best to take his place. RUTH. I will gladly give Jessica a home. MRS. HUNTER. [_Whimpers._] You'd rob me of my children, too! JESSICA. Thank you, Aunt Ruth, but I must stay with mother and be Blanche's right-hand man! CLARA. I might go on the stage. MRS. HUNTER. My dear, smart people don't any more. CLARA. I'd like to be a sort of Anna Held. JESSICA. I don't see why I couldn't learn typewriting, Blanche? MRS. HUNTER. Huh! Why, you could never even learn to play the piano; I don't think you'd be much good at typewriting. CLARA. You want to be a typewriter, because in the papers they always have an old gentleman taking them to theatres and supper! No, sir, if there is to be any "old man's darling" in this family, _I'll_ be _it_! RUTH. [_Dryly._] You'll have to learn to spell correctly first! CLARA. [_Superciliously._] Humph! JESSICA. There are lots of ways nowadays for women to earn their living. RUTH. Yes, typewriting we will consider. MRS. HUNTER. Never! [_No one pays any attention to her except_ CLARA, _who agrees with her._ RUTH. Jess, you learned enough to _teach_, didn't you?--even at that fashionable school your mother sent you to? JESSICA. Oh, yes, I think I could teach. MRS. HUNTER. Never! [_Still no one pays any attention except_ CLARA _who again agrees with her._ CLARA. No, indeed! _I_ wouldn't teach! BLANCHE. If we only knew some nice elderly woman who wanted a companion, Jess would be a godsend. CLARA. If she was a nice _old_ lady with lots of money and delicate health, I wouldn't mind that position myself. RUTH. Clara, you seem to take this matter as a supreme joke! MRS. HUNTER. [_With mock humility._] May _I_ speak? [_She waits. All turn to her. A moment's, silence._] MAY I speak? RUTH. Yes, yes. Go on, Florence; don't you see we're listening? MRS. HUNTER. I didn't know! I've been so completely ignored in this entire conversation. But there is one thing for the girls--the easiest possible way for them to earn their living--which you don't seem for a moment to have thought of! [_She waits with a smile of coming triumph on her face._ RUTH. Nursing! MRS. HUNTER. [_Disgusted._] No! CLARA. Manicuring? MRS. HUNTER. _Darling!_ BLANCHE. Designing dresses and hats? MRS. HUNTER. No! JESSICA. Book-keeping? MRS. HUNTER. No. RUTH. Then what in the world is it? MRS. HUNTER. Marriage! CLARA. Oh, of course! RUTH. Humph! [JESSICA _and_ BLANCHE _exchange glances._ MRS. HUNTER. That young Mr. Trotter would be a fine catch for Jess. JESSICA. Who loathes him! MRS. HUNTER. Don't be old-fashioned! He's very nice. RUTH. A little cad, trying to get into society--nice occupation for a _man_! JESSICA. Mother, you can't be serious.