CLARA. Yes, indeed, instead of coming out next month, and having a perfectly lovely winter, I'll have to mope the whole season, and, if I don't look out, be a wallflower without ever having been a bud! MRS. HUNTER. [_Half amused but feeling_ CLARA'S _remark is perhaps not quite the right thing._] Sh-- [_During_ CLARA'S _speech above,_ BLANCHE _has taken_ JESSICA _in her arms a moment and kissed her tenderly, slowly. They rejoin_ MRS. HUNTER, BLANCHE _wiping her eyes,_ JESSICA _still tearless._ CLARA. And think of all the clothes we brought home from Paris last month! MRS. HUNTER. My dear, don't think of clothes--think of your poor father! That street dress of mine will dye very well, and we'll give the rest to your aunt and cousins. BLANCHE. Mother, don't you want to go upstairs? JESSICA. [_Sincerely moved._] Yes, I hate this room now. MRS. HUNTER. [_Rising._] Hate this room! When we've just had it done! Louis Kinge! BLANCHE. Louis _Quinze_, dear! She means the associations now, mother. MRS. HUNTER. Oh, yes, but that's weak and foolish, Jessie. No, Blanche--[_Sitting again._]--I'm too exhausted to move. Ring for tea. [BLANCHE _rings the bell beside the mantel._ CLARA. [_Crossing to piano, forgets and starts to play a music-hall song, but_ MRS. HUNTER _stops her._] Oh, yes, tea! I'm starved! MRS. HUNTER. Clara, darling! As if you could be hungry at such a time! [JORDAN _enters Left._ BLANCHE. Tea, Jordan. JORDAN. Yes, madam. [_He goes out Left._ MRS. HUNTER. Girls, everybody in town was there! I'm sure even your father himself couldn't have complained. BLANCHE. Mother! MRS. HUNTER. Well, you know he always found fault with my _parties_ being too mixed. He wouldn't realize I couldn't throw over all my old set when I married into his,--not that I ever acknowledged I was your father's inferior. I consider my family was just as good as his, only we were _Presbyterians_! BLANCHE. Mother, dear, take off your gloves. MRS. HUNTER. I thought I had. [_Crying._] I'm so heartbroken I don't know what I'm doing. [_Taking off her gloves._ [BLANCHE _and_ CLARA _comfort their mother._ JESSICA. Here's the tea-- [JORDAN _and_ LEONARD _enter with large, silver tray, with tea, cups, and thin bread-and-butter sandwiches. They place them on small tea-table which_ JESSICA _arranges for them._ MRS. HUNTER. I'm afraid I can't touch it. [_Taking her place behind tea-table and biting eagerly into a sandwich._ JESSICA. [_Dryly._] Try. [BLANCHE _pours tea for them all, which they take in turn._ MRS. HUNTER. [_Eating._] One thing I was furious about,--did you see the Witherspoons _here_ at the house? CLARA. _I_ did. MRS. HUNTER. The idea! When I've never called on them. They are the worst social pushers I've ever known. [_She takes another sandwich._ CLARA. Trying to make people think they are on our visiting list! Using even a funeral to get in!