_Florence._ "Gentlemen of the jury, can you ask? Beneath this roof is one who is entitled to all the benefits of wealth and education; but she is made a drudge: while she who should rear her tenderly sees not the oppressed in her own home, but seeks abroad that labor for the improvement of the condition of motherless girls which should be commenced beneath her own roof." _Mrs. D._ Florence, are you serious, or are you crazy? _Mrs. H._ Not a bit of it, Hannah Merria (kee). _Florence._ Only practising, mother. (_Enter_ RHODA, R.) _Rhoda._ Mrs. Duplex, champion of our sex, I want to be an actor! _Mrs. D._ An actress, you mean. _Rhoda._ No, an actor. Richard the Third, Richelieu, Macbeth, are the characters I would play. They are manly. If man can excel in them, so can woman. Have you not said we could win success— _Mrs. D._ Silence! Don't let me hear that word again. _Rhoda._ Yes: let me tread the boards as Macbeth. "Is this a dagger which I see before me?" _Mrs. H._ (Kee.) That young one's loony too. _Rhoda._ Or as Richelieu. "In the lexicon of youth, which Fate preserves for a bright manhood, There's no such word as fail!" _Mrs. H._ (Kee.) Mad as a March hare! _Rhoda._ Or as Richard. "Off with his head! So much for Buckingham." _Mrs. H._ Land sakes! that would be too much for him. _Mrs. D._ Enough of this, Rhoda Dendron. I do not care to be made the butt of your amusement. We can dispense with your company. (_Enter_ POLLIE, R.) _Pollie._ Mrs. Duplex, champion of your sex, I have chosen my profession. I will be a general in the army. _Mrs. D._ Pollie Nay! _Pollie._ A glorious life, at the head of a host, charging upon the foe. "Up and at them!" "Charge, Chester, charge! On, Stanley, on!" _Mrs. D._ Silence! Florence, what does all this mean? Gracious goodness! whom have we here? (_Enter_ MAGGIE, L., _with a rough pea-jacket and a tarpaulin hat added to her costume_.) _Mrs. D._ Maggie, what does this mean? _Maggie._ If ye plaze, missus, they towld me nixt door that all the women-folks was a-goin' to step into the men's places; and so I thought I'd jist give warnin', and take mesilf to the say, for me own Teddy is a sailor, and I might climb the sails, and pull the ropes, and haul in a jib, till I larnt the way, if ye plaze. _Mrs. D._ Why, Maggie, I'm astounded to think you should listen to such nonsense. _Maggie._ Sure, 'twas Bridget Daly, nixt door, that heard yez own silf talk last night, and towld me. (_Enter_ KATIE, R., _with a large military hat on her head, a gun on her shoulder_.) _Maggie._ Oh, murther! Here's Kate wid a gun! _All._ A gun! (KATIE _comes_, C.) _Pollie_ (R.). Oh, dear! put it the other way! (KATIE _turns to_ R.) _Rhoda._ (L.) No, no! the other way!