No, he isn’t and I wouldn’t think of movin’ in with Harry and Jennie, even though they wouldn’t object. It breaks up the home spirit so to have two families in one home. I’ve never let on to your pa, but I don’t like the city life half as well as I thought I would, and I really never thought of what a handicap it would be to you. ETHEL Oh, don’t you care about me. I have a good home here as long as you live and I don’t know of a place where I’m needed as bad as I am right here looking after you and father. I consider it my calling. MRS. BENSON I don’t see how we would get along here without you, but it’s not fair, and you don’t owe it. I was just thinking the other day about Clarence. He must be about through college by now. There wasn’t a better fellow livin’ than Clarence and he seemed to think so much of you. How’s come you and him don’t write any more? You used to. ETHEL Yes, we did write till three years ago, when he failed to answer my letter and I never wrote again. MRS. BENSON Maybe he didn’t get your letter. ETHEL I heard through a friend that he did. I thought that if he didn’t want to write, that was his own business. I suppose he found another girl. But mother, it’s hard to forget—I didn’t know I did care so much. But—oh well, it’s too late now. I’m going to stay by you and father, so I should worry. (_Walks across room to desk._) MRS. BENSON _Speaking to self._ I wish we had never come to the city. Poor girl. ETHEL Mother, I’ve something amusing to tell you. What do you think, Mr. Smith, who called to see me last night, asked me to marry him. MRS. BENSON What! ETHEL Wouldn’t that make you laugh? MRS. BENSON Why, you haven’t known him more than a month and a half, have you? ETHEL No, and I’ve only seen him a few times at that. MRS. BENSON That beats anything I ever heard of. Is the fellow in his right mind? ETHEL Oh, I guess he’s sane enough—but he’s so used to having his money get what he wants, that I suppose he thought it would buy me, too. MRS. BENSON How much money has he got? ETHEL I don’t know, but from the way he talks he must have quite a bit. MRS. BENSON Well, he had better trade some of it for a little common sense. ETHEL By the way, mother, is this Thursday or Friday? You know we’ve invited the Asterbilts for dinner Friday, and you know— MRS. BENSON _Interrupting._