Harry says they’re goin’ to beat them this afternoon. HARRY You two just watch us and see. We got a good umpire and we’re going to beat them on equal footin’ as you say. _Enter Opal and Floyd, hold of hands—stop quick and stand looking._ JENNIE You children are rather late—here’s your places around here between grandma and me. _They take places at table, Jennie places bib around them._ Where have you been? FLOYD We went up to play with Ruth and Harold. They’ve got a swing fastened away up high and you can swing twice as far as you can with this one. OPAL It almost took my breath away. HIRAM The country’s the place to raise children in. Here they have all the fresh air and good plain food ter make them grow. In the city they are all crowded up together in a bunch. Their fresh air is all filled with smoke. They have no place for the children to play exceptin’ in the parks where they’re so careful with their hay they have signs all around ter “keep off the grass.” Why, we have to raise their food for them, but they don’t get it until it’s been in cold storage for a year or so or else canned. I tell ye people, God intended fer us ter live in the country—if He hadn’t He’d made the city instead. Ain’t that so, John? JOHN I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I guess you’re right. HIRAM Of course, I’m right. FLOYD We’re going back after dinner, ain’t we, Opal? OPAL Can we, mama? JENNIE Oh maybe, if you’ll not get in anybody’s way and not get hurt. OPAL AND FLOYD Oh, we won’t. HARRY Pass the salad, please. HIRAM How was your play, Ethel? ETHEL It went off very well. HIRAM We were wantin’ ter see it so bad—such a fine day for it, too. Do ye know we’d enjoy a doin’s like that, where we know the actors, better than we would a play we’d have ter pay three or four dollars to see in the city? Ain’t that right, John? JOHN I guess you’re right, I never saw anything better anywhere. HIRAM Ethel, how about you? Do ye think ye’ll ever be wantin’ to move back? Rachel and I was just talkin’ the other day about what a loss it would be ter the community if you married a city feller and moved out; we were just wonderin’ if there were any on yer track. MRS. BENSON You don’t need to worry. One rich feller tried it and he didn’t get her. ETHEL Mother, you shouldn’t tell my little secrets.