Act II.--_The Refreshment Room--morning a fortnight later_. Act III.--_Mrs. Munnings Parlour--evening a month later._ In the Village of Little Hulton, Lancashire. ACT I. _The parlour in Mrs. Munning's house, the window of which looks out to a bowling green. The room is furnished with chairs and sofa, upholstered in horsehair. It is not quite shabby, but well used. The ornaments crowded on the mantelpiece are Mid-Victorian survivals. There is a bookshelf on the wall above the bureau. The wall-paper is flowered; there is no gas, but lamp on table. In the window is a small model in plaster of a wedding-cake. It should be quite small and unostentatious. Men's coats are hung behind door. The light is of a spring afternoon._ _As the curtain rises, Mrs. Munning, who is fifty-five and hard featured, is dusting the ornaments on the mantel. She is in her best clothes, which are black, protected by a dirty apron. She looks at the clock impatiently. It strikes four. She goes to window and looks out. She mutters, "And time too" and goes to door. She opens it and speaks through it._ ***** Mrs. Munning. Get a move on, now. Take your things off in there and come along quick. Sally (_off_). Yes, Mrs. Munning. Mrs. Munning. Hurry up when I tell you. This is a nice time of day to come. Sally (_entering, a pretty, country girl of eighteen in print frock_). You told me to come o' Thursday and Thursday _'_tis. Mrs. Munning. It's been Thursday a long time. Sally. You never said no hour. And mother said to me, she says---- Mrs. Munning. Never mind what she said. You take hold of that duster and let me see you shape. Sally. Yes, Mrs. Munning. (_She takes it and dusts at mantel._) Mrs. Munning. Take care of those ornaments now, Sally. Sally. Now don't you fret yourself. I'm not the breaking sort. You can stop my wages for all I'm like to break. Mrs. Munning. That's of course. Sally. I was telling you. Mother, she says to me, you stay at home for your dinner, she says, and that'll save Mrs. Munning a bit; and I stayed willing because we'd trotters to-day and they're a dish that I've a relish for. Mrs. Munning. You could have gone home to your dinner. Sally. And I couldn't. Not when I'd once begun with you. Meals and all, you said, and a bargain's a bargain. Mrs. Munning. Well, you should have come this morning. Leaving me all to do. Sally. Mother didn't know you were in a hurry. Mrs. Munning. She ought to, then. I told her. I told her that when Miss Cavender came this afternoon I wanted her to take you for a regular maid. And don't you forget it neither, Sally, and go giving it away you're not always here. Sally. Suppose she asks me, Mrs. Munning? Mrs. Munning. If you'll shape properly, she'll never think but what you're regular. That's what I wanted you early for. To run you round and show you the ways of the house. Sally. Eh, but I don't need showing. Didn't I spring-clean for you last year? I'll manage easy.