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Helen—(Sarcastically) Yes, listening to it is better.

Mrs. Halycon—And you positively cannot give more than two dances to young Cannel. I will not have everyone in town having you engaged before you have had a fair chance.

Helen—Same old line. You’d think from the way you talk that I was some horrible old man-chaser, or someone so weak and wobbly that you’d think I’d run off with someone. Mother, for heaven’s sake—

Mrs. Halycon—My dear, I am doing my very best for you.

Helen—(Wearily) I know. (She sits down decidedly on another invisible chair.) Mother, I happen, my dear, to have four dances with John Cannel. He called up, asked me for four of them, and what could I say? Besides, it’s a cut-in dance, and he would cut in as much as he wants anyhow. So what’s the difference? (Becoming impatient) You can’t run everything now, the way they did in the early nineties.

Mrs. Halycon—Helen, I’ve told you before that you can’t say early nineties to me.

Helen—Don’t treat me like a child then.

Mr. Halycon comes in. He is a small man with a large appearance and a board-of-directors heartiness.