_Maggie._ Oh, murther! An', an' me own b'y, Teddy Murphy, sailin' the thrackless say—
_Maggie._ Och! it's invious ye are, Kate O'Nail; an' it's out av place ye are above the kitchen shtair. Away wid yez to yer pots and kittles! (_Threatening with broom._)
_Katie._ An' its out av place ye are onywhere. Be off to yer swapin'! (_Threatens with brush. Enter_ FLORENCE _and_ CAROLINE, R.)
_Florence._ Fie, fie, girls! You're both out of place, quarrelling. Ah, Maggie! I'm glad to meet you again. (_Shakes hands with Maggie._)
_Maggie._ Thank you, Miss Florence. An' it's a warm welcome home to yez; an' it's glad I am to see yer own bright face once more.
_Florence._ And it's glad I am to be here, Maggie. Now I want you and Katie to get my trunk up stairs. It's not very heavy, and I wish to open it at once.
"Take it up tenderly, Fashioned so slenderly, It's fickle and frail."
_Maggie._ Indade, Miss Florence, I'll do my best with the help of very rough company.
_Katie._ Thar's a fling at me! Arrah, I'll give her one thump on the fut with the thrunk.
_Caroline._ Welcome, welcome, welcome home! A thousand times welcome, Florence! Oh! we have missed you very much. (_They sit on lounge_, L.)
_Florence._ I'm glad of that, Carrie, for you will be so glad to see me now that I can have my own way in every thing; and I'm going to spend my time advantageously. I'm going to induce mother to send you with me when I return to school.
_Caroline._ Oh, that would be grand! But I fear you will not succeed.
_Florence._ But I will. You have as much right to the advantages of Rushly Seminary as I; and I will no longer allow you to submit to the cruel treatment you are receiving. You go with me: that's settled. But where's mother?
_Florence._ A committee-meeting at eleven o'clock in the forenoon! What important project can take her from home at this hour?
_Caroline._ She is one of the leaders of the Female Reform Club.
_Florence._ What! my mother! You don't mean to say that she has come out for women's rights!
_Caroline._ She has, most decidedly. She gives all her time to the club. She is a very zealous member.
_Florence._ And who takes care of the house?
_Caroline._ It takes care of itself. The mistress away, it is very hard for me to govern affairs; and grandmother does much harm by her kindly-meant interference in household matters.