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Read Ebook: The climbers by Fitch Clyde
Font size: Background color: Text color: Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page Prev PageEbook has 743 lines and 17081 words, and 15 pagesRUTH. Poor George! Why didn't he come to me; he must have known that everything I had was his! MASON. He was too ill when the final blow came to realize it. MASON. He had been obliged to let that lapse. MASON. As I said, there is nothing, except this house, and that is-- BLANCHE. Mother! Oh, don't talk to me now! You always preferred your father, and now you're punished for it! He has wilfully left your mother and sisters paupers! BLANCHE. How can you speak like that! Surely you know father must have suffered more than we could when he realized he was leaving nothing for you. JESSICA. Yes, and it was for us too that he lost all. It was our extravagance. RUTH. Florence-- MRS. HUNTER. Well, Ruth, what do you think of your brother now? BLANCHE. Don't! MRS. HUNTER. My son-in-law had most pressing business, and his friend-- BLANCHE. The friend of all of us-- MRS. HUNTER. Yes, of course, Mr. Warden saw to everything. BLANCHE. He will be here any moment! MASON. When he comes, will you send him on to me, please? RUTH. Yes. MASON. Very well. Good-by. I am very sorry to have been the bearer of such bad news. MASON. Naturally. Good-by. I'll come to see you in the morning. Florence, I'm very sorry-- My happiness in this world is over. What have I to live for? RUTH. Your children! MRS. HUNTER. Beggars like myself! BLANCHE. But your children will work for you. CLARA. Work! I see myself. MRS. HUNTER. My children work! Don't be absurd! JESSICA. It is not absurd! I can certainly earn my own living somehow and so can Clara. BLANCHE. Jess is right. I'll take care of this family--father always said I was "his own child." I'll do my best to take his place. RUTH. I will gladly give Jessica a home. MRS. HUNTER. You'd rob me of my children, too! JESSICA. Thank you, Aunt Ruth, but I must stay with mother and be Blanche's right-hand man! CLARA. I might go on the stage. MRS. HUNTER. My dear, smart people don't any more. CLARA. I'd like to be a sort of Anna Held. JESSICA. I don't see why I couldn't learn typewriting, Blanche? MRS. HUNTER. Huh! Why, you could never even learn to play the piano; I don't think you'd be much good at typewriting. RUTH. You'll have to learn to spell correctly first! CLARA. Humph! JESSICA. There are lots of ways nowadays for women to earn their living. RUTH. Yes, typewriting we will consider. MRS. HUNTER. Never! RUTH. Yes, yes. Go on, Florence; don't you see we're listening? MRS. HUNTER. I didn't know! I've been so completely ignored in this entire conversation. But there is one thing for the girls--the easiest possible way for them to earn their living--which you don't seem for a moment to have thought of! No! CLARA. Manicuring? BLANCHE. Designing dresses and hats? MRS. HUNTER. No! JESSICA. Book-keeping? MRS. HUNTER. No. RUTH. Then what in the world is it? MRS. HUNTER. Marriage! Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page Prev Page |
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