Grice. Ah, the Times!
Aunt Ida. (Rising in alarm and backing up stage from chair. Grice takes her place in chair.) Oh, the Times, the Times!
Tarver. Oh, Phyllis, where is that bottle of Guy's tonic?
Phyllis. It is out here, Bobby. (Exit in the morning room.)
Tarver. (Following her) Thanks awfully. I needed it badly.
(Madge takes periodical and begins to read. Faraday takes the outer sheet of the Times, pulls it off, and throws it across table. It falls to floor R. of table. Grice stoops to pick it up. Evelyn takes it from his hand as he rises, saying, "Thank you, Admiral." Grice looks at her disgustedly and sits twiddling his thumbs. Note: The outer sheets of the Times must be stuck together in order to have them fall properly. Note: The birth, marriage and death column of the Times is in the upper left hand corner of the first page. Evelyn, Madge and Faraday have become absorbed in their papers. Grice looks about him and then, exasperated, seizes a book and sits R. of table L., reading it.)
Faraday. (After a pause) I never saw a paper like this. (Strikes paper with back of his hand.) There is absolutely nothing in this paper.
(Tarver and Phyllis re-enter, go to fender and sit. Tarver has had his clothes brushed.)
Grice. I never saw a paper with anything in it. (Pause.) How about the bye-elections?
Faraday. (Grunting, absorbed in his paper) Huh! (Long pause.)