Helen—But, whatever did she mean by dressing up like that!
Margaret—Why, don’t you see? Didn’t you say that when she acted, she had all the professionals beaten to pieces? Well, she’s acted that country gawk I inferred in that letter to take me down that peg. Gee, she’s taken me down a whole bunch of them. And oh look how we treated her since she came. Oh, Helen, I’m so ashamed. I wish there was a hole in the floor so that I could crawl into it.
Helen—(aside), Thank goodness, she’s admitted that much. There’s hope for her yet. (Aloud.) We both acted awfully mean and for my part I’m going to take my pill and swallow it.
Margaret—I will too. It’s mighty bitter, but the worse the medicine tastes, as a rule, the better are the results. I’ll never—(Elizabeth comes up to her).
Elizabeth—Well, Mag—Margaret, I guess it’s up to me to explain. You see when I got your letter which showed me so plainly that you considered any person brought up in the country was some sort of a curiosity and nothing but an ignoramus, I thought I would come and explain to you that the farmers of today are among the best educated and most wealthy people there are and their daughters are receiving the very best advantages that can be gotten. But when I read your letter over, I couldn’t resist the temptation of acting the awkward gawk of a specimen you expected. Did I succeed?
Margaret—Succeed! Oh goodness, it was awful. (Sinks into a chair and starts to cry), Oh, Liz—Beth, I mean. I know I’ve been as nasty and snobbish as I could. And you don’t know how mean I’ve felt ever since I wrote that awful, awful letter. I’ve wished again and again that I’d never been so rude and horrid. Will you ever forgive me? (Cries).
Elizabeth—(Putting her arm around her), Oh, cheer up, Margaret, of course I’ll forgive you; you just need some of your notions changed. That’s all. And when it comes to forgiving, perhaps I’d better ask you to forgive me for playing such a trick on you. (Aside, laughing), But, gee it was the best fun I’ve had for ages. Their shocked faces! (laugh), their turned up noses, (laughs), their open disgust. Oh glory, it was worth a circus to see them.
Edith—Well, let’s forget everything that’s been done and said and begin all over again. I think we’ll be great friends. Let’s shake over it. (She takes Helen’s hand, Elizabeth takes Margaret’s and they stand with crossed hands in front of stage).
Elizabeth—Oh girls, see how our hands are crossed; I wonder who’s going to be married first.
CURTAIN