MRS. TILSBURY. As President of the Association.
MRS. THOM. If there is room. It isn’t necessary. (MRS. THOM goes out, bowing stiffly to MRS. BROWN.)
MRS. TILSBURY. Oh dear, she has made Mildred give a larger sum than ever before. I don’t know what to do—it is a perfect shame.
MRS. BROWN. Start Mildred on something else. You have had enough of women’s rights.
MRS. TILSBURY. Yes, but everything costs. All the “causes” are expensive. It doesn’t make any difference whether they are charitable, socialistic, political, or artistic, they are all in need of funds. So many appeals come every day that I have been obliged to buy a bigger scrap-basket and the ash-man has raised his price. He says old paper is of no use to him unless we have a currency reform.
MRS. BROWN. Well, a husband would be more expensive still.
MRS. TILSBURY. Yes, to support a husband in a style he has not been accustomed to is very expensive. Poor Mildred, I don’t see what I shall do.
MRS. BROWN. I hope you admired the way I carried off Mr. Van Tousel.
MRS. TILSBURY. Well, I don’t know. I thought from the expression on your face when Mrs. Thom and I came back from seeing Mildred that you had been flirting more seriously with Mr. Becker. He is not at all dangerous because he holds such a low opinion about the ability of women, but Mr. Van Tousel is wriggling his way straight into Mildred’s heart with his pretended interest in “the cause.”
MRS. BROWN. I must confess I like Mr. Becker best. He is more of a man and therefore more manageable. Besides there is Mr. Van Tousel’s mother. She is vice-president in so many societies that she might want to be president in her son’s house.