CHARACTERS
Mrs. Darling, a young and pretty widow.
Mrs. Bonnet, the lady's maid.
Catherine, the parlor maid.
Mrs. McGrath, the cook.
Sally, the kitchen maid.
Tibbie, from the East Side.
THE HUNDRED
Adapted from the story by Gertrude Hall.[34]
Time: Christmas Eve.
Scene: Mrs. Darling's dressing-room. Dressing-table, with elaborate and glittering toilette articles, and a large and rather showy photograph of the late Mr. Darling, also a smaller one of Mrs. Darling's cousin, the Reverend Dorel Goodhue. R., an alcove hidden by curtains, containing a couch on which repose The Hundred dolls. Stage requires two entrances, one communicating with Mrs. Darling's bedroom, the other with the rest of the house.
[Enter Catherine, with two carriage wraps,
which she surveys critically.
Catherine [sniffing at one of the wraps, with a sharp glance at the bedroom door]. Humph. If there's the merest smidgeon of camphire about this, I'll hear from it! It's been airing 'most a week, too. [Lays them carefully on couch or chair, then stepping softly, surveys the dressing-table and its appointments. Takes up newspaper from chair, and glances over it while expressing her sentiments.] I'll just take this down with me till it's called for. What with Mr. Jackson the butler, and Sally the kitchen-maid always going home nights, and Cook slippin' off to her bloomin' family every chance she gets, it's likely to be lonesome for me this evening. I'll be bound Mrs. Bonnet'll be off with some friend or other, the minute Mrs. Darling's out of the house. Not that her company's over-pleasant. I'd rather stay alone any time. It's good luck for every other soul in the house when Mrs. Darling dines out. But I never come in for the extras.