ther in June. It's jis'
terrible.

_Enter_ KATE. _She is neatly gowned and is of a superior clay._

KATE. Mother--

MRS. VERNON. Well, Kate?

KATE. Must we have this awful odour again to-night?

MRS. VERNON. Got to have somethin', Kate, to drive off the skeeters.
[_Enter_ LIZBETH.] I ain't slep' none for two nights.

KATE. They might be kept out some other way. [_She sits in chair._

MRS. VERNON. [_Taking the fresh iron and resuming work._] I ruined
my best pillar-slips an' nearly smothered myself with coal oil last
night. I'll try my own way now. It's all very well fur you, Kate,
whose got the only muskeeter bar in the family--

LIZBETH. [_In the rocker._] Yes, and won't let your sister sleep with
you--

KATE. I'll gladly give you the mosquito bar, Lizbeth, but two grown-up
people can't sleep in a narrow single bed.

LIZBETH. I hope you don't s'pose I'd take it.

KATE. I gave you one to make the window frames.

MRS. VERNON. Well, kin the poor girl help that, Kate? Didn't the dogs
jump through 'em? [_She indicates the ragged netting on the frame._

KATE. Why do you have the dogs about?

MRS. VERNON. Well, when you've lived as long as I have in Pike County,
you'll know you got to have dogs if you leave your winders open.
There--I've ironed another pearl button in two--yes, an' it's pulled a
piece right out o' one o' yer pa's bosoms. That's 'cause I'm so tired,
I can't see. Lizbeth, where's them prescriptions?

LIZBETH. In the yeast-powder box.

MRS. VERNON. Well, get one for me. [LIZBETH _gets box from over the
stove._] I can't go on with this ironin' without some beer.

LIZBETH. Who'll go for it?

MRS. VERNON. Ask Dave--

LIZBETH. [_At door. Calls._] Dave!

DAVE. [_Off._] Yes, Lizbeth.

LIZBETH. Ma wants you to--

MRS. VERNON. Now, don't yawp it out to the whole neighbourhood,
Lizbeth--tell Dave to come here.

LIZBETH. [_In a lower tone._] Come here!

MRS. VERNON. Give me the prescription. [LIZBETH _arranges the linen
in the basket. Enter_ DAVE.] Dave, the ironin' an' the heat an'
everything jes' about floored me--won't you go to the drug-store with
this prescription, an' get me a quart bottle of St. Louis beer?

DAVE. [_Taking the prescription._] Certainly.

MRS. VERNON. I can't send the girls after dark.

DAVE. Oh, that's all right. [_Exits to street._

MRS. VERNON. [_Ironing again._] If your pa ever does get into the
Legislature, I hope he'll defeat this blamed local auction busin