_ marry Sammy!

MRS. CARLEY. I wish to goodness she would.

LOUISE. I believe she's in love with Mr. Coleman.

MRS. CARLEY. No, they've always known each other.

LOUISE. Well, some people wear better than we do, that's all! and I
believe she's in love with him, whether either of them know it or not.

[GEORGIANA _comes in Left with_ BELLA SHINDLE. MISS SHINDLE _is a
florid, buxom young person, pleased with herself and all the world. She
carries several packages._

GEORGIANA. Here's Bella, mother.

EVERYBODY. How are you, Bella?

GEORGIANA. All your guests gone?

[_She sits left of table._ MRS. CARLEY _goes back of table, and_ LOUISE
_moves to the right._

MRS. CARLEY. Yes, thank goodness! You _might_ have been here.

GEORGIANA. You know I can't stand your would-be smart parties!

LOUISE. I think they're always angry when they don't see you.

GEORGIANA. Nonsense! Did you have a good time? Pick everybody else to
pieces?

LOUISE. No, we all said nice things about Mrs. Lothman.

GEORGIANA. Mercy! What's the matter with her?

LOUISE. My dear, she's a perfect nonentity; she might just as well _not_
exist.

GEORGIANA. [_Amused._] Well, to tell the truth, I don't care much about
her myself. She's one of those boring creatures who when you ask her how
she is, really tells you!

MRS. CARLEY. _You_ with fancy work! What in the world are you doing?

GEORGIANA. I am knitting a tie for Dick!

MRS. CARLEY. Good gracious. Well, I'll go upstairs and get into
something _loose_. I'll be ready in ten minutes.

[_She goes out Right._

LOUISE. I must see the children; I haven't seen them to-day.

[_She follows her mother out._

BELLA. Miss Carley.

GEORGIANA. Yes, Bella.

BELLA. Mr. Coleman, Lieutenant Coleman, is going to the Philippines
to-day.

GEORGIANA. [_Sighing involuntarily._] Yes, Bella.

BELLA. I've got a friend going along.

GEORGIANA. In the company?

BELLA. Yes--well, I don't mind telling you--he's my young man, Miss
Carley.

GEORGIANA. Why, Bella, I didn't know you were engaged?

BELLA. Well, I don't know as you'd call it exactly, yes I _would_ say as
we _was_ engaged--though I haven't got a ring. But we're going to get
married when he comes back, if hugging and kissing is binding, which I
_guess_, with witnesses! He wanted to give me a ring of his mother's,
but I said "No," I wouldn't take that, it was sacred and he'd always
wore it. You see it was an old-fashioned-looking sort of onyx