or the entertainment. If I go after the goat, sure it's
all mussed up I'll be.

MRS. MULLIGAN. Yis, if I swat you one wid this wet cloth, it's worse
than mussed up you'll be. Hurry after the goat. Niver a step does any
Mulligan take from this house tonight until Shamus O'Brien is safe in
the kitchen, wid his horns tied to the wash boiler.

MATSY. Sure, I dunno where to look fer him.

MRS. MULLIGAN. Go over to Mrs. O'Toole's cabbage garden; like as not
ye'll find him there. Sure, Shamus has a fine appetite for cabbages.

MATSY. Don't let 'em start afore I get back. I don't want to miss
nothin'. (_Takes cap and exits L._)

MRS. MULLIGAN. Now, Bridget Honora, lave off hanging up the clothes
and go in and see if Melissa and Micky Machree are dry yet. And if
they are call me in and I'll attend to their costumes.

BRIDGET. Maw, Mary Ann's having an awful time. She's growed so that
her skirt and her waist has parted company, and what she'll be after
doing I don't know at all, at all.

MRS. MULLIGAN. Is there anything she can use as a sash?

BRIDGET. No'm. Nora and Clarissa have used up all the sashes.

MRS. MULLIGAN (_takes fringed bureau cover from wash-basket_). Look
here, now, Bridget Honora, see what I've found in the wash. It's a
tidy to go on top of a dresser, but I'm thinking it's just the thing
to fill the gap between the skirt and the waist of Mary Ann.

BRIDGET. Yes, maw. (_Exit R._)

_Enter_ PATSY _from R. He runs in and is very much excited._

PATSY. Oh, maw, maw, come quick! Hurry, or he'll be drowned.

MRS. MULLIGAN. What is it, Patsy? Spake quick.

PATSY. It's Teddy Magee. I was givin' him a wash in the rain-barrel,
when all of a sudden, bad luck to him, he slipped through me fingers
and fell head-first down in the barrel. (_Cries._) Oh, it's drownded
dead he'll be. Oh, oh! (_Cries._)

MRS. MULLIGAN. Oh, me baby, me baby! (_Rushes out at R._)

_Enter_ NORA _and_ CLARISSA _from L._

NORA. Now sit right down there, Clarissa, and don't be moving a hair,
because you're all fixed and ready for the entertainment.

CLARISSA. And how do I look, Nora?

NORA. Ye look like a Christmas angel, so you do. Your hair curled just
lovely and your striped stockings will be the admiration and envy of
the entire Sunday School.

PATSY. Oh, Nora Eudora, come on quick. Teddy Magee fell in the
rain-barrel and it's drownded dead he is intirely. (_Cries._)

NORA. In the rain-barrel? How did he get in the rain-barr