iles._)

KITTY (_at R._). What a good guesser you are.

MRS. GOOGIN. The Widow O'Toole, her in Apartment C, was after givin'
me one of her ould worn-out waists. But I took her down a peg as quick
as a wink. I'm a lady, I am, and me mother was a lady before me, and I
don't accept cast-off clothes fer Christmas prisints.

KITTY. You don't. (_At R.C. near front with_ MRS. GOOGIN.)

GOOGIN (_at rear L. with_ WARREN). And nather do I.

MRS. GOOGIN. The ould bachelor in Apartment F gave me a fine prisint.
I brung it up to show yeez. (_Shows fancy waste basket, tied with
ribbon bows._) It's a new bunnet. (_Puts it on her head._) Sure,
that's a Christmas prisint that touches me heart.

KITTY. I'm going to give you that picture. (_Points to crayon
portrait._)

MRS. GOOGIN. The picture of the ould lady, is it?

KITTY. Yes. It's a lovely frame.

MRS. GOOGIN. And it's a nice lookin' ould lady, too. She looks a
little like me own mother, who before she was married to a Mulvaney
was a McShane.

KITTY. Warren, take it down.

WARREN. With pleasure. (_Takes picture down._)

MRS. GOOGIN (_taking the picture_). Sure, I have no picture of me own
mother at all, at all. More's the pity. I'll jist take this picture
and then I'll be after tellin' all me frinds that it is a likeness of
me mother who was a McShane from County Kilkenny. (_Sits R._)

GOOGIN. Would ye decave yer frinds, Honoria?

MRS. GOOGIN. A little deception is the spice of life. And besides it
looks enough like herself to be her own photygraft. Don't it,
Maginnis?

GOOGIN. Sure it looks like a chromo to me.

MRS. GOOGIN (_angrily_). A chromo, is it?

GOOGIN. Yis, or wan of them comic valentines.

MRS. GOOGIN. Listen to that now. He says me own mother looks like a
chromo and a comic valentine. I'm a lady, I am, and me mother was a
lady before me, and if I wasn't a lady, sure I'd break the picture
over yer head, Maginnis Googin. Insulted am I and right before me
face! (_Weeps._) Oh, wurra, wurra, that me own ould mother, who was a
McShane, should live to see that day whin her daughter's own husband
would call her a comic valentine. (_Weeps and rocks back and forth._)

GOOGIN (_close to her_). I said nawthin' about yer mother, Honoria
Googin. I only remarked that the picture resimbled a comic valentine.
And it do. And I'll lave it to Mr. Williams whither I'm right or no.

MRS. GOOGIN (_rises with dignity, goes to_ KITTY). I thank ye kindly
fer yer prisint