THE REGISTER

by William D. Howells




I.



SCENE: In an upper chamber of a boarding-house in Melanchthon Place,
Boston, a mature, plain young lady, with every appearance of
establishing herself in the room for the first time, moves about,
bestowing little touches of decoration here and there, and talking
with another young lady, whose voice comes through the open doorway
of an inner room.


MISS ETHEL REED, from within: "What in the world are you doing,
Nettie?"

MISS HENRIETTA SPAULDING: "Oh, sticking up a household god or two.
What are you doing?"

MISS REED: "Despairing."

MISS SPAULDING: "Still?"

MISS REED, tragically: "Still! How soon did you expect me to stop?