Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-04
POrtia in Petticoats.

Il
SCENE The Interior of a Solicitors Office Mr.
korsts discovered IN has .Sasct,sns, regarding a
newspaper tcith fired attention.
| Mr.. Korsts. Let me read my letter to the
Morning Journal once again. (Reads) "Ishall
| try the experiment by and by of engaging two
young women as writer's. and shall see what
| stuff they are made of, not as mechanical
writer's, but as intelligent brain-workers In the
law, your obedient servant-signed-AS oIlCI.
TOR" Twas noble plan, and have carried it
| into execution. Nayr more, l have developed
| the idea. My whole staff are females, and
have purposely been away from the office for q
week to see how they would get on without me
will soon learn. i will ring for my co,atidaaae.
Miss Fanny. {So,esds 6el) From her l will
| learn how business is progressing. Offer a
| pause Strange. she does not come. "Opens
| do~ Of communication bet.oeen sdnctan1 and
outer o6fce) What is this hear9 The sounds
| of lively waltz! (Music ceases abruptly ,chen
enter Mss {d,say.)
Miss Fanny. Glad to see you back again Mr.
Korsts. hope you have enjoyed your holiday
Mr. korsts. Thanks. yes. But what was that
noise?
Miss Fanny. Noise! Ha. ha, ha. You are
| not very complimentary. 1t was only my piano.
l was practicing "The Chantilly."
| Mr.. kOrsts. In office hours! Scarcely profess
| sienal, Miss Fanny-scarcely professional. :.
Miss Fanny. Well, sir, It's SO lonely all by
myself, and am sure music can hurt nobody.
Mr.. Korsts. But the neighbors, Miss Fanny
the neighbors
Miss Fanny. Oh, they don't object. sir. You
see, your idea has been taken up by Mt. Knock
ABOUT the auctioneer, up above. and Mr.. Ellis
Dee the banker, down below-and they neither
OF them have any male clerks now. We are all
! girls together. It's great fun! When We Solici-
| tors sing Christy Minstrel song in unison as a
solo, the bankers and the auctioneers join US in
the chorus! We used to practise all day long.
| Oh, it was so pretty
Mr.. Korsts. But the clients. Miss Fanny-the
clients?
| Miss Fanny. Oh, bother the clients. sir Well
! SIT, you may stare. But you told us that was
| our chief duty. to bother the clients!
Mr.. korsts (good-aatused!y). Well well-per-
haps did-perhaps did. And now how have
! you been getting on?
Miss Fanny. Oh. tol toll Only must say it
| is shame that should be obliged to be here by
myself all alOne
| Mr.. Kersts. All alone! Why, what has be-
come of the rest? Where is Miss Agnes, the
Common Law Clerk?
Miss Fanny. Oh she has behaved shame
fully, sir. You know you put man in posses
sion at Mr.. Browns. Well, sir Miss Agnes
| persuaded the officer to take her to the Pan
toinilne, and when Mr.. Brown got the man
once cut OF the house, he refused to let him
| come in again!
Mr.. Korsts Good gracious! Why, shall be
responsible for all this.
! Miss Fanny. So l told her, sir. But Miss
Agnes asked me to mind my own business and
SAID only did it because l was jealous of her.
Fancy being jealous of sheriff's officer! So |
ordered her not to come back-and she hasn't.
Mr.. kOrsts. Quite right. Her conduct called
Tor instant dismissal. And Miss Mary, the Chan-
Gerry Clerk?
Miss Fanny. Don't talk of her, sir. She had
| to examine the marriage settlement for Captain
Butterf1y's betrothed. you know, sir. Well. sir,
sne insisted upon seeing him to take his nstruo-
tiOns.
Mr.. Korsts. Well. That was certainly I'M
professional, but the captain will have to pay
| right? ~
Miss Fanny. She burned it, and eloped with
Mr.. korsts. Good gracious! Why, shall be
ruined!
Miss Fanny. Well, its your own fault. You
oughtn't to engage such hussies.
Mr.. Korsts. Aud the others? I left Miss
Susan to draw old Mr.. Tombstone's will
Miss Fanny. Yes. And she has drawn it.
But then she has rendered it invalid by going
| and marrying the testatsr!
Mr.. kOrsts. Gracious! What will his family
say! And his eldest son is eur best client. And
Miss Ellen?
Miss Fanny. Oh. she is the worst of the whole
lot. You remember Mr.. Sweetman Mildmay?
| Mr.. korsts. To be sure. We were proceed
| ing against him on a bill of exchange for 95G0.
MISS Fanny. Well he used to pay marked
attentions to me. He used to send me bou-
quets and lots of things. sir. We'll, the deceit
| 1ul creature has actually taken him from me
She bribed him, sir--bribe6 him! (Sobbing) !
am sure he wouldn't have given me up poor
fellow! if he hadn't been bribed!
Mr.. koYsts. Brihed! What do YOU mean!
| Miss Fanny. Why. the nasty creature stopped
all proceedings in your name, and gave him back
| the bill of exchange!
Mi. korsts (erpdoiiag). Gracious goodness!
(Afgrsty) And you, Miss Fanny, are RESPONSE
Die Tor all this. You were head Of the Office,
ana ought to have prevented the mischief. /
dismiss you en- the spot. 1t will be no great loss
because don't believe You have done q single
stroke OF work since you have been in the office!
There now.
Miss Fanny, (uery caa,ay). beg your pardon,
Mr.. korsts 1gaveyeu paper to sign the very
day l came here.
Mr., Korsts. Yes; and as l didn't read it no
doubt it was all wrong.
Miss Fanny. Onthe contrary, it was all right!
Here it is. Produces Paper
Mr.. korsts (''eadi'.y). Good gracious! for
NAL proposal to marry you!
Miss Fanny. Exactly. And if YOU do not COM
ply with it at once; l shall commence an action
ior breach. You shall have two minutes to de-
clde GOOd-day. Elit
Mr.. Korsts. She meansit Takes o,st ,ratch }
Why such an action would ruin me! What shall
do! Well. make the best Of it, It's consoins.
however to think that was right in surprising
that female clerks could act as Intelligent BRAIN
workers in the law! looks at acatch) The two
minutes are up! "Opens door Of communication }
Fanny! Dearest Fanny!
(Scene closes IN upon Dir. Korsts behothal
Punch