Four Daughters

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1

What's the matter with you, Emma?

I forgot the soup bowl for dinner.

Soup bowl? Bah!

I hope your soup bowl is better

than your music. That's enough.

Darling, don't be mad just because we

didn't turn out to be four little genii.

Anyway, you seem to forget

there is a genius in the family.

If you're referring to Kay's voice,

it's just an ordinary voice.

It needs years of hard

work and training ..

Why father, when you applied at

the Foundation for the scholarship ..

You wrote:
"A thrilling voice.

The greatest this side of Tetrazzini ."

Well I couldn't spell "mediocre".

Anyway, they expect

a father to exaggerate.

Spell "exaggerate".

E.X.A ..

Besides, what the use of having a voice

like Tetrazzini if you're lazy to study.

All you think of is stuffing yourself

with chocolates and reading trash.

Look at it:
True Love Stories. Bah!

Dad, you should be glad

we're the way we are.

Instead of frumps with

long noses and eyeglasses.

That's what you really deserve, Mr Lemp.

The trouble with you Dad,

is that your old-fashioned.

Old-fashioned?

I suppose you'd like this house full of

jazz and swing and crooners and whatnot.

Will you be quiet! Will you stop it!

Madness, madness, madness!

I can hear you at the back of the

house and so can all the neighbors.

Well, let the whole world hear.

I've been a good person.

What have I done to

deserve such daughters?

How many more times must I remind

you about your blood-pressure?

Listen, you are my sister, not my

doctor. And it is my blood pressure.

If I want it to go up, it will go up,

and I want it to go up!

I tell you this modern fashion

isn't and never will be music.

I won't insult my ears with it.

I'd rather hear Brahms

played with discord.

I'll go to the Hall Of Records to strike

my name off your birth certificates.

Yes! That's what I'll do ..

Daddy, Daddy ..

Keep smiling, Dad.

Goodbye.

Let me kiss you goodbye, Daddy.

I don't want a kiss from any of you!

Keep smiling, Dad.

You want an umbrella?

It won't rain.

Let me fix your tie.

Let it hang.

I never knew a man who got so

much enjoyment out of being angry.

Girls, you shouldn't

tease him like that.

Hello, Mr Lemp.

Hello, young man.

Emma, here comes your heartbeat.

Stop kidding.

Hello.

More flowers!

You know Ernie, you shouldn't.

Well, this time, aunt Etta.

You see, what I'm trying to say is ..

Never mind. Take it easy. Take it easy.

Hello, everybody.

Hello, Ernest. Hello, Ernest.

Hello, Emma.

Hello.

What is it today, Ernest?

Orchids.

Orchids?

Ernest, you shouldn't.

Why, the flowers you brought

yesterday are still as fresh as can be.

Well .. it's .. it's for you.

Why Ernest, I didn't know

you needed glasses.

I'm Thea, the clever sister.

There is Emma.

Now run to her with the orchids,

and bless you, my children.

But this time .. it's really for you.

For me?

What?

You're just a small town Lothario.

Yes. Thanks.

There is a card inside. A fellah came

into the shop and .. he suggested I ..

"Mr Benjamin Crowley".

"I hope you'll wear these tonight."

Why Thea, who is he?

Where'd you meet him?

Look girls. I just met him this morning.

He's so handsome.

Where'd you meet?

He was with Amanda Rawlings at tennis.

He drove up in a great big gray car.

Thea, you say the handsomest ..

Well, make that the most distinguished.

Is he tall?

Well ..

Yes and no.

Is he young?

He's young enough.

And he's rich?

He's strictly surtax.

He's president of the Booster Society

and Secretary of the Saltmarsh gun club.

He loves duck dinners.

And he probably has indigestion

every Tuesday and Friday.

What did you say his name was again?

Mr Benjamin Crowley.

Well, I guess I'd better ..

He can't be so very rich.

He asked me to go to the Country Club

dance tonight.I accepted.

You didn't?

I did.

Well, I guess I'd better get going.

I beg your pardon?

I said, I'd guess I'd better go.

Oh yes. Well, goodbye.

Goodbye.

Oh Ernest, what did you

have to bring them for?

You see, you've spoiled everything.

Why didn't I have had the thrill of the

delivery boy rushing up to the door ..

"Flowers for Miss Thea Lemp!"

Don't be silly.

Well, it seemed foolish, me living

next door. It saved the boy a trip.

Of course, Ernest. It was

the sensible thing to do.

And you're just in

time to get your socks.

Oh, I forgot.

Here they are, Emma.

Do you think orchids are just my type?

Well, they are beautiful at that.

That's romance for you. Orchids

in one hand, socks in another.

Here, Ernest. They're all mended.

Gee, I don't know how to thank you.

Don't thank me. Aunt Etta darned them.

Oh. Well, thank you for

handing them to me.

Oh, aren't they marvelous?

If there is anything I can do ..

They're dry. You don't

have to wring them.

Look out.

Goodbye.

If ever someday he finishes

a sentence, I'll marry him.

I hope he does.

Hey, Emma.

Will you just wait here

a minute. I've got ..

It's for you.

Ernest, you can't afford this.

Well, as long as Mr Crowley can

send orchids to Thea, I guess ..

Well ..

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

I guess I'd better run along.

Bye.

Hey, Emma. Emma.

Where is your slip?

I can't find it anywhere.

I've been looking all over for it.

Thea Lemp, you're not going

to wear another slip of mine.

I want this stocking, Thea.

That will make a pair.

I'll be glad to do your hair for you.

Well, heaven's sake, let's get going.

He'll be here any moment.

Hey, what's going on in here?

Never mind that. Let me have your slip.

Maybe someday you'll want mine.

Hey, Emma.

You'll find it in my drawer

over by the window.

A fine state of affairs when I

have to look in Kay's drawer ..

For my slip so that Thea can wear it.

Here we are, work ourselves

into a lather and you ..

Kay, why don't you do something?

I'm doing very important work.

I'm relaxing for you.

When a Lemp beauty goes out, the rest

of the family becomes a nudist colony.

You all think Master Ben Crowley

is worthy of all this here fuss?

Why sure he is, honey-child. Master Ben

Crowley has got money and lots of it.

What Thea wants is butlers like the

Rawlings, with servants to order around.

We get along.

Yes. Making over old dresses.

I want people in a crowd to

point me out in a crowd and say:

"There goes the smart Mrs Crowley."

But suppose you don't love him?

Love is overrated, old fashioned.

Last generation.

Last generation or not.

I still want love.

Storybook style, with all the trimmings.

A knight in shining

armor on a white horse.

Don't be silly. Where are you going

to find a white horse these days?

Why worry about the future?

If you've got anything

coming to you, it'll come.

Ann, tell them I'm right.

About love, I mean.

I don't think you are.

I wouldn't mind mothering someone

like a kitten or a puppy or a baby.

And I want fun. Lots of laughs.

All the married people I've seen,why

there a little bit short on laughter.

Maybe if I had a baby

without any husband.

Now you are talking nonsense.

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