Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

The scene opens in the library of the Dowd family mansion. The room is filled with lots of old-fashioned and grandiose furniture, but the most obvious thing in the room is an oil painting of an older woman above the mantle. A woman's voice, singing badly, can be heard coming from the next room.

The telephone is ringing and Myrtle Mae, a young woman, comes to answer it. The phone call is for her mother, Veta, and Myrtle Mae calls her in. Upon learning that the call is from the Society Editor of the newspaper, Veta gladly takes it. It becomes apparent that Veta and Myrtle Mae have guests in another part of the house, and Veta is describing the particulars of the gathering over the phone. While doing so, she motions to the portrait above the mantle, and proceeds to...