Prudy Keeping House

In a cozy, ivy‑clad parlor, young Prudy and her spirited siblings—Dotty, Horace, and the curious little Fly—watch a snow‑storm paint the world outside their bay window. Their playful banter turns the drifting flakes into featherless birds and sunlit knights, while Aunt Madge entertains them with riddles and gentle admonitions. The scene captures a world of innocence, imagination, and the comforting hum of family life in a late‑nineteenth‑century home.

When a hurried messenger delivers a letter from Uncle Augustus, the children’s routine is interrupted, hinting at an unexpected journey ahead. Meanwhile, the arrival of Maria, a newly‑met blind girl, brings both concern and hope as the family arranges a doctor's visit to restore her sight. As the first act unfolds, listeners are invited to share in the warmth of friendship, curiosity, and the subtle stirrings of change that lie just beyond the frosty windowpanes.