The proceedings had begun
to resemble not so much a rehearsal as a happy home evening, and
grateful glances were cast at the complacent cherub. She had, it was
felt, shown tact and discretion.

Pleasant conversation began again.

"... And I walked a couple of blocks, and there was exactly the same
model in Schwartz and Gulderstein's window at twenty-six fifty...."

"... He got on Forty-second Street, and he was kinda fresh from the
start. At Sixty-sixth he came sasshaying right down the car and said
'Hello, patootie!' Well, I drew myself up...."

"... Even if you are my sister's husband,' I said to him. Oh, I
suppose I got a temper. It takes a lot to arouse it, y'know, but I c'n
get pretty mad...."

"... You don't know the half of it, dearie, you don't know the half of
it! A one-piece bathing suit! Well, you could call it that, but the
cop of the beach said it was more like a baby's sock. And when...."

"... So I said 'Listen, Izzy, that'll be about all from you! My father
was a gentleman, though I don't suppose you know what that means, and
I'm not accustomed....'"

"Hey!"

A voice from the neighbourhood of the door had cut into the babble
like a knife into butter; a rough, rasping voice, loud and compelling,
which caused the conversation of the members of the ensemble to cease
on the instant. Only Mr. Saltzburg, now in a perfect frenzy of
musicianly fervour, continued to assault the decrepit piano, unwitting
of an unsympathetic addition to his audience.

"What I play you now is the laughing trio from my second act. It is a
building number. It is sung by tenor, principal comedian, and
soubrette. On the second refrain four girls will come out and two
boys. The girls will dance with the two men, the boys with the
soubrette. So! On the encore four more girls and two more boys. Third
encore, solo-dance for specialty dancer, all on stage beating time by
clapping their hands. On repeat, all sing refrain once more, and off.
Last encore, the three principals and specialty dancer dance the dance
with entire chorus. It is a great building number, you understand. It
is enough to make the success of any musical play, but can I get a
hearing? No! If I ask managers to listen to my music, they are busy!
If I beg them to give me a libretto to set, they laugh--ha! ha!" Mr.
Saltzburg gave a spirited and lifelike representation of a manager
laughing ha-ha when begged to disgorge a libretto. "Now I play it once
more!"

"Like