he Vibrato. She began to fill up the Parlor with her
new Friends, and the first thing Oliver knew he was in the Side Pocket
and out of the Game.

In his own Line this Oliver was as neat and easy-running as a Red Buggy,
but when you started him on the topic of Music he was about as light and
speedy as a Steam Roller. Ordinarily he knew how to behave himself in a
Flat, and with a good Feeder to work back at him he could talk about
Shows and Foot-Ball Games and Things to Eat, but when any one tried to
draw him out on the Classics, he was unable to Qualify.

[Illustration: LUTIE]

When Lutie and her Musical acquaintances told about Shopan and Batoven
he would sit back so quiet that often he got numb below the Hips. He was
afraid to move his Feet for fear some one would notice that he was still
in the Parlor and ask him how he liked Fugue No. II, by Bock. He had
never heard of any of these People, because they did not carry Tontine
Policies with his Company.

Oliver saw that he would have to Scratch the Musical Set or else begin
to Read Up, so he changed his Route. He canceled all Time with Lutie,
and made other Bookings.

Lutie then selected for her Steady a Young Man with Hair who played the
'Cello. He was so wrapped up in his Art that he acted Dopey most of the
time, and often forgot to send out the Laundry so as to get it back the
same Week. Furthermore, he didn't get to the Suds any too often. He
never Saw more than $3 at one time; but when he snuggled up alongside of
a 'Cello and began to tease the long, sad Notes out of it, you could
tell that he had a Soul for Music. Lutie thought he was Great, but what
Lutie's Father thought of him could never get past the Censor. Lutie's
Father regarded the whole Musical Set as a Fuzzy Bunch. He began to
think that in making any Outlay for Lutie's Vocal Training he had bought
a Gold Brick. When he first consented to her taking Lessons his Belief
was that after she had practiced for about one Term she would be able to
sit up to the Instrument along in the Dusk before the Lamps were lit,
and sing "When the Corn is Waving, Annie Dear," "One Sweetly Solemn
Thought," or else "Juanita." These were the Songs linked in his Memory
with some Purple Evenings of the Happy Long Ago. He knew they were
Chestnuts, and had been called in, but they suited him, and he thought
that inasmuch as he had put up the Wherewith for Lutie's Lessons he
ought to have some kind of a Small Run for his Money.