ed farther forward and addressed Milton.

"You've chosen a fine program to introduce your friend to good music
with," he said; and therewith began a lively conversation that lasted
until a round of applause signalized the appearance of the conductor.
The next moment he raised his baton and the celli began to sigh the
mournful phrase which ushers in the symphony. Milton leaned back
luxuriously as the woodwind commenced the next phrase; and then, while
the introduction ended with a sweeping crescendo and the tempo suddenly
increased, Elkan sat up and his eyes became fixed on the trombone and
trumpet players.

He maintained this attitude throughout the entire first movement, and it
was not until the conductor's arm fell motionless at his side that he
settled back in his seat.

"Well," Milton asked, "what do you think of it?"

"A-Number-One!" Elkan answered hoarsely. "It would suit me just so well
if it would last the whole evening and we wouldn't have no singing and
dancing at all."

"What do you mean--no singing and dancing!" Milton exclaimed.

"Sure!" Elkan continued. "I wish them fellers would play the whole
evening."

The conductor tapped his desk with his baton.

"Don't worry," Milton commented as he settled himself for the next
movement. "You'll get your wish all right."

Elkan looked inquiringly at his mentor, but Milton only placed his
forefinger to his lips; and thereafter, until the conclusion of the
symphony, the pauses between the movements of the symphony were so brief
that Elkan had no opportunity to make further inquiries.

"Well, neighbour," asked the gentleman on his right, as the musicians
filed off the stage for the ten-minutes' intermission, "what do you
think of your first symphony?"

Elkan smiled and concealed his shyness by clearing his throat.

"The symphony is all right," he said; "but, with all them operators
there, what is the use they are trying to save money hiring only one
foreman?"

"One foreman?" his neighbour cried.

"Sure--the feller with the stick," Elkan went on blandly. "Naturally he
couldn't keep his eye on all them people at oncet--ain't it? I am
watching them fellers, which they are working them big brass machines,
for the last half hour, and except for five or ten minutes they sit
there doing absolutely nothing--just fooling away their time."

"Them fellers ain't fooling away their time," Milton said gravely. "They
ain't got nothing to do only at intervals."

"T