MRS. ROONEY. You wouldn't believe the things I've run across this day, packing. [_Puts down the skates._] I'm thinking these skates'll fit one of your lads. My Mickey--God rest his soul!--used to tear around great on them. MRS. LEZINSKY. Fine, Mrs. Rooney! [_Examines the skates._ But couldn't you save them for Eileen? MRS. ROONEY. Sure, she'd be long growing up to them and they be laying by gathering the rust. MRS. LEZINSKY. My David and Julius and Benny could die for joy with these fine skates, I tell you, Mrs. Rooney. MRS. ROONEY. Here's an old book [_hands Mrs. Lezinsky the book_], but too good to throw away entirely. MRS. LEZINSKY [_opens the book_]. Fine, Mrs. Rooney! Such a book with pictures in it! My Benny's wild for picture books. Julius reads, reads--always learning. Something wonderful, I tell you. Just like the papa--my Solly ruins himself with his nose always stuck in the Torah. MRS. ROONEY. The Toro? 'Tis a book I never heard tell of. MRS. LEZINSKY. The law and the prophets--my Solly was meant to be a rabbi once. MRS. ROONEY. A rabbi? MRS. LEZINSKY. You know what a rabbi is by us, Mrs. Rooney? MRS. ROONEY. Indeed, I know what a rabbi is, Mrs. Lezinsky--a rabbi is a Jewish priest. MRS. LEZINSKY. You don't hate the Jewish religion, Mrs. Rooney? MRS. ROONEY. Every one has a right to their own religion. Some of us are born Jewish--like you, Mrs. Lezinsky, and some are born Catholics, like me. MRS. LEZINSKY. Catholics like you are fine, Mrs. Rooney. Such a good neighbor! A good customer, too! Why should you move away now, Mrs. Rooney? MRS. ROONEY. The air in the Bronx will be fine for Eileen. 'Tis a great pity you couldn't be moving there, yourself. With the fresh air and the cheap rent, 'twould be great for yourself and the boys--not to mention the baby that's coming to you. MRS. LEZINSKY. Thank God, that don't happen for a little while yet. But in the hottest weather--maybe--some Septembers--even so late yet--ain't it, Mrs. Rooney? Always trouble by us. Such expense, too. The agent takes the rent to-day. With Solly's eyes so bad it's a blessing when we can pay the rent even. And the gas bills! So much pants pressing! See? They send us this already. [_Shows a paper._] A notice to pay right away or they shut it off. Only ten days overdue. Would you believe it, Mrs. Rooney? Maybe we catch up a little next month. It don't pay no longer, this business. And soon now another mouth to feed, and still my Solly sticks by his learning. MRS. ROONEY. But he can't be a rabbi now, can he? MRS. LEZINSKY. He can't be a rabbi now, no more, Mrs. Rooney, but such a pious man--my Solly. He must be a poor tailor, but he never gives up his learning--not for anything he gives that up. Learning's good for my David and Julius and Benny soon, but it's bad for my Solly. It leaves him no eyes for the business, Mrs. Rooney. MRS. ROONEY. And are the poor eyes as bad as ever?