"Of course I may go wrong, but in my mind no gentleman would make remarks about another girl when he is with a lady." "Say, girlie, you're all right--lovely hair, beautiful eyes and all that--but cut it; drop in your penny and get wise to yourself. That's a great show you are with." "When was you out front?" "Night before last." "Night before last! My Heavens! Wasn't I a sight? You know the girl I dress with had been out to a wine supper and she came splashing into the dressing room lit up like a show window and cried my makeup box full of tears over the death of her baby sister, and the way I had to put it on I thought was sure good for a fine, and to make matters worse some hussy got next to all my toothpicks and I had to use a hairpin for a liner; but did you notice the way that cat of a soubrette keeps me out of the spotlight? Professional jealousy, that's all; but it don't do me no good to kick, because the stage manager sends her silk stockings and that kind of junk, while the best I get is a chance to hold hands with the electrician; but, of course, he gets his orders." "Say, that piece of work that stands on the end opposite you is all to the berries, ain't she?" "Her!" "Surest thing you know. She looks like a night-blooming pippin to me." "My, gracious, Mr. Jenkins, I never knocked a living soul, but I don't mind telling you as a friend that I personally would not degrade myself by speaking to her, and of course you know that the hair she wears is not her own. I haven't a thing in the world against the poor creature, but it has been breathed around the company that she is not all she should be. Of course, I don't know positively, but it is what everybody says, and I only wish she would make good with that four bits of mine." "Well, I'm glad there's no hard feeling between you two, as I would like to meet her." "I'm very sorry, but you will have to pardon me if I refuse to give you a knockdown, for I would steer no friend of a friend of mine up against a flim flam where there's so many nice girls running loose. Take Tessie Samonies, for example, she ain't very pretty, but she's awfully cute, and after she gets a couple of sloe gins boosted into her she certainly is the life of the party." "All right, frame it up for me and I'll open wine or a window or something to show that I'm a true sport." "You bet I will, and we'll have a nice little family party, no knocking or nothing; just sit and talk real friendly like." "That's the idea and if anyone starts the anvil chorus they get the skiddo. What? Who will we have?" "Well, let's see, we'll have Tessie and you, me and Silent Murphy here--and let's see who else?" "Joe Zeweibaum and Miss Veronique." "Not yet. Joe is all right in a crowd if you can keep him from talking about his sales, but the dame--not for me, for if there's any one gets my goat she's it." "Shall we have Frank Millar and his first wife?"