THE FOND MOTHER (_from bank, to_ CHILDREN _on the ice_). That's right. Alma, you're doing it _beautifully_--don't _walk_ so much! (_To_ FRENCH GOVERNESS). Alma fay bocoo de progray, may elle ne glisse assez--nayse par, Ma'amzell? MADEMOISELLE. C'est Ella qui est la plus habile, elle patine dejà très bien--et avec un aplomb! THE F. M. Wee-wee; may Ella est la plus viaile, vous savvy. Look at Ella, Alma, and see how _she_ does it! MAD. Vous marchez toujours--toujours, Alma; tâchez donc de glisser un petit peu--c'est beaucoup plus facile! ALMA. Snay pas facile quand vous avez les skates toutes sur un côté--comme _moi_, Ma'amzell! F. M. Ne repondy à Ma'amzell, Alma, and watch Ella! ELLA. Regardez-moi, Alma. Je puis voler vîte--oh, mais vîte ... oh I _have_ hurt myself so! ALMA (_with sisterly sympathy._) _That's_ what comes of trying to show _off_, Ella, darling! [ELLA _is helped to the bank_. A PATERNAL SKATE-FASTENER. 'Ere you are, Missie--set down on this 'ere cheer--and you, too, my little dear--lor, _they_ won't do them cheers no 'arm, Mum, bless their little 'arts! Lemme tyke yer little skites orf, my pooties. _I'll_ be keerful, Mum--got childring o' my own at 'ome--the moral o' _your_ two, Mum! [Illustration: "SNAY PAS FACILE QUAND VOUS AVEZ LES SKATES TOUTES SUR UN CÔTÉ--COMME MOI!"] THE F. M. (_to_ GOVERNESS). Sayt un homme avec un bong ker. Avez-vous--er--des cuivres, Ma'amzell? THE P. S. (_disgustedly_). Wot?--only two bloomin' browns fur tykin' the skites orf them two kids' trotters! I want a shellin' orf o' you fur that job, _I_ do.... "Not another penny?" Well, if you do everythink as cheap as you do yer skiting, you orter be puttin' money by, _you_ ought! That's right, tyke them snivellin' kids 'ome--blow me if ever I--&c., &c., &c. [_Exit party, pursued by powerful metaphors._ THE EGOTISTIC SKATER (_in charge of a small_ NIECE). Just see if you can get along by yourself a little--I'll come back presently. Practise striking out. THE NIECE. But, Uncle, directly I strike out, I fall down! THE E. S. (_encouragingly_). You will at first, till you get into it--gives you confidence. Keep on at it--don't stand about, or you'll catch cold. I shall be keeping my eye on you! [_Skates off to better ice._ THE FANCY SKATER (_to less accomplished_ FRIEND). This is a pretty figure--sort of variation of the "Cross Cut," ending up with "The Vine"; it's done this way (_illustrating_), quarter of circle on outside edge forwards; then sudden stop----(_He sits down with violence_). Didn't quite come off that time! THE FRIEND. The sudden stop came off right enough, old fellow! THE F. S. I'll show you again--it's really a neat thing when it's well done; you do it all on one leg, like this---- [_Executes an elaborate back-fall._ HIS FRIEND. You seem to do most of it on no legs at all, old chap! THE F. S. Haven't practised it lately, that's all. Now here's a figure I invented myself. "The Swooping Hawk" I call it.