a ducal personage behind a grille negligently informed him that there was nothing available in the orchestra before a week from Wednesday; but an undistinguished individual in the lobby--who may or may not have been there for that very purpose--mentioned that the Bilbosh Agency had some good seats. Thither went E. Van Tenner. Yes; the agency had a few seats left. There was one in the eighth row, three dollars and thirty cents, please. At the mention of the price, the beggar’s purse leaped from E. Van Tenner’s hand and fell flat on its face upon the floor.

E. Van Tenner took it forth and gave it air. Now in our amiable and easy-going bachelor, there was a definite streak of obstinacy. He had undertaken to see Gertie’s Green Garters and see it he would, always assuming that the magic receptacle would permit. He retraced his steps to the theater, retired to a corner of the lobby, and drew forth the chancellor of his exchequer.

“What’s the good?” it questioned. But the effect was that of inquiry, not of challenge.

“The good is that I’ve done a day’s work and am entitled to some amusement. What’s the harm?”

The beggar’s purse appeared to accept this view complaisantly. Back to the ticket window stepped E. Van Tenner.

“What is the best seat you have for tonight?” he asked the duke of the diagram. “Tenth row in the balcony; one sixty-five.”

“Can you see the stage from it?”

“Oh, yes,” replied the duke wearily. “You can see the stage.” His tone, aimed at the inquirer’s vanity, commented: “If you’re the kind of cheap person who goes into the balcony.” But E. Van Tenner’s vanity was now armored like the tropic ant-eater."I’ll take it,” he said; and the beggar's purse opened automatically. Rather to his surprise he found that his view of the play was just as unobstructed as in the orchestra seats to which he had been accustomed; and his hearing was much less interrupted--not to mention the fact that he had saved one dollar and sixty-five cents at one fell swoop. Thus he felt justified at the close of the performance in stopping for a bite of supper. 

A flaring light directed him to a place where, all too late, the frantic dissonances of a jazz band burst upon his shocked ears. Before he could retreat a coat-room attendant had his garments in pawn. Perforce he must go forward. As he dropped into a gilded and fragile chair a pair of ample ladies, wearing carefully greased evening gowns, 

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