who
fascinated Kelly, Herrick prayed would catch pneumonia and die of
it. And when the drop rose upon the Countess Zichy's bears, his
dissatisfaction reached a climax.

There were three bears--a large papa bear, a mamma bear, and the
baby bear. On the programme they were described as Bruno, Clara,
and Ikey. They were of a dusty brown, with long, curling noses
tipped with white, and fat, tan-colored bellies. When father
Bruno,
on his hind legs and bare feet, waddled down the stage, he
resembled a Hebrew gentleman in a brown bathing suit who had lost
his waist-line. As he tripped doubtfully forward, with mincing
steps, he continually and mournfully wagged his head. He seemed
to
be saying: "This water is much too cold for me." The mamma bear
was
dressed in a poke bonnet and white apron, and resembled the wolf
who frightened Little Red Riding-Hood, and Ikey, the baby bear,
wore rakishly over one eye the pointed cap of a clown. To those
who
knew their vaudeville, this was indisputable evidence that Ikey
would furnish the comic relief. Nor did Ikey disappoint them. He
was a wayward son. When his parents were laboriously engaged in a
boxing-match, or dancing to the "Merry Widow Waltz," or balancing
on step-ladders, Ikey, on all fours, would scamper to the
foot-lights and, leaning over, make a swift grab at the head of
the
first trombone. And when the Countess Zichy, apprised by the
shouts