"The next event upon our interesting programme," he announced,
"will be a banjosephine obligato in A-sia minor, by that justly
renowned impresario, Signor Conde Tin-pani Rivers, specially
engaged for this performance; with a pleasing and pan-hellenic
song-and-dance turn by Miss Travis Bessemer, the infant
phenomenon, otherwise known as 'Babby Bessie.'"

"You're not going to play that banjo here?" said Travis, as he
stripped away the canvas covering.

"Order in the gallery!" cried Condy, beginning to tune up. Then
in a rapid, professional monotone: "Ladies-and-gentlemen - with -
your - kind - permission - I - will - endeavor - to - give - you -
an - imitation - of - a - Carolina - coon - song"--and without
more ado, singing the words to a rattling, catchy accompaniment,
swung off into--


"F--or MY gal's a high-born leddy,
SHE'S brack, but not too shady."


He did not sing loud, and the clack and snarl of the banjo carried
hardly further than the adjoining room; but there was no one to
hear, and, as he went along, even Travis began to hum the words,
but at that, Condy stopped abruptly, laid the instrument across
his knees with exaggerated solicitude, and said deliberately:

"Travis, you are a good, sweet girl, and what you lack in beauty
you make up in amiability, and I've no doubt you are kind to your