Page:Girls of Central High on the Stage.djvu/176

166 drops o' water, leetle grains o' sand piece, Miss Jess? Dat was suah a nice piece o' po'try."

"And you don't care for the parts you have heard of my play, Mammy?" asked Jess, much amused.

"Suah 'nuff, now! Did you make up disher play dey is goin' ter act?" demanded Mammy Jinny.

"I certainly did."

"Wal, I hates ter hu't yo' feelin's, Miss Jess," said Mammy, gravely, "but dat 'Leetle drops o' water' po'try was a hull lot better—ter my min'! Ya'as'm! yo kin' go right up. Yo'll hear demall a-spoutin'—spoutin' jes' like whales!"

And so she did. Chet was reading his lines with much unction while striding up and down Laura's pretty little room. Lance and Mother Wit were his audience.

"For goodness sake, Chet!" cried Jess, breaking in. "Who told you your part was tragic, and that 'The Spring Road' was tragedy?"

"Huh?" questioned Chet, stopping short and blinking at her.

"Do read the lines naturally. Don't be 'orating,' as Mammy Jinny calls it. I guess she's right. 'Little drops of water' is better than all