The song came to an end, and after flourishing bows, the quartette stood expectantly waiting. Soon something was thrown from a window, and, as it fell in the road, one of the singers stooped for it, and then they all bowed again.
It was a coin flung by one of the hotel guests, and it was quickly followed by others, until the singers were all four scrambling on the ground picking up the coppers and small silver bits that had rained down upon them. Sometimes a coin was flung wide of the mark, and this was picked up by the idle bystanders and usually given to one of the singers.
Then they sang again, and this time Patty ran for her purse, to take part in the recognition of the music. After this song, she and Flo threw down coins too, and it was great fun to watch the musicians pick them up. Probably from much practice they were very deft at this, and as the hotel was a large one and well filled with people, they reaped a fine harvest. At last, having doubtless noticed American voices among their audience, they sang Yankee Doodle, though a very much Italianised version of that classic composition. However, it struck a patriotic chord, and from many of the hotel windows American voices joined in the chorus. After this tribute to her native land, Patty flung down all her small change, and finally the minstrels wandered away to serenade some other hostelry.
“Wasn’t that fun?” said Patty, as she and Flo returned to their rooms. “I think Italians must be very honest people, or the others would have taken the money instead of the singers.”
“Perhaps they did,” said Flo, “or some of those others may have been friends of the singers who picked up the money for them.”
“Well it’s a pretty trick,” said Patty, “much nicer than hand-organs, I think.”
“Yes, or street pianos,” agreed Flo; “and now if you’ll kindly go back where you belong, I’ll return to my own slumbers, and don’t wake me up again to-night, if the United States Marine Band comes over to give a concert.”
“Indeed I won’t, you ungrateful creature; I’ll just enjoy it all by myself.”