"Fritz is playing—" she began eagerly.
But Mr. Toymaker cut her short. He was in a bad mood. He had sold no toys again today and he could not find his friend, Mr. Krauss. He was jealous, too, of the toyshop keepers who were selling their handsome wares. Now he spent his rage upon little Mitzi.
"Stop!" he cried. "Do not speak again of that boy's silly playing! Go and bring him to me now. You and he shall keep my booth for me. I am going once more to look for Mr. Krauss."
Mitzi's glowing cheeks turned pale. She pulled at her father's sleeve.
"No, no! You must come with me," she pleaded. "Please, Father, close up the booth just for a little while, until we return, and come—"
"Enough!" cried Mr. Toymaker. "Do you tell me what to do or do I tell you what to do? Now, go and fetch that lazy brother of yours. Bring him back here to help you keep my booth for me."
| FRITZ PLAYED |
When poor, weeping Mitzi returned to the park, the gentleman with the violin case was still there. He stood very close to Fritz. The boy was playing a minuet. A rather large crowd still remained. Mitzi waited until Fritz finished playing the minuet. Then she went up to him.
"Oh, Fritz," she said, "Father would not come with me. He wants us to go to the market place right away."