Carmella Commands
It was true that Carmella never washed dishes except under strict compulsion. This morning, the instant breakfast was finished, she dashed from the house on an errand her mother did not know. But, her father being there and not interfering, what was there for a mother to say?
A few minutes before ten Carmella was back and handed a receipt to Tommaso.
“It is ours! It is ours! It is ours!” she shouted, dashing to the victrola and inserting a record. The strains of “Catch ’Em and Kill ’Em Politely” were unwinding themselves from the disk as a knock on the front door announced visitors. Carmella was there.
“Yes!” she said in response to the caller’s question. “This is Mr. Coletta’s house. He’ll be right out. Just a minute!”
In her excitement she slammed the door in the visitor’s face, and shouted for Tommaso. The latter, looking through the window, saw Mr. Richmond sitting in the machine and Mr. Hastings, meditatively rubbing his nose, on the sidewalk. Carmella was already dancing to the door with her hat on.
“You tell me what they say; you tell them what I say; that is all,” commanded Tommaso as they walked toward the yellow gate.
“Yes, dad. But first you tell them who I am,” said Carmella.
“Buon giorno!” said Tommaso, as they reached the machine. Pointing to Carmella, he tried to introduce
[43]
