[_THE SCENE is an ordinary tailor shop two steps down from the sidewalk. Mirror on one side. Equipment third rate. Mrs. Solomon Lezinsky, alone in the shop, is examining a torn pair of trousers as Mrs. Rooney comes in._]
MRS. LEZINSKY [_27 years old, medium height and weight, dark, attractive. In a pleased voice with a slight Yiddish accent_]. Mrs. Rooney!
MRS. ROONEY [_30 years old. A plump and pretty Irish woman_]. I only ran in for a minute to bring you these. [_Holds up a pair of roller skates and a picture book._] Eileen's out there in the carriage. [_Both women look out at the baby-carriage in front of the window._]
MRS. LEZINSKY. Bring her in, Mrs. Rooney. Such a beautiful child--your Eileen!
MRS. ROONEY. Can't stop--where's the kids?
MRS. LEZINSKY. The janitress takes them to the moving pictures with her Izzy.
MRS. ROONEY. You wouldn't believe the things I've run across this day, packing. [_Puts down the skates._] I'm thinking these skates'll fit one of your lads. My Mickey--God rest his soul!--used to tear around great on them.
MRS. LEZINSKY. Fine, Mrs. Rooney! [_Examines the skates._ But couldn't you save them for Eileen?
MRS. ROONEY. Sure, she'd be long growing up to them and they be laying by gathering the rust.
MRS. LEZINSKY. My David and Julius and Benny could die for joy with these fine skates, I tell you, Mrs. Rooney.
MRS. ROONEY. Here's an old book [_hands Mrs. Lezinsky the book_], but too good to throw away entirely.
MRS. LEZINSKY [_opens the book_]. Fine, Mrs. Rooney! Such a book with pictures in it! My Benny's wild for picture books. Julius reads, reads--always learning. Something wonderful, I tell you. Just like the papa--my Solly ruins himself with his nose always stuck in the Torah.
MRS. ROONEY. The Toro? 'Tis a book I never heard tell of.
MRS. LEZINSKY. The law and the prophets--my Solly was meant to be a rabbi once.
MRS. LEZINSKY. You know what a rabbi is by us, Mrs. Rooney?
MRS. ROONEY. Indeed, I know what a rabbi is, Mrs. Lezinsky--a rabbi is a Jewish priest.
MRS. LEZINSKY. You don't hate the Jewish religion, Mrs. Rooney?
MRS. ROONEY. Every one has a right to their own religion. Some of us are born Jewish--like you, Mrs. Lezinsky, and some are born Catholics, like me.