Rebuke

Conductor Leopold Anton Stanislaw Stokowski has a way of taking his Philadelphia audiences to account. Last week they annoyed him by coming late to a concert, clattering down the aisles, banging down seats. He stopped the music, wheeled on them: "Please, please don't make those noises. They are very distracting. We work hard all week to give you this music, but I cannot do my best without your aid. I'll give you my best or I won't give you anything. It is for you to choose."

The ushers mistook the pause for the end of the number, admitted more people. Conductor Stokowski sprang off his dais and off the stage. Philadelphians caught their breaths, sat still as pins till he came back, started the concert for the third time.