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really indulge ourselves too much. But at this time there was a vaudeville house on Seventh Avenue between 125th and 126th we called the Alhambra. This was big-time vaudeville. We were regular patrons. Remember, movies were just starting. We were just beginning to go to five-cent movie shows--you know, three or four one reels for a nickel. These were in stores; old, abandoned stores. One was called The Nickelette, another was called The Nickelodian.

Also, at this time, I had my first piece published in the St. Nicholas magazine called “How I Spent My Vacation,” and I got a silver badge for it. The reason that I remember it is that some fan this summer sent it to me; found it in an attic!

Did you have a copy of it already?

I'd forgotten all about it.

What was the St. Nicholas, a newspaper?

Oh, no, that was a magazine for kids. Every kid read the St. Nick. It came out once a month. It was a famous magazine for boys and girls.

What did you do during your summer that you wrote about?

I think I made the whole thing up. I talked about the