text_original: At last the manager has contrived that a plank be laid across the tops of two step ladders, behind a drop so that the audience cannot see. No reasonable pirate could refuse to squat upon the plank until the curtain fell. [Illustration: With uncertain, questing finger] We are getting on. Our company has been selected. We need only a handful of actors, but the manager has enlisted the street. The dearest little girl has been chosen for Betsy, and each day she practices her lullaby at the piano with uncertain, questing finger.
text_transcription: AT LAST THE MANAGER HAS CONTRIVED THAT A PLANK BE LAID ACROSS THE TOP OF TWO STEP LADDERS BEHIND A DROP SO THE AUDIENCE CANNOT SEE NO REASONABLE PIRATE COULD REFUSE SQUAT UPON THE PLANK UNTIL THE CURTAIN FELL WE ARE GETTING ON OUR COMPANY HAS BEEN SELECTED WE NEED ONLY A HANDFUL OF ACTORS BUT THE MANAGER HAS ENLISTED THE STREET THE DEAREST LITTLE GIRL HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR BETSY AND EACH DAY SHE PRACTISES HER LULLABY AT THE PIANO WITH UNCERTAIN QUESTING FINGER
phonemes: æt lˈæst ðə mˈænɪdʒɚ hɐz kəntɹˈaɪvd ðˌæɾə plˈæŋk biː lˈeɪd əkɹˌɑːs ðə tˈɑːps ʌv tˈuː stˈɛp lˈædɚz, bᵻhˌaɪnd ɐ dɹˈɑːp sˌoʊ ðætðɪ ˈɔːdiəns kænˈɑːt sˈiː. nˈoʊ ɹˈiːzənəbəl pˈaɪɹət kʊd ɹᵻfjˈuːz tə skwˈɑːt əpˌɑːn ðə plˈæŋk ʌntˈɪl ðə kˈɜːtən fˈɛl. [ˌɪləstɹˈeɪʃən: wɪð ʌnsˈɜːʔn̩, kwˈɛstɪŋ fˈɪŋɡɚ] wiː ɑːɹ ɡˌɛɾɪŋ ˈɔn. ˌaʊɚ kˈʌmpəni hˈæzbiːn sᵻlˈɛktᵻd. wiː nˈiːd ˈoʊnli ɐ hˈændfəl ʌv ˈæktɚz, bˌʌt ðə mˈænɪdʒɚ hɐz ɛnlˈɪstᵻd ðə stɹˈiːt. ðə dˈɪɹɪst lˈɪɾəl ɡˈɜːl hˈæzbiːn tʃˈoʊzən fɔːɹ bˈɛtsi, ænd ˈiːtʃ dˈeɪ ʃiː pɹˈæktɪsᵻz hɜː lˈʌləbˌaɪ æt ðə piˈænoʊ wɪð ʌnsˈɜːʔn̩, kwˈɛstɪŋ fˈɪŋɡɚ.