THE FUNNY PRIMA DONNAS.
Three girls should wear ridiculous costumes, making themselves as grotesque as possible. Each one being a prima donna, should try to outdo the other in appearance as also in voice. The hair should be fashioned after the same arrangement as that of a celebrated vocalist, the hands and arms should be covered with evening gloves. The material of the frock need not be costly, but it should be smart and showy; the frock should be made with a train. Each should carry a conspicuous fan, or immense bouquets of large bright flowers, such as full-blown roses, poppies, yellow chrysanthemums, etc. The bouquets should be trimmed elaborately around with white paper lace.
At an appropriate time the hostess will announce the arrival of three celebrated Prima Donnas, and before they appear she will give each of the company a noticeably colored paper flower, or bunch of flowers, such as marigolds, morning glories, scarlet geraniums. Having given the flowers, she will say, “When the artists have concluded their song, let each one do as I do.”
This said, the artists enter, and having promenaded to the front room, gesticulating all the time, they bow and sing a line each, and each in a different key, to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne,” the following:
Young Mousy Mouse
Has made a house
Out of the farmer’s cheese.
Then in chorus,—
And eats away
With friends each day,
As jolly as you please.
Then separately the first three lines of the second verse,—
But Mousy Mouse
Don’t see her house
Soon swallowed up must be.
In chorus,—
And with that house
Goes that poor mouse
As sure as sure can be.
The instant the last word is sung, the hostess, with all her might and main, throws her flower to reach the artist’s feet, and as the company has been told to copy her, there is a perfect rain of flowers. Afterwards they are gathered, and divided between the Prima Donnas, who triumphantly carry them home as souvenirs of their charming reception.