"I have a little finger,
An' I have a little beau;
When I get a little bigger
I'll have a little toe."
"Well, she got it all in," said Mrs. Wiggs, in a relieved tone, as
Europena was lifted down.
After this, other little girls came forward and made some unintelligible remarks concerning Santa Claus. It was with some difficulty that they went through their parts, for Mr. Rothchild kept getting in the way as he calmly and uncompromisingly continued to hang cornucopias on the tree. Songs and recitations followed, but even the youngest spectator realized that these were only preliminary skirmishes.
At last a bell rang. Two bedspreads. which served as curtains were majestically withdrawn. A sigh of admiration swept the room. "Ain't he cute!" whispered a girl in the rear, as Billy rose resplendent in pink tights and crimson doublet, and folding his arms high on his breast, recited in a deep voice:
"I have, alas! philosophy,
Medicine, jurisprudence too,
And, to my cost, theology
With ardent labor studied through."
"I don't see no sense in what he's sayin' at all," whispered Miss
Hazy.
"It's jes what was in the book," answered Mrs. Wiggs, "'cause I heared him repeat it off before supper."
The entrance of Jake awakened the flagging interest. Nobody understood what he said either, but he made horrible faces, and waved his red arms, and caused a pleasant diversion.
"Maw, what's John Bagby a-handin' round in that little saucer?" asked
Australia.
"Fer the mercy sake! I don't know," answered her mother, craning her neck to see.