“Hooray for Jotham and Miss Dayton, I say!” shouted Reuben Jenks, and everybody cheered.
Jotham was very happy over his musical success, and with a beaming face he announced, “Our next tableau is a copy of the large photograph on the right wall called ‘The Broken Pitcher,’ by Greuze.”
This time the curtain drew aside and there stood Randy, sweet Randy, as the demure little maid with the broken pitcher hanging to her wrist, her beautiful hair loosely bound, and her large gray eyes looking out at one for all the world like the Greuze model.
“Isn’t she lovely, mother?” said Jotham, who had stolen out in front of the frame in order to make sure of seeing this tableau.
“Well, I must say, she is,” said Mrs. Potts. “She’s always a pretty girl, but I do declare to-night she’s nothin’ short of handsome.”
“So I say,” said Jotham, and even Randy’s parents were surprised at her beauty. The tableau was recalled, and this time Randy blushed most becomingly because of the encore.
“Oh, do see my Randy!” called little Prue, who had been nodding when the tableau was first shown, and awoke with a start to see her dear Randy looking out from the frame.
“The next number will be a solo by Katie Buffum.” Immediately wee Katie was in position. She was not diffident in the least, and clasping her chubby hands she at once piped up with cheery voice:—
“Once there was a little mouse
No bigger than my fumb;
He crept into my pocket,
Where he hunted for a crumb.
“I put my finger in there,
Just to see what there was in it;
But the little mouse was naughty,
And he bit me in a minute.”