It was very funny.
Cousin Elizabeth was the Lady Jane, who was "tall and slim," while the part of Sir Thomas was wonderfully well acted by Cousin Tom, and when that portly old gentleman, who it seems was a naturalist, went around "unearthing his worms and his grubs," he looked very funny indeed.
And then when
"Close by the side
Of the bank he espied
An uncommon fine tadpole, remarkably fat;
He stooped, and he thought her his own, he had caught her,
Got hold of her tail, and to land almost brought her,
When, he plumped head and heels into fifteen feet water,"
and the shadow Sir Thomas ducked suddenly into the pond, and a very real
splashing was heard, the delighted audience fairly shouted with laughter.
And then when the funny old gardener appeared, bringing to the august Lady Jane the news of Sir Thomas' fate, and when the jocund Captain McBride tried to console the weeping lady,—but, no, I can't tell it all to you; to see how funny it all was you will have to read the ballad in the "Ingoldsby Legends" for yourself.
When that was over, sandwiches, ices and cakes were served and they seemed to be as thoroughly enjoyed by the young people as were Aunt Isabel's elaborate feasts, though by contrast it seemed to Patty a very slight repast.
Next came the "Quotation Salad" which was Ruth's pride and delight.
Cousin Elizabeth passed around a great bowl, which seemed to be full of leaves of crisp, green lettuce.
They were, however, made of tissue paper, and each leaf had attached to it a strip of writing paper on which was written a quotation.
These were from well-known poems or historic speeches, or even from Mother
Goose's Melodies and other juvenile classics.
Each child drew out three leaves, and endeavored to remember or guess the source of the quotations written thereon.