Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, wore a pretty Dolly Varden costume, and carried a watering-pot, while Little Boy Blue shyly blew his horn at her. There were several Lord Fauntleroys, and Buster Browns and Rollos, and also a great many who represented nobody in particular, but just a dear little child.
Mr. Fairfield and Nan, though they had said they would come to the party dressed as children, had changed their minds, and arrived later than the others, wearing the garb of elderly people.
They said they were the grandparents, come to look at the children enjoy themselves.
Nan made a very sweet old lady, with white wig, and gold glasses, while Mr. Fairfield pretended to be an old man, cross and gouty. But so funny was his ferocious crustiness that nobody felt in awe of him.
Led by Lady Hamilton, the boys and girls played all sorts of merry children’s games.
“Ring Around a Rosy,” “London Bridge is Falling Down,” “Hide the Thimble,” and other such infantile entertainments proved exceedingly mirth-provoking. The big babies were continually crying over fancied woes, and sometimes even the historic characters grew humorously quarrelsome.
At half-past four supper was served. The children were formed in pairs for a grand march. To the strains of “The Baby’s Opera” they marched to another room, where a long table was set for them.
At each place was a bread-and-milk set, and a mug which was lettered in gilt, “For a Good Child.”
The mugs were especially pretty ones, and were to be taken home as souvenirs. At each place was a bib with strings, and when these were tied around their necks, the big “children” looked absurd indeed.
In keeping with their assumed rôles, their table manners were not impeccable, and many fists pounded on the table, while babyish voices said: “Me wants me thupper,” or “Div me some beddy-butter!” But though the bowls and mugs betokened infantile fare, the supper really served included dainty salads and sandwiches, followed by ices, jellies and cakes, and was fully enjoyed by the healthy appetites which belong to young people of eighteen or thereabouts.