“I should think Charlotte would rather be excused from having Artie’s help, but Daisy, you have our full and free permission to amuse the children to your heart’s content;” saying this, Papa very suddenly opened the door, and Artie fell in the room, headlong, whilst old Carlo, dressed in Celia’s spectacles and cap, with black shawl and white apron on, leaped over the prostrate form and sprang to his mistress’s side.
When Artie, with face very red, rose from the floor, he felt very much relieved to see Papa and Aunt Emma looking much amused at the picture Carlo presented, standing on his hind feet, as if begging to be relieved of his womanly attire.
“Papa, may we not take Carlo to the nursery, to make the children laugh?” ventured Artie.
“Yes, my boy; but the next time you have any not very pleasant duty to do, don’t put it off on your sister, and shield yourself behind the door. It doesn’t look quite manly. Indeed, to use your own, not-at-all elegant words, ‘it looks rather spooney.’ You may run along now.”
Through the open door the library party heard the creeping up stairs, the suppressed titter and the loud knock, followed by such a screaming and scampering that the Funny house on Funny street seemed to shake on its very foundations. The sound of the uproar reached Celia in the kitchen, who, armed with toasting-fork, accompanied by Hugh with the carving-knife, rushed to the rescue.
The fun lasted till Daisy, Artie, and the dog were turned out by the nurses, that the little folk might be quieted before bed-time.