“they went for by calves”
“I think they bight feed the raveds[1] bedder,” complained A. Fish, Esq. “They went for by calves, and if wud of those Beefeaters hadn’d cub and driven theb away I shouldn’t have had a leg left to stand up od.”
“Beefeaters, yes!” remarked the Rhymester, “and a pretty lot they were. I tried several of them with a piece that I had brought with me in a little paper bag, and not one of them would touch it.”
“Madame Tussaud’s was better; we went there in the afternoon,” said his Majesty.
“Yes, but who was to know which were wax figures and which were not?” asked the Doctor-in-Law.
“Well, you made a pretty muddle of it anyhow,” said the Wallypug. “Do you know,” he went on, “the Doctor-in-Law made us all pay sixpence each towards the catalogue, and then went around with us explaining the various groups. He had just finished telling us that several ladies, who were standing together, were Henry the Eighth’s wives, when they all marched off looking highly indignant.”
“Well, how was I to know?” remarked the Doctor-in-Law pettishly. “I’d never met a single one of Henry the Eighth’s wives in my life, and how was I to recognize them?”
“I don’t think they would have binded so butch if the Rhymebster hadn’t pinched wud of theb to see if they were alive or dot,” remarked A. Fish, Esq.
“Did you see the Sleeping Beauty?” asked Girlie.