"What do you say to a party?"
Miss Muffet fairly jumped off her tuffet, for she had never had a party in her life. "Who will invite the people?"
"I will," said the spider.
"But do you think any one will come if you invite them?"
"Why not?"
"Oh! I was just thinking; some people are such 'fraid-cats; and then, you know, once, one of your family invited the fly to walk into his parlor. I don't believe the story one bit, but then, you know, Mr. Spider, it caused talk."
Mr. Spider positively blushed green. "If you have no objection, let's change the subject again. Business is business; as for flies, there is a difference of opinion about them, and we can't all live on curds and whey, Miss Muffet. But this is to be your party, and we should not invite flies but folks. How would you like to have a literary party, and invite all the people you've read about?"
"How delightful!" cried Miss Muffet gleefully. "What a dear old spider you are!"
"Let's write the invitations immediately," said Mr. Spider, taking out of his pocket a ream of the most delicate cobweb paper.