Pieces People Ask For / Serious, Humorous, Pathetic, Patriotic, and Dramatic Selections in Prose and Poetry for Reading and Recitations

by Unknown

Festus. Perhaps I can assist you. (Aside.) I’ll provoke her a bit; see if she has a temper.

Stella. Well, you are very kind. (Aside.) I’ll see if I can make him talk.

Festus. Well, then, you take the book, and read. (Hands her copy of Poe.) When I think you need correcting, I will speak.

Stella. Very well. (They sit, c. Stella reads in a very tragic tone, emphasizing the words in Italics.)

“Hear the sledges with the bells, Silver bells!”

Festus. Oh, stop, stop, stop! Dear me! that’s not the way to read. There’s no silver in your bells. Listen:—

“Hear the sledges with the bells, Sil-ver bells!”

Very silvery, don’t you see?

Stella. Oh, yes! excuse me. (Reads in a very silly tone.)

“Hear the sledges with the bells, Sil———verbells!”