Isabel then flaunts into the room, followed by Willie, taking long strides, and seeming full of vanity, turning their heads from side to side as if lost in admiration of themselves. The others all laugh at the sight, for they have become the beggars, and are flaunting about in rags and tags, which they are as proud of as if they were dressed in velvet gowns.
Margaret enters next as little Bopeep, groping around in search of her lost sheep; she sometimes leans upon her crook with her left hand, and points off eagerly with her right, and finally throws herself into her chair and goes to sleep.
Polly appears as little Miss Muffit, eating curds and whey from a large bowl which she carries in her left hand; she draws a stool toward the fire-place, and sits down. Tom, as the spider, rushes out from under the table and sits down beside her, at which Polly drops the bowl and spoon in fright. She then rushes round the room three times, pursued by the spider.
Jack then enters as the insatiate hen, who eats more victuals than threescore men; he rushes around the room, and seems wholly unsatisfied with all he can devour. Mabel is changed into Cinderella, and sits by the fire in a dejected attitude, upon which the fairy comes down from the clock, and calls her attention to the Prince, Robin, whose rough frock flies away up the chimney, and he kneels before her as a Prince in gorgeous raiment. Mabel's old robe then disappears in the same manner. Robin fits a glass slipper upon her foot, which makes her dance with delight. He leads her to the upper end of the room toward the King her father, who is so overcome by her beauty that he forgets his avarice, and bestows the whole of the money upon her.
The happy pair, followed by the King, then march around the room to each of the personages, and the old woman sweeps a path before them, as if eager to make their way pleasant and easy. The beggars seem to forget their pride, and their ragged dresses fly away up the chimney, and they appear neatly clad. The fairy touches the spider with her wand; he stands upright, offers his arm to Miss Muffit, and they join the procession.
The fairy then enters the clock, which marches twice around the room followed by all the characters, and then resumes its place. All join in a grand reel; the King, taking the old woman for his partner, stands opposite Cinderella and the Prince, who take the head of the set. The two repentant beggars take one side, with Miss Muffit and the spider opposite. They dance all hands round, then the first lady promenades around the set outside, followed by her partner, who then joins her, and all promenade together around once. The ladies then go forward into the centre, and the gentlemen turn them into place with their right hand, and then turn corners with the left, after which they go into the centre again and form basket, go once around, divide in front, and march forward in the same position. The gentlemen raise their hands, and the ladies go forward alone, the gentlemen march after, and turn them into place. The hen then wakes Bopeep, and all form a semicircle, with the Prince and Cinderella in the centre. The clock then advances and takes up its position behind them, bowing to each in turn. The fairy springs forward into the centre of the group, and after waltzing around, stops in the centre, and all salute as the curtain falls.
COSTUMES.
The farmer has a plain brown suit, over which he throws a loose robe of Turkey red cloth, trimmed with ermine. This ermine is made of white cotton flannel, with black marks drawn upon it with charcoal. He also wears a crown made of gilt paper. His money bag has a black linen thread fastened to the top, one end of which is in the hand of the boy concealed in the chimney.
The farmer's wife has a plain black dress with white kerchief, and a high cap on which a neat front of white tow or yarn is fastened in the centre, so that the ends can be pulled out quickly when she assumes her second part. For this she wears a red skirt under the black, and ties a long red cloak over her shoulders, the cape of which she draws over her cap.
Polly wears a long-sleeved checked apron, which covers her next dress. This is made of bright cretonne tucked over a gay skirt. The waist is long and pointed, with a high ruff of white.