CHAPTER XIX SPEAKING PIECES

utit." "Soitwill!Whatshallwedotomakeourpartytip-top?"askedThorny,fallingintothetrapatonceforhedearlylovedtogetuptheatricals,andhadnothadanyforalongtime. "Wewillplansomethingsplendid,a'grandcombination,'asyouusedtocallyourdrollmixturesoftragedy,comedy,melodramaandfarce,"answeredhissister,withherheadalreadyfulloflivelyplots. "We'llstartlethenatives.Idon'tbelievetheyeversawaplayinalltheirlives,hey,Bab?" "I'veseenacircus." "Wedressupanddo'BabesintheWood,'"addedBetty,withdignity. "Pho!that'snothing.I'llshowyouactingthatwillmakeyourhairstandonend,andyoushallacttoo.Babwillbecapitalforthenaughtygirls,"beganThorny,excitedbytheprospectofproducingasensationontheboards,andalwaysreadytoteasethegirls. BeforeBettycouldprotestthatshedidnotwantherhairtostandup,orBabcouldindignantlydeclinetheroleofferedher,ashrillwhistlewasheard,andMissCeliawhispered,withawarninglook,— "Hush!Beniscoming,andhemustnotknowanythingaboutthisyet." ThenextdaywasWednesday,andintheafternoonMissCeliawenttohearthechildren"speakpieces,"thoughitwasveryseldomthatanyofthebusymatronsandeldersistersfoundtimeorinclinationforthesedisplaysofyouthfuloratory.MissCeliaandMrs.Mosswerealltheaudienceonthisoccasion,butTeacherwasbothpleasedandproudtoseethem,andageneralrustlewentthroughtheschoolastheycamein,allthegirlsturningfromthevisitorstonodatBabandBetty,whosmiledallovertheirroundfacestosee"Ma"sittingup"'sideofTeacher,"andtheboysgrinnedatBen,whoseheartbegantobeatfastatthethoughtofhisdearmistresscomingsofartohearhimsayhispiece. ThornyhadrecommendedMarcoBozzaris,butBenpreferredJohnGilpin,andranthefamousracewithmuchspirit,makingexcellenttimeinsomepartsandhavingtobespurredalittleinothers,butcameoutallright,thoughquitebreathlessattheend,sittingdownamidgreatapplause,someofwhich,curiouslyenough,seemedtocomefromoutsidewhichinfactitdid,forThornywasboundtohearbutwouldnotcomein,lesthispresenceshouldabashoneoratoratleast. Otherpiecesfollowed,allmoreorlesspatrioticandwarlike,amongtheboyssentimentalamongthegirls.SambrokedowninhisattempttogiveoneofWebster'sgreatspeeches,LittleCyFayboldlyattacked "Againtothebattle,Achaians!" andshriekedhiswaythroughitinashrill,smallvoice,boundtodohonortotheolderbrotherwhohadtrainedhimevenifhebrokeavesselintheattempt.Billychoseawell-wornpiece,butgaveitanewinterestbyhisstyleofdeliveryforhisgesturesweresospasmodichelookedasifgoingintoafit,andhedidsuchastonishingthingswithhisvoicethatoneneverknewwhetherahowloragrowlwouldcomenext.When "Thewoodsagainstastormysky Theirgiantbranchestossed" Billy'sarmswentroundlikethesailsofawindmillthe"hymnsofloftycheer"notonly"shookthedepthsofthedesertgloom,"butthesmallchildrenontheirlittlebenches,andtheschool-houseliterallyrang"totheanthemsofthefree!"When"theoceaneaglesoared,"Billyappearedtobegoingbodilyup,andthe"pinesoftheforestroared"asiftheyhadtakenlessonsofVanAmburgh'sbiggestlion."Woman'sfearlesseye"wasexpressedbyawildglare"manhood'sbrow,severelyhigh,"byasuddenclutchatthereddishlocksfallingovertheorator'shotforehead,andasoundingthumponhisbluecheckedbosomtoldwhere"thefieryheartofyouth"waslocated."Whatsoughttheythusfar?"heasked,insuchanaturalandinquiringtone,withhiseyefixedonMamiePeters,thatthestartledinnocentreplied,"Dunno,"whichcausedthespeakertocloseinhaste,devoutlypointingastubbyfin