CHAPTER XXI CUPID'S LAST APPEARANCE

Apicnicsupperonthegrassfollowedthegames,andthen,astwilightbegantofall,theyoungpeopleweremarshalledtothecoach-house,nowtransformedintoarustictheatre.Onebigdoorwasopen,andseats,arrangedlengthwise,facedtheredtable-clothswhichformedthecurtain.Arowoflampsmadeverygoodfoot-lights,andaninvisiblebandperformedaWagner-likeovertureoncombs,tintrumpets,drums,andpipes,withanaccompanimentofsuppressedlaughter. Manyofthechildrenhadneverseenanythinglikeit,andsatstaringabouttheminmuteadmirationandexpectancybuttheolderonescriticisedfreely,andindulgedinwildspeculationsastothemeaningofvariousconvulsionsofnaturegoingonbehindthecurtain. WhileTeacherwasdressingtheactressesforthetragedy,MissCeliaandThorny,whowereoldhandsatthissortofamusement,gavea"Potato"pantomimeasasideshow. Acrossanemptystallagreenclothwasfastened,sohighthattheheadsoftheoperatorswerenotseen.Alittlecurtainflewup,disclosingthefrontofaChinesepagodapaintedonpasteboard,withadoorandwindowwhichopenedquitenaturally.Thisstoodononeside,severalgreentreeswithpaperlanternshangingfromtheboughswereontheotherside,andthewords"TeaGarden,"printedoverthetop,showedthenatureofthischarmingspot. FewofthechildrenhadeverseentheimmortalPunchandJudy,sothiswasamostagreeablenovelty,andbeforetheycouldmakeoutwhatitmeant,avoicebegantosing,sodistinctlythateverywordwasheard,— "InChinatherelivedalittleman, HisnamewasChingeryWangeryChan." Herethehero"tookthestage"withgreatdignity,cladinalooseyellowjacketoverablueskirt,whichconcealedthehandthatmadehisbody.Apointedhatadornedhishead,andonremovingthistobowhedisclosedabaldpatewithablackqueueinthemiddle,andaChinesefacenicelypaintedonthepotato,thelowerpartofwhichwashollowedouttofitThorny'sfirstfinger,whilehisthumbandsecondfingerwereinthesleevesoftheyellowjacket,makingalivelypairofarms.Whilehesaluted,thesongwenton,— "Hislegswereshort,hisfeetweresmall, Andthislittlemancouldnotwalkatall." Whichassertionwasprovedtobefalsebytheagilitywithwhichthe"littleman"dancedajigintimetotherollickingchorus,— "Chingerychangeryricoday, Ekeltekelhappyman Uronodeskocantyoh,oh, GallopywallopyChinago." Atthecloseofthedanceandchorus,Chanretiredintotheteagarden,anddranksomanycupsofthenationalbeverage,withsuchcomicgestures,thatthespectatorswerealmostsorrywhentheopeningoftheoppositewindowdrewalleyesinthatdirection.Atthelatticeappearedalovelybeingforthispotatohadbeenpared,andonthewhitesurfacewerepaintedprettypinkchecks,redlips,blackeyes,andobliquebrowsthroughthetuftofdarksilkontheheadwerestuckseveralglitteringpins,andapinkjacketshroudedtheplumpfigureofthiscapitallittleChineselady.Afterpeepingcoylyout,sothatallcouldseeandadmire,shefelltocountingthemoneyfromapurse,solargehersmallhandscouldhardlyholditonthewindowseat.Whileshedidthis,thesongwentontoexplain,— "MissKiHiwasshortandsquat, Shehadmoneyandhehadnot Soofftoherheresolvedtogo, Andplayheratuneonhislittlebanjo." DuringthechorustothisverseChanwasseentuninghisinstrumentinthegarden,andattheendsalliedgallantlyforthtosingthefollowingtenderstrain,— "Whangfunli, Tanghuaki, HongKongdorame! Ahsinlo, Pantofo, Tsingupchinleute!" Carriedawaybyhispassion,Chandroppedhisbanjo,fellup