Chapter XII. The Twenty-Second of February

id,forthecolorrosevisiblyasthemodestladheardhimselfpraised,thoughhesawbutonefaceinallthecrowd,hismother's,farback,butfullofloveandpride,asshelookedupatheryoungminutemanwaitingforthebattlewhichoftencallsuswhenweleastexpectit,andforwhichshehaddoneherbesttomakehimready. IftherehadbeenanydangerofFrankbeingpuffedupbythesuccessofhisstatue,itwascounteractedbyirrepressibleGrif,who,justatthemostinterestingmoment,whenallweregazingsilently,gaveawhistle,followedbya“Choo,choo,choo!”and“Allaboard!”sonaturallythatnoonecouldmistakethejoke,especiallyasanotherlaughingvoiceadded,“Now,then,No.11!”whichbroughtdownthehouseandthecurtaintoo. Frankwassoangry,itwasverydifficulttokeephimonhisperchforthelastsceneofall.Hesubmitted,however,ratherthanspoilthegrandfinale,hopingthatitsbeautywouldeffacethatill-timedpleasantryfromthepublicmind.So,whentheagreeableclamorofhandsandvoicescalledforarepetition,theMinuteManreappeared,grimmerthanbefore.Butnotalone,forgroupedallabouthispedestalwereWashingtonandhisgenerals,thematronsandmaids,withabackgroundoftroopsshoulderingarms,GrifandJoedoingsuchrashthingswiththeirmuskets,thatmorethanoneheroreceivedapokeinhisaugustback.Beforethefullrichnessofthispicturehadbeentakenin,Edgavearap,andallburstoutwith“HailColumbia,”insuchaninspiringstylethatitwasimpossiblefortheaudiencetorefrainfromjoining,whichtheydid,allstandingandallsingingwithaheartinessthatmadethewallsring.Thefifeshrilled,thehornblewsweetandclear,thefiddlewasnearlydrownedbytheenergeticboomofthedrum,andoutintothestarrynight,throughopenwindows,rolledthesongthatstirsthecoldestheartwithpatrioticwarmthandtuneseveryvoicetomusic. “'America!'Wemusthave'America!'Pipeup,Ed,thisistoogoodtoendwithoutonesongmore,”criedMr.Burton,whohadbeensinginglikeatrumpetand,hardlywaitingtogettheirbreath,offtheyallwentagainwiththenationalhymn,singingastheyneverhadsungitbefore,forsomehowthelittlescenestheyhadjustactedorbeheldseemedtoshowhowmuchthisdearAmericaofourshadcostinmorethanonerevolution,howfullofcourage,energy,andvirtueitwasinspiteofallitsfaults,andwhataprivilege,aswellasduty,itwasforeachtodohisparttowarditssafetyanditshonorinthepresent,asdidthosebravemenandwomeninthepast. Sothe“ScenesfromtheLifeofWashington”wereagreatsuccess,and,whenthesongswereover,peopleweregladofabriefrecesswhiletheyhadraptures,andrefreshedthemselveswithlemonade. Thegirlshadkeptthesecretofwhothe“Princess”wastobe,and,whenthecurtainrose,ahumofsurpriseandpleasuregreetedtheprettygroup.Jilllayasleepinallhersplendor,thebonny“Prince”justliftingtheveiltowakeherwithakiss,andallaboutthemthecourtinitsnapofahundredyears.The“King”and“Queen”dozingcomfortablyonthethronethemaidsofhonor,likeagarlandofnoddingflowers,aboutthecouchthelittlepage,unconsciousoftheblowabouttofall,andthefooldreaming,withhismouthwideopen. Itwassopretty,peopledidnottireoflooking,tillJack'slamelegbegantotremble,andhewhispered:“DropherorIshallpitch.”Downwentthecurtainbutitroseinamoment,andtherewasthecourtaftertheawakening:the“King”and“Queen”lookingaboutthemwithsleepydignity,themaidsinvariousattitudesofsurprise,thefoolgrinningfromeartoear,andthe“Princess”holdingoutherhandtothe“Prince,”asifgladtowelcometherightloverwhenhecameatlast. Mollygotthelaughthistime,forshecouldnotresistgivingpoorBoothecuffwhichhadbeenhangingoverhimsolong.Shegaveitwithunconsciousenergy,andBoocried“Ow!”sonaturallythatallthechildrenweredelightedandwanteditrepeated.ButBoodeclined,andthesceneswhichfollowedwerefoundquiteasmuchtotheirtaste,havingbeenexpresslypreparedforthelittlepeople. MotherGoose'sReceptionwasreallyveryfunny,forRalphwastheoldlady,andhadhiredarepresentationoftheimmortalbirdfromarealtheatreforthisoccasion.Theretheystood,thedameinherpointedhat,redpetticoat,cap,andcane,withthenoblefowl,agooddeallargerthanlife,besideher,andGrifinside,enjoyinghimselfimmenselyasheflappedthewings,movedtheyellowlegs,andwavedthelongneckabout,whileunearthlyquacksissuedfromthebill.Thatwasagreatsurpriseforthechildren,andtheygotupintheirseatstogazetheirfill,manyofthemfirmlybelievingthattheyactuallybeheldtheblessedoldwomanwhowrotethenurserysongstheylovedsowell. Thenincame,oneafteranothe