Chapter XII. The Twenty-Second of February

r,thebestofthecharactersshehasmadefamous,whileavoicebehindthescenessangtheproperrhymeaseachmadetheirmannerstotheinterestingpair.“MistressMary,”andher“prettymaidsallinarow,”passedbytotheirplacesinthebackground“KingCole”andhis“fiddlersthree”madeagoodlyshowsodidtheroyalcouple,whofollowedthegreatpiebornebeforethem,withthe“four-and-twentyblackbirds”poppingtheirheadsoutinthemostdelightfulway.Little“Bo-Peep”ledawoollylambandweptoveritslosttail,fornotasignofoneappearedonthepoorthing.“SimpleSimon”followedthepie-man,gloatingoverhiswareswiththedrollestantics.Thelittlewifecametrundlingbyinawheelbarrowandwasnotupsetneitherwastheladywith“ringsonherfingersandbellsonhertoes,”asshecanteredalongonarocking-horse.“BobbyShafto's”yellowhairshonefinelyasheledinthemaidwhomhecamebackfromseatomarry.“MissMuffet,”bowlinhand,ranawayfromanimmenseblackspider,whichwaggleditslonglegsinawaysolife-likethatsomeofthechildrenshookintheirlittleshoes.Thebeggarswhocametotownwereoutinfullforce,“rags,tags,andvelvetgowns,”quitetruetolife.“BoyBlue”rubbedhiseyes,withhaystickinginhishair,andtootedonatinhornasifboundtogetthecowsoutofthecorn.Molly,withalong-handledfrying-pan,madeacapital“Queen,”inatucked-upgown,checkedapron,andhighcrown,togood“KingArthur,”who,veryproperly,didnotappearafterstealingthebarley-meal,whichmightbeseeninthepantiedupinapudding,likeacannon-ball,readytofry. ButTobias,Molly'sblackcat,coveredhimselfwithglorybythespiritwithwhichheactedhispartin, “Sing,sing,whatshallIsing? Thecat'srunawaywiththepudding-bagstring.” Firsthewasledacrossthestageonhishindlegs,lookingveryfierceandindignant,withalongtapetrailingbehindhimand,beingsetfreeatthepropermoment,hegaveoneboundoverthefour-and-twentyblackbirdswhohappenedtobeintheway,anddashedoffasifanenragedcookhadactuallybeenafterhim,straightdownstairstothecoal-bin,wherehesatglaringinthedark,tillthefunwasover. Whenallthecharactershadfiledinandstoodintwolongrows,musicstruckupandtheydanced,“AllthewaytoBoston,”asimplebutlivelyaffair,whichgaveeachachancetoshowhisorhercostumeastheypranceddownthemiddleandupoutside. Suchafunnymedleyasitwas,fortherewentfat“KingCole”withthemostraggedofthebeggar-maids.“MistressMary,”inherprettybluedress,trippedalongwith“SimpleSimon”staringabouthimlikeablockhead.Thefineladyleftherhorsetodancewith“BobbyShafto”tilleverybellonherslipperstinkleditstongueout.“Bo-Peep”andajollyfiddlerskippedgaylyupanddown.“MissMuffet”tookthebigspiderforherpartner,andmadehismanylegsflyaboutinthewildestway.Thelittlewifegotoutofthewheelbarrowtohelp“BoyBlue”along,andMolly,withthefrying-panoverhershoulder,ledoffsplendidlywhenitwas“Grandrightandleft.” Buttheoldladyandhergoosewerethebestofall,forthedame'sshoe-bucklescutthemostastonishingpigeon-wings,andtoseethatmammothbirdwaddledownthemiddlewithitswingshalfopen,itslongneckbridling,anditsyellowlegsinthefirstpositionasitcurtsiedtoitspartner,wasasighttoremember,itwassointenselyfunny. ThemerryoldgentlemanlaughedtillhecriedMr.Burtonsplithisgloves,heapplaudedsoenthusiasticallywhilethechildrenbeatthedustoutofthecarpethoppingupanddown,astheycried:“Doitagain!”“Wewantitallover!”whenthecurtainwentdownatlastontheflushedandpantingparty,MotherG——bowing,withherhatallawry,andthegoosedoingadoubleshuffleasifitdidnotknowhowtoleaveoff. Buttheycouldnot“doitalloveragain,”foritwasgrowinglate,andthepeoplefeltthattheycertainlyhadreceivedtheirmoney'sworththatevening. Soitallendedmerrily,andwhentheguestsdepartedtheboysclearedtheroomlikemagic,andthepromisedsuppertotheactorswasservedinhandsomestyle.JackandJillwereatoneend,Mrs.Gooseandherbirdattheother,andallbetweenwasacomicalcollectionofmilitaryheroes,fairycharacters,andnurserycelebrities.Allfelttheneedofrefreshmentaftertheirlabors,andsweptoverthetablelikeaflightoflocusts,leavingdevastationbehind.Buttheyhadearnedtheirfun:andmuchinnocentjollityprevailed,whileafewlingeringpapasandmammaswatchedtherevelfromafar,andhadnotthehearttoorderthesenoblebeingshometilleventheFatherofhisCountrydeclared“thathe'dhadaperfectlysplendidtime,butcouldn'tkeephiseyesopenanotherminute,”andverywiselyretiredtoreplacetheimmortalcockedhatwithanight-cap.