Chapter XXIII. Cattle Show

ed,andawaywentthelads,toseewhatthefunwas,whilethegirlsranoutonthebalcony,assomeonesaid,“It'sthatrogueofaGrifwithsomenewjoke.” Itcertainlywas,and,tojudgefromthepealsofmerriment,thejokewasagoodone.Inatthegatecameatwo-headeddonkey,riddenbyGrif,ingreatspiritsathissuccess,forthegate-keeperlaughedsoheneverthoughttoaskfortoll.Atrainofboysfollowedhimacrosstheground,lostinadmirationoftheanimalandtheclevernessofherrider.AmongthestagepropertiesoftheDramaticClubwastheoldass'sheadonceusedinsometableauxfrom“MidsummerNight'sDream.”ThisGrifhadmendedup,andfastenedbymeansofstrapsandacollartopoorGraciosa'sneck,hidinghisworkwitharedclothoverherback.Oneeyewasgone,buttheotherstillopenedandshut,andthelongearswaggedbymeansofstrings,whichheslylymanagedwiththebridle,sotheartificialheadlookedalmostasnaturalastherealone.ThefunniestthingofallwastheinnocentairofGraciosa,andthemildlyinquiringexpressionwithwhichshenowandthenturnedtolookatortosmellofthenewornamentasifsherecognizedafriend'sface,yetwasperplexedbyitswantofanimation.Sheventedherfeelingsinabray,whichGrifimitated,convulsingallhearersbythesoundaswellasbythewinktheoneeyegave,andthedrollwaggleofoneerectear,whiletheotherpointedstraightforward. Thegirlslaughedsoattheridiculoussightthattheynearlyfellovertherailing,andtheboyswereinecstasies,especiallywhenGrif,emboldenedbyhissuccess,trottedbrisklyroundtherace-course,followedbythecheersofthecrowd.Excitedbythenoise,Graciosadidherbest,tillthefalsehead,loosenedbytherapidmotion,slippedroundunderhernose,causinghertostopsosuddenlythatGrifflewoff,alightingonhisownheadwithaviolencewhichwouldhavekilledanyotherboy.Soberedbyhisdownfall,hedeclinedtomountagain,butledhissteedtoreposeinashed,whileherejoinedhisfriends,whowerewaitingimpatientlytocongratulatehimonhislatestandbestprank. TheCommitteewenttheirroundssoonafter,and,whenthedoorswereagainopened,everyonehurriedtoseeiftheirarticleshadreceivedapremium.Acardlayonthebuttercups,andMrs.Grantwasfullofpridebecauseherbutteralwaystookaprize,andthisprovedthatMerrywaswalkinginhermother'ssteps,inthisdirectionatleast.Anothercardswungfromthebluequilt,forthekindlyjudgesknewwhomadeit,andweregladtopleasethelittlegirl,thoughseveralothersascuriousbutnotsoprettyhungnearby.Thecatswereadmired,but,astheywerenotamongtheanimalsusuallyexhibited,therewasnoprizeawarded.Gushopedhishenswouldgetonebutsomebodyelseoutdidhim,tothegreatindignationofLauraandLotty,whohadfedthewhitebiddiesfaithfullyformonths.Jackwassurehisrabbitwasthebiggestthere,andwenteagerlytolookforhispremium.ButneithercardnorBunweretobeseen,fortheoldrascalhadescapedforthelasttime,andwasneverseenagainwhichwasagreatcomforttoJack,whowasheartilytiredofhim. Ralph'sbustwasthebestofall,fornotonlydiditgetaprize,andwasmuchadmired,butalady,whofoundJillandMerryrejoicingoverit,wassopleasedwiththetruthandgraceofthelittlehead,thatsheaskedabouttheartist,andwhetherhewoulddooneofherownchild,whowassodelicateshefearedhemightnotlivelong. Merrygladlytoldthestoryofherambitiousfriend,andwenttofindhim,thathemightsecuretheorder.Whileshewasgone,Jilltookupthetale,gratefullytellinghowkindhehadbeentoher,howpatientlyheworkedandwaited,andhowmuchhelongedtogoabroad.Fortunatelytheladywasrichandgenerous,aswellasfondofart,andbeingpleasedwiththebust,andinterestedintheyoungsculptor,gavehimtheorderwhenhecame,andfilledhissoulwithjoybyadding,that,ifitsuitedherwhendone,itshouldbeputintomarble.Shelivedinthecity,andRalphsoonarrangedhisworksothathecouldgiveuphisnoonhour,andgotomodelthechildforeverypennyhecouldearnorsavenowwasveryprecious,ashestillhopedtogoabroad. Thegirlsweresodelightedwiththisgoodfortune,thattheydidnotstayfortheraces,butwenthometotellthehappynews,leavingtheboystocareforthecats,andenjoythevariousmatchestocomeoffthatday. “I'msogladItriedtolookpleasantwhenIwaslyingontheboardwhileRalphdidmyhead,forthepleasantnessgotintotheclayface,andthatmadetheladylikeit,”saidJill,asshelayrestingonthesofa. “Ialwaysthoughtitwasadear,brightlittleface,butnowIloveandadmireitmorethanever,”criedMerry,kissingitgratefully,assherememberedthehelpandpleasureithadgivenRalph.