Then came a long delay, for the little boys brought out a number of
their friends to be browned for Hindoos. Ann Maria played on the
piano till the scene was ready. The curtain rose upon five brown
boys done up in blankets and turbans.
"I am thankful that is over," said Elizabeth Eliza, "for now we can
act my word.
Only I don't myself know the whole."
"Never mind, let us act it," said John Osborne, "and the audience
can guess the whole."
"The first syllable must be the letter P," said Elizabeth Eliza, "and
we must have a school."
Agamemnon was master, and the little boys and their friends went
on as scholars.
All the boys talked and shouted at once, acting their idea of a
school by flinging pea-nuts about, and scoffing at the master.
"They'll guess that to be 'row,'" said John Osborne in despair;
"they'll never guess 'P'!"
The next scene was gorgeous. Solomon John, as a Turk, reclined
on John Osborne's army-blanket. He had on a turban, and a long
beard, and all the family shawls. Ann Maria and Elizabeth Eliza
were brought in to him, veiled, by the little boys in their Hindoo
costumes.
This was considered the great scene of the evening, though
Elizabeth Eliza was sure she did not know what to do,whether to
kneel or sit down; she did not know whether Turkish women did
sit down, and she could not help laughing whenever she looked at
Solomon John.
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103