They had been swept off in Mother Goose's train, which had
lingered on the steps to see the Dickens reception, with which the
procession of characters in costume had closed. At this moment
they were dancing round the barberry bush, in a corner of the
balcony in Mother Goose's quarters, their feather-dusters gayly
waving in the air.
But Mrs. Peterkin, far below, could not see this, and consoled
herself with the thought, they should all meet on the stage in the
grand closing tableau. She was bewildered by the crowds which
swept her hither and thither. At last she found herself in the
Whittier Booth, and sat a long time calmly there. As Cleopatra she
seemed out of place, but as her own grandmother she answered
well with its New England scenery.
Solomon John wandered about, landing in America whenever he
found a chance to enter a booth. Once before an admiring
audience he set up his egg in the centre of the Goethe Booth,
which had been deserted by its committee for the larger stage.
Agamemnon frequently stood in the background of scenes in the
Arabian Nights.
It was with difficulty that the family could be repressed from going
on the stage whenever the bugle sounded for the different groups
represented there.
Elizabeth Eliza came near appearing in the "Dream of Fair
Women," at its most culminating point.
Mr. Peterkin found himself with the "Cricket on the Hearth," in the
Dickens Booth.
Pages:
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167