THE LOVE-CHILD. 45 



Shortly after Lavolta came in and asked me how long I could 

 stand upon my head. I replied, " For a week, if I had plenty of 

 victuals." He then told me to practice on a post which had been 

 driven into the ground, but not used, as a stay to the booth, and that 

 the next morning he would put my abilities to the proof. In two 

 hours I felt perfectly satisfied that I could do all he desired, and 

 went to the platform for the purpose of telling him that I abhorred 

 my loose ginger dress. He promised me a better one, and about two 

 o'clock the next morning, the little old man in iron spectacles brought 

 me, where I lay, on a little mattress by the side of the young mother 

 and her hobgoblin child, a splendid velvet hat and feathers, a 

 spangled tunic, white shoes with gold rosettes, and long green silk 

 stockings, clocked halfway up the calf, with mock bullion embroi- 

 dery. I went to sleep in Elysium. Once again I had nothing to 

 desire, or if I entertained a wish, it was that little Agnes might see 

 and recognise me in my regal attire. 



On awaking shortly after day-break, I cast an eager glance to- 

 wards the little bundle on which the old man in iron spectacles had 

 carefully deposited my dazzling attire. Beside it stood an appari- 

 tion ! half-clad in orient taffeta, but hoofed and horned Beelzebub 

 attired for a gala. At first its form was indefinable, but in a few 

 moments I discovered that it was Llewellyn the goat. The beast 

 had been on a prowl about the booth ; his climbing endowments had 

 enabled him to get on the little elevation or platform where, concealed 

 by a piece of old canvas by way of curtain, I and the youthful father 

 and mother reposed. In nozzling about, an old taffeta robe had be- 

 come entangled in his horns, so that its graceful drapery concealed 

 the whole of his figure except the head, chest, and fore-legs. But 

 what was the detestable brute about ? I felt conscious of having dis- 

 posed of the whole of my supper. What could he be champing then 

 with such evident satisfaction? Bundling the bed-clothes about me 

 I sniggled towards him, and soon ascertained that he was devouring 

 my dress ! 



One of the pea-green stockings had already disappeared the 

 other he was in the act of masticating the very extremity of the toe 

 was curling round his nose as he munched. Scarcely knowing what 

 I did, I screamed and pitched into him. After a short squabble I 

 found his pert, upstart, bit of a tail in my mouth, and, its underside 

 being bare and somewhat tender, I gave it so emphatic a bite, that 

 he howled with amazement and agony, caprioled as though he were 

 dancing on a sheet of red-hot iron, and when I thought proper to let 

 go, bounced and gallopped at full speed about the booth, shaking 

 his little tail with tremendous energy, and shrieking in such a man- 

 ner, that almost every body got up to ascertain who was being mur- 

 dered. Lavolta appeared in all his spangles, he had apparently 

 slept in them. There was a deuce of an uproar, but nobody could 

 tell what was the matter, until the little old man in the iron spec- 

 tacles (which seemed to be riveted to his bald scull, for he never was 

 seen without them) perceived the toe of my beautiful pea-green 

 stocking, defiled by foam and slaver, dangling from the goat's nether 

 lip. Instantly clutching it, he dragged forth a ruin of the hose from 



