Private Theatricals. 165 



A great many fine compliments have been paid to 

 performers in this world, but do you remember one 

 much better than this ? Our Prima Donna sang " My 

 Nannie's awa*,'* my favorite among twenty favorites; 

 and she did sing it that night to perfection. We were 

 all proud of her. When she returned to her seat next 

 to M., there was whispered in her ear: "Oh, Jeannie, 

 the lump's in my throat yet !" All the hundred warm 

 expressions bestowed upon her did not weigh as much 

 as that little gem of a tribute. When you raise the 

 lump in the throat by a song you are upon the right 

 key and have the proper style, even if your teacher has 

 been no other than your own heart, the most important 

 teacher of all. 



After the theatricals at Merridale came the feast. 

 The supper-table comes before me, and the speeches. 

 The orator of the Wolverhampton connection is ex- 

 Mayor B. He speaks well, and never did he appear to 

 greater advantage than on that evening. It's a sight 

 "gude for sair een" to see a good-natured, kindly Eng- 

 lish gentleman presiding at the festive board, surrounded 

 by his children and his children's children, and the 

 family connections to the number of seventy odd. 

 They are indeed a kindly people, but oh dear ! those 

 who have never been out of their little island, even the 

 most liberal of them, have such queer, restricted notions 

 about the rest of mankind ! This, however, is only 

 natural ; travel is in one sense the only possible educator. 



