178 FARMING IT 



the felicitous ah, nature of the coming event, 

 which casts, not shadows ah, but radiant arrows 

 from Cupid's bow,'* (great enthusiasm and ap- 

 plause) , " is the r-r-r-rgmm, little touch of nature 

 that maketh the whole world kin ah, (applause) 

 the hope ah, of posterity ah, inherent in the 

 breast of man ah, (deep blushes mantled the 

 cheeks of the old maiden ladies) make it incum- 

 bent upon us ah, (violent tugs at his coat-tail by 

 the other old gentleman) to celebrate this happy - 

 ah, event in a somewhat unusual ah, way. I 

 beg leave to move that some happy ah, repre- 

 sentation, such as a play, be written by some ah, 

 talented member of our body-corporate ah, and 

 be produced at some ah, favorable time, when 

 all could take part." (Terrific enthusiasm; pro- 

 longed and violent applause.) 



A play, that was just what we wanted. We 

 would have it a bucolic play, because we were a 

 neighborhood of farmers, by avocation at least, 

 and she was from the city, and should learn to 

 take us as we were. 



We almost forgot our refreshments, so inter- 

 ested were we in planning details, appointing 

 committees, assigning parts in advance, without 

 in the least knowing what the play was to be. 

 Finally, after prodigious discussion, and huge 

 consumption of fruit-punch, coffee and sand- 

 wiches, we decided to purchase a quantity of 



