AMATEUR THEATRICALS 191 



perance Rhubarb, and her smiles, smirks, gig- 

 gles, Paisley shawl, and tiny jointed-parasol, 

 nearly killed the audience, as did the stunning 

 get-up of Daniel's wife as Mrs. Grandiflora. 



The Professor's wife as old Lady Snapdragon, 

 and the new neighbor's wife as Miss Mulli 

 Grubbe, caused us to hold our sides, while Dan- 

 iel, the Professor, and the other old gentlemen, 

 sitting on cracker-barrels and discussing rural 

 affairs, kept the actors in giggles all the even- 

 ing. 



After the play Daniel and his wife, according 

 to agreement, secured the doctor and the young 

 lady, who were their guests for the evening, bade 

 us good-night and departed homewards, amid 

 our loud protests and entreaties to remain. Then 

 the surprise of the evening was worked. From 

 the attic, days before, I had resurrected a long- 

 disused but able-bodied tuba, had oiled its rusty 

 valves and had practised hoarse harmony until 

 my lips were swollen to sponges. With Dick on an 

 astonishingly shrill E-flat clarinet, one of the old 

 gentlemen on a fife, the new neighbor on a trom- 

 bone, on which, by the way, he was a one-time 

 expert, the Professor on a bass-drum, my daugh- 

 ter on the snare, and the other old gentleman as 

 drum-major, we at once headed a procession down 

 the street, followed by all the guests bearing their 

 purchases. We countermarched, and, playing 



