|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 30
"'Old and ugly!' shrieked the Dowager. 'Tear her wig off! Scrub the
paint off her face! Flatten her nose on the pavement! Saw off her legs
and give her no crinoline! Take her out bathing, I say, and bring her
home in a wheelbarrow with fern roots on the top of her.'
"I was about to protest again, when the paint-box came forward, and
balancing itself in an artistic, undecided kind of way on two
camel's-hair brushes which seemed to serve it for feet, addressed the
Jack-in-a-box.
"'Never dip your paint into the water. Never put your brush into your
mouth--"
"'That's not evidence,' said the Jack-in-a-box.
"'Your notions are crude,' said the paint-box loftily; 'it's in print,
and here, all of it, or words to that effect;' with which he touched
the lid, as a gentleman might lay his hand upon his heart.
"'It's not evidence,' repeated the Jack-in-a-box. 'Let us proceed.'
"'Take her to pieces and see what she's made of, if you please,'
tittered a pretty German toy that moved to a tinkling musical
accompaniment. 'If her works are available after that it will be an era
in natural science.'
"The idea tickled me, and I laughed.
"'Hard-hearted wretch!' growled the Dowager Doll.
"'Dip her in water and leave her to soak on a white soup-plate,' said
the paint-box; 'if that doesn't soften her feelings, deprive me of my
medal from the School of Art!'
"'Give her a stiff neck!' muttered the mandarin. 'Ching Fo! give her a
stiff neck.'
"'Knock her teeth out,' growled the rake in a scratchy voice; and then
the tools joined in chorus.
"'Take her out when it's fine and leave her out when it's wet, and lose
her in--
"'The coal-hole,' said the spade.
"'The hay-field,' said the rake.
"'The shrubbery,' said the hoe.
"This difference of opinion produced a quarrel, which in turn seemed to
affect the general behaviour of the toys, for a disturbance arose which
the Jack-in-a-box vainly endeavoured to quell. A dozen voices shouted
for a dozen different punishments, and (happily for me) each toy
insisted upon its own wrongs being the first to be avenged, and no one
would hear of the claims of any one else being attended to for an
instant. Terrible sentences were passed, which I either failed to hear
through the clamour then, or have forgotten now. I have a vague idea
that several voices cried that I was to be sent to wash in somebody's
pocket; that the work-basket wished to cram my mouth with unfinished
needlework; and that through all the din the thick voice of my old
leather ball monotonously repeated:
"'Throw her into the dust-hole.'
"Suddenly a clear voice pierced the confusion, and Rosa tripped up.
"'My dears,' she began, 'the only chance of restoring order is to
observe method. Let us follow our usual rule of precedence. I claim the
first turn as the prisoner's oldest toy.'
"'That you are not, Miss,' snapped the Dowager; 'I was in the family
for fifty years.'
"'In the family. Yes, ma'am; but you were never her doll in particular.
I was her very own, and she kept me longer than any other plaything. My
judgment must be first.'
"'She is right,' said the Jack-in-a-box; 'and now let us get on. The
prisoner is delivered unreservedly into the hands of our trusty and
well-beloved Rosa--doll of the first class--for punishment according to
the strict law of tit for tat.'
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|