milk ranch, and beg to be allowed the pleasure of witnessing the performance. Mr. Sandford was the gentleman who had sold Dr. Winship his land, and so they were cordially invited to remain.
All the cushions and shawls belonging to the camp were arranged carefully on the knoll, for audience seats; it was a brilliant moonlight night, and the stage assumed a very festive appearance with its four pounds of candles and twelve Chinese lanterns.
Meanwhile the actors were dressing in their respective tents. Bell’s first dress was a long pink muslin wrapper of Mrs. Burton’s, which had been belted in and artistically pasted over with bouquets from the cretonne trunk covers, in imitation of flowered satin; under this she wore a short blue lawn skirt of her own, catching up the pink muslin on the left side with a bouquet of wild roses, and producing what she called a ‘positively Neilson effect.’
Her bright hair was tossed up into a fluffy knot on the top of her head; and with a flat coronet of wild roses and another great bunch at her belt, one might have gone far and not have found a prettier Rosalind.
‘I declare, you are just too lovely—isn’t she, Laura?’ asked Margery.
‘Yes, she looks quite well,’ answered Laura, abstractedly, being much occupied in making herself absurdly beautiful as Audrey. ‘Of course the dress fits horridly, but perhaps it won’t show in the dim light.’
‘Oh, is it very bad?’ sighed Bell, plaintively; ‘I can’t see it in this glass. Well, the next one fits better, and I have to wear that the longest. Shall I do your hair, Laura?’
‘No—thanks; Margery has such a capital knack at hair-dressing, and she doesn’t come on yet.’
During this conversation Polly was struggling with Aunt Truth’s trained white wrapper. It was rather difficult to make it look like a court dress; but she looked as fresh and radiant as a rose in it, for the candle-light obliterated every freckle, and one could see nothing but a pair of dancing eyes, the pinkest of cheeks, and a head running over with curls of ruddy gold.
‘Now, Bell, criticise me!’ she cried, taking a position in the middle of the tent, and turning round like a wax figure. ‘I have torn out my hair by the roots to give it a “done up” look, and have I succeeded? and shall I wear any flowers with this lace surplice? and what on earth shall I do with my hands? they’re so black they will cast a gloom over the stage. Perhaps I can wrap my handkerchief carelessly round one, and I’ll keep the other round your waist, considerable, tucked under your Watteau pleat. Will I do?’
‘Do? I should think so!’ and Bell eyed her with manifest approval. ‘Your hair is very nice, and your neck looks lovely with that lace handkerchief. As for flowers, why don’t you wear a great mass of yellow and white daisies? You’ll be as gorgeous as—’
‘As a sunset by Turner,’ said Laura, with a glance at Polly’s auburn locks. ‘Seems to me this is a mutual admiration society, isn’t it?’ and she sank languidly into a chair to have her hair dressed.
‘Yes, it is,’ cried Polly, boldly; ‘and it’s going to “continner.” Meg, you’re a darling in that blue print and pretty hat. I’ll fill my fern-basket with flowers, and you can take it, as to have something in your hand to play with. You look nicer than any Phœbe I ever saw, that’s a fact. And now, hurrah! we’re all ready, and there’s the boys’ bell, so let us assemble out in the kitchen. Oh dear! I believe I’m frightened, in spite of every promise to the contrary.’
When the young people saw each other for the first time in their stage costumes there was a good deal of merriment and some honest admiration. Geoff looked very odd without his eyeglasses and with the yellow wig that was the one property belonging to this star dramatic organisation.
The girls had not succeeded in producing a great effect with the masculine costumes, because of insufficient material. But the boys had determined not to wear their ordinary clothes, no matter what happened; so Jack had donned one of Hop Yet’s blue blouses for his Sylvius dress, and had ready a plaid shawl to throw gracefully over one shoulder whenever he changed to the Banished Duke.
His Sylvius attire was open to criticism, but no one could fail to admire his appearance as the Duke, on account of a magnificent ducal head-gear, from which soared a bunch of tall peacock feathers.
‘Oh, Jack, what a head-dress for a Duke!’ laughed Margery; ‘no wonder they banished you. Did you offend the court hatter?’
Phil said that at all events nobody could mistake him for anything but a fool, in his ‘Touchstone’ costume, and so he was jest-er going to be contented.
Scott Burton was arranging Pancho’s toilette for the wrestling-match, and meanwhile trying to raise his drooping spirits; and Rosalind was vainly endeavouring to make Adam’s beard of grey moss stay on.
While these antics were going on behind the scenes, the audience was seated on the knoll, making merry over the written programmes, which had been a surprise of Geoff’s, and read as follows:—
THE PRINCESS’ THEATRE.
July 10th, 188–.
* * *
Appearance of the Greatest Dramatic Company on Earth (fact).
The Coolest Theatre in the World.
* * *
A Royal Galaxy and Boyaxy of Artists in the play of AS YOU LIKE IT, By William Shakespeare, or Lord Bacon.
* * *
Cast.
‘Alas! unmindful of their doom, the little victims play; No sense have they of ills to come, or cares beyond to-day.’
Rosalind— The Lady Bell-Pepper. (Her greatest creation.)
Celia. The Countess Paulina.
Phœbe. The Duchess of Sweet Marjoram.
Audrey. A talented Incognita of the Court.
Orlando. Hennery Irving Salvini Strong. (Late from the Blank Theatre, Oil City.)
Adam. Dr. Paul Winship. (By kind permission of his manager, Mrs. T. W.)
Lightning Change Artist:
Banished Duke / Sylvius. Lord John Howard
Touchstone / Jacque. Duke of Noble
(N.B.—The Duke of Noble has played the ‘fool’ five million times.)
Oliver. Mr. Scott Burton. (Specially engaged.)
Charles the Wrestler. Pancho Muldoon Sullivan. (His first appearance.)
The Comb Orchestra will play the Music of the Future.
The Usher will pass pop-corn between the Acts. Beds may be ordered at 10.30.
The scene between Adam and Orlando went
