_Mother Goose._ Well, I am going to give a party and I wish to ask your
advice.

_Mother Hubbard._ Indeed! Whom do you think of inviting?

_Mother Goose._ First, the dear Old Woman who lives in the shoe--

_Mother Hubbard._ What! and all her children?

_Mother Goose._ No, only the two eldest. You know the party is for my
son Jack, too, and we must have the young people as well as their
parents. Old King Cole will come and bring his fiddlers three to play
for the young folks who dance.

_Mother Hubbard._ I hope you won't invite Tom the Piper's Son, or My Son
John as his mother calls him,--or Humpty-Dumpty. They are not good boys
for your son Jack to play with!

_Mother Goose._ I suppose not; but I like them all, and I dislike to
leave out anyone. I don't wish to hurt their feelings.

_Mother Hubbard._ There are little Bo-Peep and Boy Blue, who are good
children, although rather silly; and there are little Miss Muffet and
Nancy Etticoat, both very pretty little girls; and there are Jacky
Horner and Tommy Tucker and the Man-in-the-Moon and Taffey and
Daffey-Down-Dilly and--

_Mother Goose._ I'll have to give a garden party if I invite all those!
I can't leave any out, and I think I'll have the party out-of-doors.

_Mother Hubbard._ That will be fine! I only hope it will be a pleasant
day. When will you give it?

_Mother Goose._ Two weeks from to-day, the first of May.

_Mother Hubbard._ That's May Day and a very good day for a party
out-of-doors. Well I must go home now. Good-by! If I can help you,
please call upon me.

_Mother Goose._ Thank you, Mother Hubbard! Good-by, and thank you again
for coming over.

SCENE IV.--_At the Party_

_Mother Hubbard._ What a lovely day you have for your party, Mother
Goose! The sun shines so bright and warm, and the flowers are lovely. Is
there anything I can do?

_Mother Goose._ No, thank you. I'm glad you came early. Have you seen
the tables?

_Mother Hubbard._ They are lovely! Where did you get such pretty
flowers?

_Mother Goose._ From Mistress Mary, quite contrary. You know she has a
garden

With cockle shells, and silver bells,
And pretty maids all in a row.

_Mother Hubbard._ I see some one coming.

_Mother Goose._ Why, how do you do, A-Dillar-a-Dollar! Are you always in
such good time?

_A-Dillar-a-Dollar._ I'm afraid not, Mrs. Goose. They call me

A ten o'clock scholar,
Why did you come so soon?
You used to come at ten o'clock,