," thought
Mother Hubbard, winking fast behind the green spectacles, and recalling
uneasily the couplet her father often repeated:--

"Think well before you pursue it;
But when you begin, go through it."

"Now what'll we have for dinner?"

Lady Magnifico was walking languidly about, admiring herself in the
mirror, Dr. Moonshine rummaging an old closet, and Baby pulling out the
bureau drawers.

"They have the easy part. But never mind; I'll show them what I can do.
Mother says I have a great deal more taste for cooking than Susy has.
Didn't I make pickles all one vacation?"

Then Prudy sat down with the "Housekeeper's Friend," and began at the
first page to read. Half an hour passed, and no signs of her moving.

"I'm hunger-y," whispered Baby, taking a sugar-coated pill out of a box,
and touching it with her tongue. It was sweet till her teeth went into
it, when out rolled the little ball upon the floor.

"O, my shole! How bitter!" groaned she, wiping her mouth on a lace cuff.
"'Spect that's a pill, and they cooked it in sugar; but I shan't eat
it."

"Little daughter, what are you doing there? Mustn't meddle with other
folks' things." Dr. Moonshine sneezed as he spoke, having breathed some
of the "dust of ages" into his nose off a top shelf, where Mrs. Fixfax
kept a few herbs. Ten minutes more. The doctor stepped down from the
chair-back on which he had been standing, and gazed hard at his
landlady. She was turning the sixteenth page.

"My Lady Magnifico!"

"Sir?"

"My lady, do you happen to have such a thing as a peanut in your
pocket?"

My lady shook the cat out of the armchair, and seated herself.

"It isn't polite to carry round peanuts."

"I was only thinking," continued the doctor, with a side glance at
Mother Hubbard, "how nice a peanut would be to keep anybody from
fainting away."

Mother Hubbard started from her chair. "What unfashionable boarders! You
don't expect dinner in the middle of the day, I hope! In the city of New
York we don't have it till five or six o'clock. I'm afraid you came down
too soon, Dr. Moonshine."

"Afraid I did. Wish I was 'the man in the South.' I'd like to 'burn my
mouth' on a little 'cold plum porridge.'"

"Haven't any for you; but I'll give you a lunch. What say to omelettes
and coffee?"

"Excellent," said Dr. Moonshine, reviving.

"Exquisite," drawled my lady.

"_Exquit_," quoth Fly.

"Only there isn't any coffee," said Mother Hubbard, going to