the naughty children, who had to be sent
straight to bed, they were so bad. Mr. and Mrs. Montague took
possession of the arm chairs, as they were the oldest; Miss Morris was
accommodated with an uncommonly hard ottoman without any back, in the
corner; Mr. Morris plumped down on the sofa, as that was the only seat
large enough for him, and the play went on (Minnie speaking).

MR. MORRIS. Miss Isabella, I wish you would sing us a song.

ISABELLA. Oh, really, I have _sitch_ a bad cold. I don't think I can.

MR. MORRIS. Oh, please do, Miss Isabella! Sing that pretty song about
the little milkmaid.

ISABELLA. Well, I'll see if I can.

So Maggie made the young lady take a funny little scrap of music out of
the stand (called a Canterbury), and put it on the piano. The title of
the piece on the outside was, "Souvenirs de l'Opera," which means in
English "Recollections of the Opera," but it did just as well for a
song. Miss Isabella was seated at the piano, and Maggie moved her hands
up and down the keys, to look as if she were playing; while in her own
sweet bird-like voice she sang for her this song:

"'Where are you going, my pretty maid?
Where are you going, my pretty maid?'
'I'm going a milking, sir,' she said,
'I'm going a milking, sir,' she said.

"'May I go with you, my pretty maid?
May I go with you, my pretty maid?'
'Yes, if you please, kind sir,' she said,
'Yes, if you please, kind sir,' she said.

"'What is your father, my pretty maid?
What is your father, my pretty maid?'
'My father's a farmer, sir,' she said,
'My father's a farmer, sir,' she said.

"'Oh, then may I marry you, my pretty maid?
Then may I marry you, my pretty maid?'
'Yes, if you please, kind sir,' she said,
'Yes, if you please, kind sir,' she said.

"'What is your _fortune_, my pretty maid?
What is your _fortune_, my pretty maid?'
'My _face_ is my fortune, sir,' she said,
'My _face_ is my fortune, sir,' she said.

"'Oh, then I _can't_ marry you, my pretty maid!
But then I _won't_ marry you, my pretty maid!'
'Nobody asked you, sir!' she said,
'NOBODY ASKED YOU, SIR!!' she said!"

The dolls all clapped their hands very hard when Miss Isabella finished
singing, as if they liked it "f