HOUSEMAID]

At the last moment it was found necessary to include another poem in
the magazine, and, as all of the Rhymester's were too long, the
Doctor-in-Law decided to write one himself, which he called

COMMERCIAL PROBLEMS.

Why doth the little busy bee
Not charge so much an hour,
For gathering honey day by day
From every opening flower?

And can you tell me why, good sir,
The birds receive no pay
For singing sweetly in the grove
Throughout the livelong day?

Why flow'rs should bloom about the place
And give their perfume free,
In so unbusinesslike a way,
Seems very odd to me.

I cannot meet a single cow
That charges for her milk,
And though they are not paid a sou,
The silkworms still spin silk.

While ducks and hens, I grieve to find,
Lay eggs for nothing too,
Which is a most ridiculous
And foolish thing to do.

These problems often puzzle me;
I lie awake at night,
And think and think what I can do
To set this matter right.

I've found a way at last, and though
It may at first seem funny,
It cannot fail--'tis this: _You_ pay,
And _I'll_ collect the money.

CHAPTER X

THE WALLYPUG GOES TO WINDSOR

While they were all busy in the preparation of _The Wallypug's Own_, I
thought it an excellent opportunity to run down to Folkestone in order
to make arrangements for hiring a house, as I intended taking my
guests to the seaside for a few weeks.

I felt a little anxious about leaving them to themselves, but hoped
that they would be too busy and interested in the new magazine to get
into trouble.

It was most unfortunate that I should have gone just then though, for
directly I had left the Wallypug received a polite letter from one of
the Court officials to say that the Queen would be pleased to receive
his Majesty and suite at Windsor on the following day.

[Illustration: A ROYAL INVITATION]

Of course, as you may imagine, the Wallypug was in a great state of
excitement at receiving this royal invitation, and wished to telegraph
at once for me to return and advise them how to act and what to do, on
this important occasion; however, the Doctor-in-Law, so I have been
given to understand, persuaded his Majesty not to do anything of the
sort, and added that I "was always poking about and interfering, and
was better out of the way"; so his Majesty,