d
have one believe, and for the others--they were limp and miserable.

She went straight at her subject. They all knew what they were there
for, she told them, and her audience looked her unwinkingly in the eye.
They did _not_ know what they were there for, but they felt that they
were prepared for the worst. Cal Emmett went mentally over the only
"piece" he knew, which he thought he might be called upon to speak. It
was the one beginning, according to Cal's version:

Twinkle, Twinkle little star,
What in thunder are you at?

There were thirteen verses, and it was not particularly adapted to a
Christmas entertainment.

The schoolma'am went on explaining. There would be tableaux, she said
(whereat Happy Jack came near swallowing his tongue) and the Jarley
Wax-works.

"What're them?" Slim, leaning awkwardly forward and blinking up at her,
interrupted stolidly. Everyone took advantage of the break and
breathed deeply.

The schoolma'am told them what were the Jarley Wax-works, and even
reverted to Dickens and gave a vivid sketch of the original _Mrs.
Jarley_. The audience finally understood that they would represent wax
figures of noted characters, would stand still and let _Mrs. Jarley_
talk about them--without the satisfaction of talking back--and that
they would be wound up at the psychological moment, when they would be
expected to go through a certain set of motions alleged to portray the
last conscious acts of the characters they represented.

The schoolma'am sat down sidewise upon a desk, swung a neat little foot
unconventionally and grew confidential, and the Happy Family knew they
were in for it.

"Will Davidson" (which was Weary) "is the tallest fellow in the lot, so
he must be the Japanese Dwarf and eat poisoned rice out of a chopping
bowl, with a wooden spoon--the biggest we can find," she announced
authoritatively, and they grinned at Weary.

"Mr. Bennett," (which was Chip) "you can assume a most murderous
expression, so we'll allow you to be Captain Kidd and threaten to slay
your Little Doctor with a wooden sword--if we can't get hold of a real
one."

"Thanks," said Chip, with doubtful gratitude.

"Mr. Emmett, we'll ask you to be _Mrs. Jarley_ and deliver the
lectures."

When they heard that the Happy Family howled derision at Cal, who got
red in the face in spite of himself. The worst was over. The victims
scented fun in the thing and perked up, and the schoolma'am breathed
relie