cock-a-lorum!sonow,here'stheplay,brin-bran-spannew!nowlistentotheplay-bill."

andgrandpapatookanewspaper,andreadasifhewerereadingfromit:

thepipe-headandthegoodhead

afamilydramainoneact

characters

mr.pipe-head,afather.

mr.waistcoat,alover.

missglove,adaughter.

mr.deboots,asuitor.

"andnowwe'regoingtobegin.thecurtainrises.wehavenocurtain,soithasrisenalready.allthecharactersarethere,andsowehavethemathand.nowispeakaspapapipe-head!he'sangryto-day.onecanseethathe'sacoloredmeerschaum.

"'snik,snak,snurre,bassellurre!i'mmasterofthishouse!i'mthefatherofmydaughter!willyouhearwhatihavetosay?mr.debootsisapersoninwhomonemayseeone'sface;hisupperpartisofmorocco,andhehasspursintothebargain.snikke,snakke,snak!heshallhavemydaughter!"

"nowlistentowhatthewaistcoatsays,littleanna,"saidgrandpapa."nowthewaistcoat'sspeaking.thewaistcoathasalaydowncollar,andisverymodest;butheknowshisownvalue,andhasquitearighttosaywhathesays:

"'ihaven'taspotonme!goodnessofmaterialoughttobeappreciated.iamofrealsilk,andhavestringstome.'

"'-ontheweddingday,butnolonger;youdon'tkeepyourcolorinthewash.'thisismr.pipe-headwhoisspeaking.'mr.debootsiswater-tight,ofstrongleather,andyetverydelicate;hecancreak,andclankwithhisspurs,andhasanitalianphysiognomy-'"

"buttheyoughttospeakinverses,"saidanna,"fori'veheardthat'sthemostcharmingwayofall."

"theycandothattoo,"repliedgrandpapa;"andifthepublicdemandsit,theywilltalkinthatway.justlookatlittlemissglove,howshe'spointingherfingers!

"'couldibuthavemylove,

whothensohappyasglove!

ah!

ififromhimmustpart,

i'msure'twillbreakmyheart!'

'bah!'thelastwordwasspokenbymr.pipe-head;andnowit'sstcoat'sturn:

"'oglove,myowndear,