and ears of a prodigious size, he made a queer picture; and, ignorant
of his power of mimicry and impersonation, I kept my seat on the
piano-stool. That is for a while I kept it. When safety lay no
longer on it I took refuge on the sofa. First, smiles had followed
his beginning words, then shouts of laughter, then shrieks of it; and
little gasping screams and bending of bodies and convulsive doubling
up; and when finally he stopped we were spent and breathless, and for
a while I could not see. When again my eyes were clear, Fannie
Harris was standing by me.

"If you think you can stand up, the room is ready for dancing." She
pointed ahead of her. "Please look at Mrs. Mundy. She'll split her
best black silk if she doesn't stop."

Mrs. Mundy's cackles were getting shorter and shorter and, wiping her
eyes, she joined us and nodded at Mr. Guard.

"I haven't laughed as much since the first time I went to the circus,
and if there's anything better for the insides than laughing, I've
never took it. Seems to me it clears out low-downness and sour
spirits better than any tonic you can buy, and for plum wore-outness
a good laugh's more resting than sleep. When you're ready to have
the hot things brought up, let me know, Miss Dandridge. Martha's
down-stairs and everything's ready and just waiting for the word."

It was hardly time for refreshments, and at Mr. Guard's announcement
that all who cared to dance could go into the next room, a movement
was made toward the latter, and then all stopped and waited for
Archie Barbee, who, with a low bow, was asking Mrs. Crimm for the
favor of a fox-trot.