Belle did beautifully, first on the program, dressed up in grown
clothes and having a Byrdsville society conversation over an imaginary
telephone. It sounded just like Helena, and I thought it was not very
nice of her to impersonate her own sister, but it was a comfort to see
how the Idol enjoyed it. If he liked Helena to any extent, he would
have displayed indignation. Instead the corners of his mouth twitched
for minutes afterward. I believe at some time Helena must have
telephoned him.

Mamie Sue did a delicious old lady telling about her grandson to the
two Willises, who were company to tea, that made Hie audience shake
with jollity. There was a perfectly darling trace of Miss Priscilla in
the way she did it, that made the Colonel almost unable to keep his
seat, and Miss Priscilla laughed out loud twice. The affection I bear
Mamie Sue fattens in my heart at the same rate the object does in real
life.

"The way the two Willises impersonated their own silence was a triumph
of art," the Idol said in my ear after it was over. It embarrassed me
greatly to have him be obliged to crowd into a seat with Lovelace
Peyton and me, but it was crowded everywhere else, too. If I had had
my way he would have had the best seat in the house, comfortably
alone.

Sam Hayes was "Old Hickory," General Andrew Jackson, the night before
the battle of New Orleans. Mr. Douglass Byrd wrote his piece and Judge
Luttrell, who is the son of one of that famous Tennessee hero's best
friends and staff-officers, was so affected he blew his nose
feelingly.