nut-cracker, and Mr. DROOD stealthily practiced with his ball on a chair
behind the sofa.

The Flowerpot was singing a neat thing by LONGFELLOW about the Evening
Star, and seemed to experience the most remarkable psychological effects
from Mr. BUMSTEAD'S wooden variations and extraordinary stare at the
lower part of her countenance. Thus, she twitched her plump shoulders
strangely, and sang--

"Just a-bove yon sandy bar,
As the day grows faint--(te-hee-he-he!)
Lonely and lovely a single--(now do-o-n't!)
Lights the air with"--(sto-o-op! It tickles--)

Convulsively giggling and exclaiming, alternately, Miss POTTS abruptly
ended her beautiful bronchial noise with violent distortion of
countenance, as though there were a spider in her mouth, and sank upon a
chair in a condition almost hysterical.

"Your playing has made SISSY nervous, JACK," said EDWIN DROOD, hastily
concealing his ball and coming forward. "I noticed, myself, that you
played more than half the notes in the air, or on the music-rack,
without touching the keys at all."

"That is because I am not accustomed to playing upon two pianos at
once," answered BUMSTEAD, who, at that very moment, was industriously
playing the rest of the air some inches from the nearest key.

"He couldn't make _me_ nervous!" exclaimed Miss PENDRAGON, decidedly.