Untitled

9 8 MOONFOLK.
the window laughed a little, sighed a little, and then
began to sing :
" Oh, cruel, cruel Polly Hopkins, to treat me "
so, to treat me so !
Without looking round, the maid replied, by singing
:
'
Oh, cruel, cruel Tommy Tompkins, to plague me so, to plague me
BO!"
" Does it
plague you really, Polly ? " asked Tommy ;
and before Polly could reply, Jacky gravely remarked,
with his mouth full of
" "
pie, There's ma coining
!
Then making a tremendous gulp, he swallowed what
was in his mouth, and crammed in all the rest of the
pie, just as an inner door opened, and a brisk, middleaged
woman came into the kitchen, looked all round,
and said :
"
Why, how do you do, Chimney-Elf ? I haven't seen
you since you came to my wedding with Harry Cum
Parry. Ah, dear ! It was in the fruit season, you
remember,
and what a feast of apples and pears we did
have ! Since then, you know, I've married again, and
now I'm Mrs. Horner. And how do you do, Khoda ?
I'm ever so glad to see you. And Tommy Tompkins
as usual !
Well, Polly, put the kettle on, and we'll all
have tea. I do declare if there isn't father coming, too ?
Why, father, what's the matter "
?
As Mrs. Horner thus cried out, Rhoda turned to see
whom she addressed, and beheld a short stout little man,
with bandy legs and crooked toes and a bleeding nose.