Part 19

THE PETERKINS TOO LATE FOR THE EXHIBITION.

Dramatis Personæ.--Amanda (friend of Elizabeth Eliza), Amanda’s mother, girls of the graduating class, Mrs. Peterkin, Elizabeth Eliza. AMANDA [coming in with a few graduates ].

MOTHER, the exhibition is over, and I have brought the whole class home to the collation.

MOTHER.--The whole class! I But I only expected a few.

AMANDA.--The rest are coming. I brought Julie, and Clara, and Sophie with me. [A voice is heard. ] Here are the rest.

MOTHER.--Why, no. It is Mrs. Peterkin and Elizabeth Eliza!

AMANDA.--Too late for the exhibition. Such a shame! But in time for the collation.

MOTHER [to herself ].--If the ice-cream will go round.

AMANDA.--But what made you so late? Did you miss the train? This is Elizabeth Eliza, girls--you have heard me speak of her. What a pity you were too late!

MRS. PETERKIN.--We tried to come; we did our best.

MOTHER.--Did you miss the train? Didn’t you get my postal-card?

MRS. PETERKIN.--We had nothing to do with the train.

AMANDA.--You don’t mean you walked?

MRS. PETERKIN.--O no, indeed!

ELIZABETH ELIZA.--We came in a horse and carryall.

JULIA.--I always wondered how anybody could come in a horse!

AMANDA.--You are too foolish, Julia. They came in the carryall part. But didn’t you start in time?

MRS. PETERKIN.--It all comes from the carryall being so hard to turn. I told Mr.

Peterkin we should get into trouble with one of those carryalls that don’t turn easy.

ELIZABETH ELIZA.--They turn easy enough in the stable, so you can’t tell.

MRS. PETERKIN.--Yes; we started with the little boys and Solomon John on the back seat, and Elizabeth Eliza on the front. She was to drive, and I was to see to the driving. But the horse was not faced toward Boston.

MOTHER.--And you tipped over in turning round! Oh, what an accident!

AMANDA.--And the little boys--where are they? Are they killed?

ELIZABETH ELIZA.--The little boys are all safe. We left them at the Pringles’, with Solomon John.

MOTHER.--But what did happen?

MRS. PETERKIN.--We started the wrong way.

MOTHER.--You lost your way, after all?

ELIZABETH ELIZA.--No; we knew the way well enough.