* * * * *
Oh, hum! Folks can't stay all night, you know; so, finally, groups and
pairs, drifting out, all had happy words for His Honor and Lady Gadsby;
and His Honor, a word or two; for you know Gadsby _can_ talk? So it
was:--
"Good night, Nina; good luck, Old Bill! Oh! say, Bill; will _that_
cigar blow up? Good night, Virginia; and ta-ta Patricia; and Virginia,
you mind your Ma and stay down on solid ground! Aha, Clancy! You old
motor-pump fan! No; that's wrong; _animal-drawn_ pump! Good night,
Pastor Brown; so glad you put Norman in your choir. And now Old Tom
and Sarah! Tom, you look as young as on that day on which you brought
Sarah, just a tiny, squalling, fist-waving bunch, to this porch to ask
about adoption! And I know Sarah has always had a kind, loving Dad.
Paul, you young sprout! As _you_ turn into a daddy, soon now, you'll
find that, on marrying, a man and woman start actually living. It's
miraculous, Paul, that's just what it is."
And so it was; pairs and groups shaking hands and laughing, until
finally a big buxom woman sang out:--
"_Whoops!!_ It was a _wow_ of a grub-lay-out! It _was_ thot! But this
dom thing I calls hoosband. Say! You grub-stuffin' varmint! Phwat's
that in your hat? A droom-stick, is it? Do you want His Honor to think
I don't cook nuthin' for you? Goodnight, all! I'm thot full I'm almost
a-bustin'!"