[_George Newnes, Ltd._
]
"'So, so,' cried the Genie, in an angry voice; 'if that is the case then
you must quickly step upon this strip of carpet.' And he laid a piece of
red and yellow carpet on the ground.
"'What for?' asked the young Prince. You see, he didn't know about the
magic in the carpet--nobody had ever told him.
"'What for?' replied the Genie. 'Why, because----' and he told him then
and there. And he put on his hat and stepped upon the carpet, and like a
flash----"
We stole out at this juncture, leaving the children open-mouthed and
open-eyed, oblivious of our presence and retreat, and ascending a flight
of steps found ourselves ushered into a totally different scene. The
uproar was terrific, which was not surprising considering that a hundred
and fifty boys were yelling at the top of their lungs.
"Punch 'im, 'Magsie'; 'it 'im on the nob!"
[Illustration:
_From a Photo. by_]
"'IT 'IM ON THE NOB, MAGSIE."
[_George Newnes, Ltd._
]
And "Magsie," suiting the action to the word, actually landed his
opponent one on the "nob." It was a boxing match--presided over by a
peer's son. Physically the combatants were most unequally matched, one
lad being nearly thirteen and the other--my original cicerone of the
evening--only seven. But they equalize these matters at the Happy
Evenings, and "Pokey" was on his knees, while Billy was the possessor of
much pugilistic science. With each fairly-planted blow the yelling was
terrific, but nobody objected; they encouraged it, if anything. What's
the good of being happy if you can't yell? And so the hundred and fifty
yelled. They have a proper contempt for girls. Girls only giggle and
scream.
[Illustration:
_From a Photo. by_]
THE GREAT CONTEST: THORPE'S MEWS _v._ BYLES'S RENTS.
[_George Newnes, Ltd._
]
But the chief event of the evening among the juvenile male section was
the tug-of-war--the denizens of Thorpe's Mews _versus_ Byles's Rents, a
truly Homeric contest, as it would have appeared to Liliput.
Powerfully-built tatterdemalions boasting fully three feet of stature
were matched against a lesser number of giants of four feet six. The
rope swayed now this side--now that--of the chalked line. Was ever so
much sinew built up of stale bread-crusts and fried fish before? But the
Byles's Rents men--pale, perspiring, and panting--ultimately pulled
their rivals across the line and on to their knees pell-mell, and the
ceiling threatened to splinter and send down pounds of plaster upon the
heads of the spectators at shouts over this triumph. It was thrice
repeated, and then, lo! a few steps and the scene had changed and we
were in the dolls' room.
[Illustration:
_From a Photo. by_]
"PLEASE, LADY, MAY I 'AVE THE FAIRY DOLL NEXT TIME?"
[_George Newnes, Ltd._
]
Every year in November there is a brave show of dolls dressed for the
Happy Evenings children at Bath House, Piccadilly, and some of these
dolls were here now, tended, oh, so gently, almost worshipped, as they
are taken out of their cupboard resting-places and dressed and
undressed.
[Illustration:
_From a Photo. by_]