. "Never," says she,
"have I seen such a crowd before. What can it mean?"

I said nothing, but kept a deep and satisfied thinking. What did it
mean? Hadn't _I_ just arrived? Hadn't the news spread? Was not this a
popular uprising--a great wave of homage to the worth and genius of a
woman whom I did not care to mention? These thoughts were in my mind
when a great storm of music broke out from that summer-house in the
front home lot. Then whiz went a fiery snake, clear up into the sky,
where it bent its head, opened its mouth, and poured a stream of burning
stars down over the people.

Mercy, what a great crowd those falling stars lighted up! The street in
front of the hotel was black with people. The long, long stoop was
swarming with them--the ladies all in scrumptious dresses; the gentlemen
with red and blue ribbons on their hats, and the same colors glowing at
their throats. This I saw by the light of the gas-globes and of those
shooting stars that dropped like great jewels through the still air. The
sight of that fiery snake frightened me; I jumped like a pea on a hot
shovel, and gave a little scream.

"What does it mean? What temptatious snake is it?" says I, a-trembling
all over.

"It's a rocket," says E. E.; "a publishing gentleman is going to
compliment the ladies with a display of fireworks."

"The ladies!" thought I, in silent irony. There is but one lady to whom
so noble a compliment can be paid, and that lady--is--but no matter!

I did not say this in words. Let E. E. have her vanities and her little
delusions. She does assume a few airs on account of our relationship,
but I seldom notice it--let her make her little mark in society. It
pleases her, and does not hurt me. Only, an ovation like this--to think
she, or any one else, could share that with me, is asking a little too
much.

Out went another snake, curling along the grass, shooting straight up,
with a venomous blue light in its folds that was enough to frighten one;
but it sort of melted away in sparks, and then a great wheel of
fire--crimson, blue, green, yellow, rainbowish in every line and
spoke--began to whirl round and round at the other end of the home lot,
sending out great curving plumes of sparks, and twisting them into ten
thousand rainbows, all winding, whirling, and shooting fire like a great
wheel of jewels and revolving stars.

Another broke out, and began to whirl close to one of the mammoth
flower-vases, raining light down up