s across the
street--that I thought we'd play somethin' the boys all knew, an' we'd
kinder lay over anythin' they'd ever seen at the same time. So I
thought we'd play the whole of Shakespeare, an' that would give
everybody a fair show."

There was a look of disappointment on the faces of his hearers as he
said this, and noticing it, he added, quickly,

"You see we couldn't get up a whole play new, an' give all hands a
chance to do fightin'; an' then, agin, Dickey wouldn't have a shield
an' a sword any other way than this."

This last argument changed the look on Dickey's face at once, and he
was perfectly satisfied with any arrangement now, for he knew that his
ambition was to be realized. The others were very careful to show no
signs of approval until they were satisfied that they had been treated
as well as Dickey.

"Of course," continued Mopsey, as he looked around at his audience
much as if he expected to hear some of them say that he couldn't write
a play, "the first thing we had to have was a programme, an' I've made
one out, so's you'll know jest what you've got to do."

Here Mopsey unfolded the paper he had carried in his hand, and
displayed a bill of the play. It is unnecessary to say that this piece
of literary work had cost the author a very great effort. Doubts as to
the spelling arose at every turn, but the final result was as follows:

GRATE SHOW--At Mis GReNs. BoRDin HOUse
THe HoLe ov SHAKspiR
SATeRDAY NiTe, 8 in tHe evenin

RicHARD 3 MopseY DoWD
MAKBeTH DicKeY SPRY
OTHeLLeR SHineR JoNes
HAMLeT PoLLY WesToN
THe GosT Ben TReAT
A SiNGeR NeLLY GRen

PRiCe 5 cenTs. PreSeRVeD ceATS 8 cenTs

GRATe TiMe.

Mopsey waited patiently until all had read this wonderful production,
and he was pleased to see that nearly all were satisfied with their
parts. Ben Treat was the only one who appeared to think he had any
cause for complaint, and he very soon made his grievance known.

"I can't play ghost," he said, fretfully; "I don't know nothin' 'bout
it, an' I want more to do."

Mopsey had made up his mind as to what course he should pursue in case
of any dissatisfaction, and he said to Ben, in tones of deepest scorn,

"A great feller you are to get up a fuss before you know what you've
got to do! an' you oughter be ashamed of yourself. Why, you've got an
awf