one something equally
praiseworthy. The shoemaker had never done anything but make shoes, and
his wife did the cooking and made the clothes for the family. When they
received the invitation to the party, they were greatly astonished and
thought it must be a mistake, but the village priest, who read the
letter, told them that it was certainly intended for them, though why
they were invited was a mystery. When the priest told them that it was a
mystery, they knew that it was so, and came along bowing and curtsying
as if all the persons they met were their betters, though really only
one or two were half so good. Miss Muffet ran to them and put her hands
in theirs.

[Illustration: _Scampering off into the dark_]

"I have just loved you since the time I heard what you did for the
little elves who used to come at night after you had gone to bed and
finish your work for you. Some people take what's done for them and
think no more about it except that they're lucky; but you sat up till
midnight and peeped into the room where the elves were working, and saw
that they didn't have enough clothes to keep them warm. Then you made
each one a shirt and a coat and waistcoat and a pair of trousers and a
little pair of shoes. What fun it must have been, next night, to watch
them putting on their things and scampering off into the dark. I never
heard of elves being dressed up like that."

The shoemaker and his wife laughed heartily as they remembered how funny
the elves were. The wife confessed that the garments didn't fit closely,
though she made them like her husband's, only smaller.

"Elves are not so square, are they?" asked Miss Muffet.

"No," said the shoemaker's wife; "but their clothes are. That's the only
pattern I have."

"I suppose they are coming to the party? I sent a general invitation to
Elf-land. There is to be elfin music and a frolic for them. I thought
they might like it better to have their own games. Your elves can't say
they have nothing to wear, because that wouldn't be true."

But though she looked everywhere for them, nowhere could she see the
little elves in square coats and trousers. When the refreshments were
served, Mr. Spider noticed that everything went remarkably smoothly, and
there was more of all kinds of provisions than he had ordered. He said
he had no doubt but that the little elves were helping in the kitchen.

"It would be just like them; the little dears!" said Miss Muffet.

The shoemaker