little squibs, in order to show that he was still a person of
some importance.

"I was saying," continued the Rocket, "I was saying---- What was I
saying?"

"You were talking about yourself," replied the Roman Candle.

"Of course; I knew I was discussing some interesting subject when I was
so rudely interrupted. I hate rudeness and bad manners of every kind,
for I am extremely sensitive. No one in the whole world is so sensitive
as I am, I am quite sure of that."

"What is a sensitive person?" said the Cracker to the Roman Candle.

"A person who, because he has corns himself, always treads on other
people's toes," answered the Roman Candle in a low whisper; and the
Cracker nearly exploded with laughter.

"Pray, what are you laughing at?" inquired the Rocket; "I am not
laughing."

"I am laughing because I am happy," replied the Cracker.

"That is a very selfish reason," said the Rocket angrily. "What right
have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others. In fact, you
should be thinking about me. I am always thinking about myself, and I
expect everybody else to do the same. That is what is called sympathy.
It is a beautiful virtue, and I possess it in a high degree. Suppose,
for instance, anything happened to me to-night, what a misfortune that
would be for every one! The Prince and Princess would never be happy
again, their whole married life would be spoiled; and as for the King,
I know he would not get over it. Really, when I begin to reflect on the
importance of my position, I am almost moved to tears."

"If you want to give pleasure to others," cried the Roman Candle,
"you had better keep yourself dry."

"Certainly," exclaimed the Bengal Light, who was now in better spirits;
"that is only common sense."

"Common sense, indeed!" said the Rocket indignantly; "you forget that I
am very uncommon, and very remarkable. Why, anybody can have common
sense, provided that they have no imagination. But I have imagination,
for I never think of things as they really are; I always think of them
as being quite different. As for keeping myself dry, there is evidently
no one here who can at all appreciate an emotional nature. Fortunately
for myself, I don't care. The only thing that sustains one through life
is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and
this is a feeling I have always cultivated. But none of you have any
hearts. Here you are laughing and making merry just as if the Pri