`` Not long ago I found that she had been giving her lunch day after day to a poor child who seldom had any , and when I asked her why , she said , with tears , ' I used to laugh at Abby , because she had only crusty , dry bread , and so she would n't bring any . I ought to give her mine and be hungry , it was so mean to make fun of her poorness . '' `` Did you stop the sacrifice ? '' `` No ; I let Bab ` go halves , ' and added an extra bit to my own lunch , so I could make my contribution likewise . '' `` Come and tell me about Abby . I want to make friends with our poor people , for soon I shall have a right to help them ; '' and , putting her arm in Teacher 's , Miss Celia led her away for a quiet chat in the porch , making her guest 's visit a happy holiday by confiding several plans and asking advice in the friendliest way . CHAPTER XXI CUPID 'S LAST APPEARANCE A picnic supper on the grass followed the games , and then , as twilight began to fall , the young people were marshalled to the coach-house , now transformed into a rustic theatre . One big door was open , and seats , arranged lengthwise , faced the red table-cloths which formed the curtain . A row of lamps made very good foot-lights , and an invisible band performed a Wagner-like overture on combs , tin trumpets , drums , and pipes , with an accompaniment of suppressed laughter . Many of the children had never seen any thing like it , and sat staring about them in mute admiration and expectancy ; but the older ones criticised freely , and indulged in wild speculations as to the meaning of various convulsions of nature going on behind the curtain . While Teacher was dressing the actresses for the tragedy , Miss Celia and Thorny , who were old hands at this sort of amusement , gave a `` Potato '' pantomime as a side show . Across an empty stall a green cloth was fastened , so high that the heads of the operators were not seen . A little curtain flew up , disclosing the front of a Chinese pagoda painted on pasteboard , with a door and window which opened quite naturally . This stood on one side , several green trees with paper lanterns hanging from the boughs were on the other side , and the words `` Tea Garden , '' printed over the top , showed the nature of this charming spot . Few of the children had ever seen the immortal Punch and Judy , so this was a most agreeable novelty , and before they could make out what it meant , a voice began to sing , so distinctly that every word was heard , -- `` In China there lived a little man , His name was Chingery Wangery Chan . '' Here the hero `` took the stage '' with great dignity , clad in a loose yellow jacket over a blue skirt , which concealed the hand that made his body . A pointed hat adorned his head , and on removing this to bow he disclosed a bald pate with a black queue in the middle , and a Chinese face nicely painted on the potato , the lower part of which was hollowed out to fit Thorny 's first finger , while his thumb and second finger were in the sleeves of the yellow jacket , making a lively pair of arms . While he saluted , the song went on , -- `` His legs were short , his feet were small , And this little man could not walk at all . '' Which assertion was proved to be false by the agility with which the `` little man '' danced a jig in time to the rollicking chorus , -- `` Chingery changery ri co day , Ekel tekel happy man ; Uron odesko canty oh , oh , Gallopy wallopy China go . '' At the close of the dance and chorus , Chan retired into the tea garden , and drank so many cups of the national beverage , with such comic gestures , that the spectators were almost sorry when the opening of the opposite window drew all eyes in that direction .
At the lattice appeared a lovely being ; for this potato had been pared , and on the white surface were painted pretty pink checks , red lips , black eyes , and oblique brows ; through the tuft of dark silk on the head were stuck several glittering pins , and a pink jacket shrouded the plump figure of this capital little XXXXX lady .
Abby Bab Chinese Teacher canty first queue right second table-cloths