Jack was head waiter, and having donned a clean white blouse of Hop
Yet's and his best cap with the red button, from which dangled a
hastily improvised queue of black worsted, he proceeded to convulse
everybody with his Mongolian antics. These consisted of most
informal remarks in clever pigeon English, and snatches of Chinese
melody, rendered from time to time as he carried dishes into the
kitchen. Elsie laughed until she cried, and Laura sat in the
shadiest corner, her head artistically swathed in white tarlatan.
Polly occupied the seat of honour at the end of the table opposite
Dr. Winship, and was happier than a queen. She wore her new green
cambric, with a bunch of leaves at her belt. She was sun-burned, but
the freckles seemed to have disappeared mysteriously from her nose,
and almost any one would have admired the rosy skin, the dancing
eyes, and the graceful little auburn head, 'sunning over with curls.'
When the last bit of dessert had been disposed of, and Dicky had gone
to sleep in his mother's lap, like an infant boa-constrictor after a
hearty meal, the presentation of gifts and reading of poems took
place; and Polly had to be on the alert to answer all the nonsensical
jokes that were aimed at her.
Finally, Bell crowned the occasion by producing a song of Miss
Mulock's, which had come in the morning mail from some girl friend of
Polly's in the East, who had discovered that Polly's name had
appeared in poetry and song without her knowledge, and who thought
she might be interested to hear the composition.
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