The beggars who came to town were out in full force , `` rags , tags , and velvet gowns , '' quite true to life . `` Boy Blue '' rubbed his eyes , with hay sticking in his hair , and tooted on a tin horn as if bound to get the cows out of the corn . Molly , with a long-handled frying-pan , made a capital `` Queen , '' in a tucked-up gown , checked apron , and high crown , to good `` King Arthur , '' who , very properly , did not appear after stealing the barley-meal , which might be seen in the pan tied up in a pudding , like a cannon-ball , ready to fry . But Tobias , Molly 's black cat , covered himself with glory by the spirit with which he acted his part in , `` Sing , sing , what shall I sing ? The cat 's run away with the pudding-bag string . '' First he was led across the stage on his hind legs , looking very fierce and indignant , with a long tape trailing behind him ; and , being set free at the proper moment , he gave one bound over the four-and-twenty blackbirds who happened to be in the way , and dashed off as if an enraged cook had actually been after him , straight downstairs to the coal-bin , where he sat glaring in the dark , till the fun was over . When all the characters had filed in and stood in two long rows , music struck up and they danced , `` All the way to Boston , '' a simple but lively affair , which gave each a chance to show his or her costume as they pranced down the middle and up outside . Such a funny medley as it was , for there went fat `` King Cole '' with the most ragged of the beggar-maids . `` Mistress Mary , '' in her pretty blue dress , tripped along with `` Simple Simon '' staring about him like a blockhead . The fine lady left her horse to dance with `` Bobby Shafto '' till every bell on her slippers tinkled its tongue out . `` Bo-Peep '' and a jolly fiddler skipped gayly up and down . `` Miss Muffet '' took the big spider for her partner , and made his many legs fly about in the wildest way . The little wife got out of the wheelbarrow to help `` Boy Blue '' along , and Molly , with the frying-pan over her shoulder , led off splendidly when it was `` Grand right and left . '' But the old lady and her goose were the best of all , for the dame 's shoe-buckles cut the most astonishing pigeon-wings , and to see that mammoth bird waddle down the middle with its wings half open , its long neck bridling , and its yellow legs in the first position as it curtsied to its partner , was a sight to remember , it was so intensely funny . The merry old gentleman laughed till he cried ; Mr. Burton split his gloves , he applauded so enthusiastically ; while the children beat the dust out of the carpet hopping up and down , as they cried : `` Do it again ! '' `` We want it all over ! '' when the curtain went down at last on the flushed and panting party , Mother G -- bowing , with her hat all awry , and the goose doing a double shuffle as if it did not know how to leave off . But they could not `` do it all over again , '' for it was growing late , and the people felt that they certainly had received their money 's worth that evening . So it all ended merrily , and when the guests departed the boys cleared the room like magic , and the promised supper to the actors was served in handsome style . Jack and Jill were at one end , Mrs. Goose and her bird at the other , and all between was a comical collection of military heroes , fairy characters , and nursery celebrities .
All XXXXX the need of refreshment after their labors , and swept over the table like a flight of locusts , leaving devastation behind .
checked covered departed felt filed gave struck tooted trailing tripped