"No; we could arrange all the tableaux back of the screen, and so save a great deal of annoyance." "How many tableaux do you think would be nice?" "Three or four." And Cousin Blanche thoughtfully continued: "I would show only those that are thoroughly indicative of our Holland Dutch ancestors." And Blanche scrutinized Mrs. Thayer's face while she concluded, "Entertainment is always better when it is instructive." "But I'm afraid"--and Mrs. Thayer acted fearful while she explained--"that the tableaux would be a terrible trouble." "On the contrary, nothing could be easier;" and with a good-natured smile rippling over her face, Blanche continued, "Why not let me help you?" "Help me? I expected you would. Why, Blanche!" and the forlorn tone of Mrs. Thayer's voice decided matters. "I am thinking"--and Cousin Blanche's face was very bright, showing that her thought was satisfactory--"that it would be a good idea to show the tulip craze. This tableau would require girls and boys. Penelope could be one of the girls, and Fannie and Julia Mobray the others." "They are quite getatable." "That was my reason in selecting them. Living across the street as they do, they could easily run over for rehearsals." "I did not know that the Hollanders were interested in tulips especially," Mrs. Thayer responded, slowly, and lifting her eyes so that they met the astonished ones of Cousin Blanche. "Why," and without waiting for an explanation Cousin Blanche continued, "you've forgotten about it. The Hollanders spent immense sums of money in ornamenting their gardens with tulips; every new variety of the flower was sought for. They were produced in various shapes and unexpected colors. Indeed, a new color meant a fortune." "Oh!" and Mrs. Thayer seemed greatly surprised. "But how would you show it?" "I would group the children so that they looked pretty. They could wear green clothes to represent stalk and leaves, and have large colored-paper petals fastened to their waists, and with wire shaped and bent upward they would look like veritable tulips. Then a few others could, in a previous tableau, show the act of planting tulip bulbs and watering some growing tulips." [Illustration] "Suppose that you cannot get the tulips?" "I can get tulips of some sort," was the assured response. "If I cannot buy natural ones, I can make paper ones." Mrs. Thayer looked pleased, and then a pink flush suffused her face, while she replied, "I cannot frighten you, can I?" "Not this time. Indeed, no one can afford to quietly accept things when arranging entertainments;" and Blanche rose and paced several times up and down the room. While she walked she added: "As for the other tableaux, one should certainly show a group of girls knitting and crocheting, and others painting pottery, tiles, etc. And then there should be a representation of storks and their nests." "How would you get a stork?"