Oh, what could you do if you lived under ground? You could ride Mr. Mole and go galloping round; You could hear the black cricket a-playing his fife, For to quiet the baby and please his dear wife. You could hear the green grasshopper frying his meat, Near the nest of the June-Bug under the wheat. You could get all the goobers and artichokes, too-- You could peep from the window the grub-worm went through. But it's oh! and it's ah! It's alack! and alas! Just imagine you lived in a big looking-glass! "Oh, I think that is splendid," cried Sweetest Susan. "Mr. Rabbit doesn't like it much," replied Mrs. Meadows, "but I tell him it is pretty good for children that were raised in a Looking-Glass." "It will do very well," remarked Mr. Rabbit, "but you'll hear nicer songs by the time you are as old as I am." "Dem ar white chillun done mighty well," said Drusilla, "but I don't like de way dat ar nigger gal hilt her head." "Do they have to stay in the looking-glass?" asked Buster John. "If they do I'm sorry for them." "I ain't sorry fer dat black gal," said Drusilla spitefully. "She too ugly ter suit me." "Whose fault is it but yours?" cried Chickamy Crany Crow. "Yes, whose fault is it?" cried Tickle-My-Toes. "Come, come!" cries Mrs. Meadows. "We want no trouble here." "We'll not trouble her," answered Tickle-My-Toes. "Old Rawhead-and-Bloody-Bones will do the troubling." "Now you all heah dat!" exclaimed Drusilla, in some alarm. "I ain't pesterin' nobody, an' I ain't doin' nothin' 't all. Ef I can't talk I des ez well quit livin'. I'm gwine home, I am, an' ef I can't fin' de way, den I'll know who'll have ter answer fer it." "Well, if you go," said Mrs. Meadows, "you'll have company. The other black girl will have to go too." "How come dat?" exclaimed Drusilla. "It would take me too long to tell you," replied Mrs. Meadows. "Why does your shadow in a looking-glass make every motion that you make? Because it's obliged to--that's all. That's just the reason the other black girl would follow you." "Don't mind Drusilla," said Buster John. "She just talks to hear herself talk. Her mouth flies open before she knows it." "Well, the poor things won't trouble you long," said Mrs. Meadows. "They'll want to go back home presently." "Do they have to stay in the looking-glass?" inquired Buster John, repeating a question he had already asked. "Well, they were born and raised there," replied Mrs. Meadows. "It is their home, and, although they are glad to get out for a little while, they wouldn't be very happy if they had to stay out." [Illustration: THEY ALL PLUNGED INTO THE LOOKING-GLASS] The children and the Looking-Glass children played together a little while, or made believe to play, but they didn't seem to enjoy themselves. Mrs. Meadows noticed this and asked Mr. Rabbit the reason.