“Cross Patch, draw the latch! Sit by the fire and spin!” “It’s all Mother’s fault,” declared Cross Patch, going to Mother Goose and kissing her lovingly. “No one would ever have dreamed of calling me Cross Patch if she hadn’t made up that silly song just to punish me for a fit of temper!” Cross Patch turned out to be Mother Goose’s own daughter, and a very merry, sweet little person she was. Mother Goose herself laughed as she greeted her little girl. “Never mind!” she said. “Her temper is ever so much better since!” Still a third Jack made his appearance just then, carrying a piece of a bean-stalk, and he was soon followed by a lovely lady and a Prince who announced that they were Beauty and the Beast. “He doesn’t look a bit like a beast,” cried Meg, watching them. Cross Patch laughed. “He was only a beast until Beauty kissed him,” she said. “I really must admit that he was pretty bad up to that time!” A little girl who wore her hair straight back from her forehead, carried a looking-glass, and was followed by a pack of live cards, came next. “Alice!” exclaimed Mother Goose. “I am glad to see you! I was afraid you wouldn’t come, since you don’t belong to my kingdom properly. I have always wished that you were one of my very own girls!” “Hello!” cried a voice outside. “I’m here, Mother Goose, but I had to hop all the way on one leg! That shoemaker would not send me back my left boot in time!” In came Hop O’ My Thumb himself,—a very tiny person, but wearing one huge boot. They all laughed at him, but he was evidently very popular, and the children made up their minds to read all about him just as soon as they could possibly get home. More and more Make Believe persons came, until it seemed beyond all things wonderful that they were all able to get into Mother Goose’s tiny cottage. But of course in Make Believe Land all things were possible, and as a matter of fact, in recognising that, our three children had learned their last and greatest lesson. When all the guests had arrived, they had a country dance on the grass outside. The sun was setting, and the light was lovelier than any evening glow that poet or artist ever saw in the real world. The forest shadows mingled with the gold and crimson glory streaming in from the wonderful distant West, and the flowers in Mother Goose’s garden seemed to glow like little rainbow lamps, to light the feet of the dancers. And such a funny dance as it was! Klang and Tinkle got out their queer little lutes, and some sad-eyed Necker appeared, and a host of sprites and elves of all kinds took their places as the musicians of the occasion. And when the dance began, there was the oddest assortment in the way of partners that you could imagine.