Part 14 (2/2)
”I have hurt myself,” was the answer ”I tripped up over this Puzzle”
”I am sorry Are you very badly hurt?” asked her little friend with pity
”Never mind me I promised to tell you one more story, and I shall do so,” answered the little Marionette
She spoke very sadly, and the little girl picked her up and kissed her
”Would you not like to put off telling me a story to-day?” she asked
”No I should like to do so,” the Marionette answered, ”for it is our lastPut me back on the counter and I will tell it to you”
”Shall I put you back where I found you?”
”No, take me back to our old place I airl took her to the Noah's Ark, and placed her with her back to it
”What is your story about, dear?” the little girl asked, drawing her chair close to the counter, and bending her head close to the little Marionette, the better to hear her s than usual
”About a little Marionette like ht she didn't mind And all the while she minded so very much! More than she kne to say!”
”Poor little Marionette!” said Molly
”It _was_ sad, for it was only a mistake, wasn't it?” said the little Marionette lady with a sigh ”But you shall hear all about it Listen whilst I tell you the story of: 'The Last Performance'”
THE LAST PERFORMANCE
The two little Marionette dolls had just finished their dance before an ad of Toys, and the curtain had, that mohed the little lady Marionette to her partner; ”so now the play is over We shall never act together again I heard the wo to separate us, and sell us as ordinary Toys She said there was so little demand for Marionettes nowadays But you heard that as well as I, didn't you?”
”Yes, I heard,” he answered ”Andto send me aith soood-bye for a long while”
The little lady Marionette patted the paniers of her pretty brocade dress and remained silent
”You don't ht you wouldn't”
”I do mind,” she answered at last
”Yes; very s,” she replied
”I wouldn't do that for the whole world--not for ten worlds,” he answered