The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-18 00:00:00

THE HAYMARKET PANTOMIME.

According to the custom of the Haymarket, the Panto-
mime there is founded on a nursery rhyme, and is essen-
tially a children's pantomime. The story of Miss Muffet
and the Spider, combined with that of "Little Boy Blue,
blow your hem," being the foundation of the plot, which
runs thus :—Ever so long ago, when shepherdesses were
much prettier dressed than they are now, there lived one
named Little Miss Muffet, who being very genteel, was
never spoken of by her Christian name. She was so fond
of curl, and whey that she would sit on a tuffet under a
tree all day long to eat them, till she fell fast asleep. It
happened that a large Spider, called King Tarantula by
some, and Old Daddy Long legs by others, fell in love
with her; but he met with no encouragement, as she was
engaged to Little Boy Blue, who minded her father's sheep,
and cow. One day the Spider, when Miss Muffet had
fallen asleep, dropped from a tree on the tuffet on which
she reclined—and not only sat down beside her, but kissed
her—on which Miss Muffet jumped up and boxed his ears;
when the Spider became so enraged that he bit her, which
caused Miss Muffet to fall senseless—he seeing what he
had done ran away. Now the bite of Tarantula was of
such a nature, that only the sound of music could wake
up any one who had become stupifled by such a bite.
tittle Boy Blue coming that way, and seeing Miss Mullet
asleep, blew a pretty tune on his horn, which woke her
up; and finding no one near but her lover, she fell with
joy into his arms. The Your g Queen of the Bees, who
was a Fairy, coming up at the time—and being the
protectress of Little Boy Blue—invited him, with Miss
Muffet, to a party to be given by her and all her Bees, to
which they went, and passed the evening most delightfully
in dancing and eating cake. The Spider wanting to make
away with his rival, consulted the Old Queen Bee—who
was the mortal enemy of the Young Queen—when she ad-
vised him to bite the Little Boy, and run away with Miss
Muffet. The Spider suddenly met Little Boy Blue, jumped
upon him, and bif him, till he fell asleep under a hay-cock.
While this was taking place the Haymakers were ma king
merry at Miss Muffet's Father's, where the Spider, with
others, appeared amongst them, which so frightened
everybody that Daddy 1 ong-legs easily seized hold
of Miss Muffet, carried her away, and kept her
a prisoner in his web, where he attempted to burn
her alive because she would not consent to become Mrs.
Daddy Long-legs. But Little Boy Blue found her out, and
with the assistaance of his friends released her from her
dreadful situation; when the Young Queen Bee changed
Little Boy Blue into Harlequin, and Miss Muffet into Co-
lumbine. But the old Queen being still resolved to annoy
the Young Queen, changed the Spider into Pantaloon,
and his Esquire, Moneyspinner—who was always of great
use to him when anything wicked was to be doae —irto the
Clown, with orders to follow the lovers wherever they
went. After many strange scenes, their pursuers be-
coming weary of the chase, gave up troubling Miss
Muffet and Little Boy Blue, who shortly after married
and settled, and became the father and mother of a very
large family. The scenery of the fairy story is painted by
Mr. F. Fenton, and that of the llarlequinade by Messrs.
O'Connor and Morris. The title of the Pantomime is
Little Miss Muffet and Little Boy Blue ; or, Harlequin
and Old Daddy Longlegs;" and which will illustrate the
following lines :

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating of curds and whey;
There came a large spider,
Who bat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
Little Boy Blue, blow your horn,
The sheers in the meadow the cow in the corn ;
Where's the little boy who looks after the sheep ?
He's under the hay-cock, fast asleep.

A serious accident cccured a few days ago to the
steamboat Parisien, which plies on the Saone between
Lyons and Chalons. ‘‘, h,le the passengers on board were
at table in the dining cabin, the deck ON erhead having been
too heavily laden with chests of soap and sacks of chestnuts,
gave way, and buried them all beneath the mass. One
woman was killed, and kia other persons injured, but not
seriously,