After some discussion it was decided that the syllable must bestrew or strow and then they waite

　　After some discussion it was decided that the syllable must be"strew or strow" and then they waited to see if it was a good guess.
　　This scene discovered Annette Snow in bed, evidently very ill;Miss Jenny was her anxious mamma, and her merry conversationamused the audience till Mac came in as a physician, and madegreat fun with his big watch, pompous manner, and absurdquestions. He prescribed one pellet with an unpronounceablename, and left after demanding twenty dollars for his brief visit.
　　The pellet was administered, and such awful agonies immediatelyset in that the distracted mamma bade a sympathetic neighbour runfor Mother Know-all. The neighbour ran, and in came a brisk littleold lady in cap and specs, with a bundle of herbs under her arm,which she at once applied in all sorts of funny ways, explainingtheir virtues as she clapped a plantain poultice here, put a poundedcatnip plaster there, or tied a couple of mullein leaves round thesufferer's throat. Instant relief ensued, the dying child sat up anddemanded baked beans. The grateful parent offered fifty dollars;but Mother Know-all indignantly refused it and went smilingaway, declaring that a neighbourly turn needed no reward, and adoctor's fee was all a humbug.
　　The audience were in fits of laughter over this scene, for Roseimitated Mrs. Atkinson capitally, and the herb cure was a good hitat the excellent lady's belief that "yarbs" would save mankind ifproperly applied. No one enjoyed it more than herself, and thesaucy children prepared for the grand finale in high feather.
　　This closing scene was brief but striking, for two trains of carswhizzed in from opposite sides, met with a terrible collision in themiddle of the stage, and a general smash-up completed the wordcatastrophe.
　　"Now let us act a proverb. I've got one all ready," said Rose, whowas dying to distinguish herself in some way before Uncle Alec.
　　So everyone but Mac, the gay Westerner, and Rose, took theirplaces on the rocky seats and discussed the late beautiful andvaried charade, in which Pokey frankly pronounced her own scenethe "bestest of all."In five minutes the curtain was lifted; nothing appeared but a verylarge sheet of brown paper pinned to a tree, and on it was drawn aclock-face, the hands pointing to four. A small note belowinformed the public that 4 A.M. was the time. Hardly had theaudience grasped this important fact when a long waterproofserpent was seen uncoiling itself from behind a stump. Aninch-worm, perhaps, would be a better description, for it travelledin the same humpy way as that pleasing reptile. Suddenly a verywide-awake and active fowl advanced, pecking, chirping, andscratching vigorously. A tuft of green leaves waved upon his crest,a larger tuft of brakes made an umbrageous tail, and a shawl ofmany colours formed his flapping wings. A truly noble bird, whoselegs had the genuine strut, whose eyes shone watchfully, andwhose voice had a ring that evidently struck terror into thecatterpillar's soul, if it was a catterpillar. He squirmed, hewriggled, he humped as fast as he could, trying to escape; but all invain. The tufted bird espied him, gave one warbling sort of crow,pounced upon him, and flapped triumphantly away.