“They were all rather nervous.”
. . . just at that moment a voice from behind the fence said, “Well my goodness gracious! Pretty goings on, I must say! Pepper-and-Salt come down this very minute, or I’ll know the reason why!”
They did come down, but not exactly as they had intended to do, for they all tumbled flop in a heap on the floor, amid squeals and howls from the audience.
PETER PIPER’S PEEP SHOW or All the Fun of the Fair
Written by S. H. Hamer.
Illustrations by Lewis Baumer and Harry B. Neilson.
Cassell And Company, Ltd.: London, Paris, New York & Melbourne. 1906.
Elephant's Picture Book 
Look at the expressions on the faces of the little pigs. I feel for them!
Tender heart!
Elephant
great drawing
Thank you too! There is a great deal to see if someone looks closely – characters one and all! It takes a kind of genius to express so much so simply!
Elephant
What a magnificent piece of illustration, there’s a very real sense of there being a back-story to every single member of the audience.
Glad you like it – I was afraid it was kind of delicate and wouldn’t show up very well – but it seems to have had a few close looks – I really like this series – you and other commentors have inspired me to get another one posted. Thanks!
Elephant
There’s a respectable-looking piggy couple in the background who missed “paying hear!”
The ticket seller is kind of day dreaming! I don’t think she cares!
Elephant
Pepper and salt? Why not go for the kill and just say, Chop and Butt?! It must help that I don’t eat pork or beef or veal or….:D
I like salt and pepper, but I don’t eat meat. These old books are full of meat, violence, lovely stories, silly stuff and racist content. Be on the watch! I reproduce them as they are – good to know what was going on back then, and the illustrations are so beautiful. Nothing was super-sweet or benign in the rearing of the young 100 years ago!
No chop or butt here,
Elephant
PS Pepper and Salt were the characters in the story.