during which the object of it went out to the
fields to join the men.

"I'm afraid it's no go, mother," proceeded the son, when breakfast was
finished--"he won't stand it. Ah, if both my parents were of the
same geometrical proportion, there would be little difficulty in this
business; but upon my honor and reputation, my dear mother, I think
between you and me that my father's a gross abstraction--a most
substantial and ponderous apparition."

"An' didn't I know that an' say that too all along?" replied his mother,
catching as much of the high English from him as she could manage:
"however, lave the enumeration of the mare to me. It'll go hard or I'll
get it out of him."

"It is done," he replied; "your stratagetic powers are great, my dear
mother, consequently it is left in your hands."

Hycy, whilst in the kitchen, cast his eye several times upon the
handsome young daughter of Peety Dhu, a circumstance to which we owe the
instance of benevolent patronage now about to be recorded.

"Mother," he proceeds, "I think it would be a charity to rescue that
interesting little girl of Peety Dhu's from a life of mendicancy."

"From a what?" she asked, staring at him.

"Why," he replied, now really anxious to make himself understood--"from
the disgraceful line of life he's bringin' her up to. You should take
her in and provide for her."

"When I do, Hycy," replied his mother, bridling, "it won't be a beggar's
daughter nor a niece of Philip Hogan's--sorrow bit."

"As for her being a niece of Hogan's, you know it is by his mother's
side; but wouldn't it be a feather in her cap to get under the
protection of a highly respectable woman, though? The patronage of a
person like you, Mrs. Burke, would be the making of her--my word and
honor it would."

"Hem!--ahem!--do you think so, Hycy?"

"Tut, mother--that indeed!--can there be a doubt about it?"

"Well then, in that case, I think she may stay--that is, if the father
will consent to it."

"Thank you, mother, for that example of protection and benevolence. I
feel that all my virtues certainly proceed from your side of the house
and are derived from yourself--there can be no doubt of that."

"Indeed I think so myself, Hycy, for where else would you get them? You
have the M'Swiggin nose; an' it can't be from any one else you take your
high notions. All you show of the gentleman, Hycy, it's not hard to name
them you have it from, I believe."

"Spoken like a Sybil. Moth