l than tea."

"You're very stupid, Hycy, not to understand me; but, indeed, you never
were overstocked wid brains, unfortunately, as I know to my cost--but
what I mane is, have you any intention of changing your condition in
life? Do you intend to marry, or to go on spendin' money upon me at this
rate!"

"The old lecture, Mrs. Burke," said Hycy, addressing his mother.
"Father, you are sadly deficient in originality. Of late you are
perpetually repeating yourself. Why, I suppose to-morrow or next day,
you will become geometrical on our hands, or treat us to a grammatical
praxis. Don't you think it very likely, Mrs. Burke!"

"And if he does," replied his mother, "it's not the first time he has
been guilty of both; but of late, all the little shame he had, he has
lost it."

"Faith, and if I hadn't got a large stock, I'd a been run out of it this
many a day, in regard of what I had to lose in that way for you, Hycy.
However I'll thank you to listen to me. Have you any intention of
marryin' a wife?"

"Unquestionably, Mr. Burke. Not a doubt of it."

"Well, I am glad to hear it. The sooner you're married, the sooner
you'll settle down. You'll know, then, my lad, what life is."

Honest Jemmy's sarcasm was likely to carry him too far from his purpose,
which was certainly not to give a malicious account of matrimony, but,
on the contrary, to recommend it to his worthy son.

"Well, Mr. Burke," said Hycy, winking at his mother, "proceed."

"The truth is, Hycy," he added, "I have a wife in my eye for you."

"I thought as much," replied the other. "I did imagine it was there you
had her; name--Mr. Burke--name?"

"Troth, I'm ashamed, Hycy, to name her and yourself on the same day."

"Well, can't you name her to-day, and postpone me until to-morrow?"

"It would be almost a pity to have her thrown away upon you. A good and
virtuous wife, however, may do a great deal to reclaim a bad husband,
and, indeed, you wouldn't be the first profligate that was reformed in
the same way."

"Many thanks, Mr. Burke; you are quite geological this morning; isn't
he, ma'am?"

"When was he ever anything else? God pardon him! However, I know what
he's exterminatin' for; he wants you to marry Kathleen Cavanagh."

"Ay do I, Rosha; and she might make him a respectable man yet,--that is,
if any woman could."

"Geological again, mother; well, really now, Katsey Cavanagh is a
splendid girl, a fine animal, no doubt of it; all her points are g