t as smoothing-irons.
Now, be it known, that notwithstanding these disadvantages, little Toal
looked upon himself as an Adonis upon a small scale, and did certainly
believe that scarcely any female on whom he threw his fascinating eye
could resist being enamored of him. This, of course, having become
generally known, was taken advantage of, and many a merry country girl
amused both herself and others at his expenses while he imagined her to
be perfectly serious.

"Then how did you escape at all," said Frank--"you that the girls are so
fond of?"

"You may well ax," said Toal; "but at any rate, it's the divil entirely
to have them too fond of you. There's raison in every thing, but wanst
a woman takes a strong fancy to the cut of your face, you're done for,
until you get rid of her. Throth I suffered as much persecution that way
as would make a good batch o' marthyrs. However, what can one do?"

"It's a hard case, Toal," said Art; "an' I b'lieve you're as badly off,
if not worse, now than ever."

"In that respect," replied Toal, "I'm ladin' the life of a murdherer. I
can't set my face out but there's a pursuit after me--chased an' hunted
like a bag fox; devil a lie I'm tellin' you."

"But do you intend to marry still, Toal?" asked Frank; "bekaise if you
don't, it would be only raisonable for you to make it generally known
that your mind's made up to die a bachelor."

"I wouldn't bring the penalty an' expenses of a wife an' family on me,
for the handsomest woman livin'," said Toal. "Oh no; the Lord in mercy
forbid that! Amin, I pray."

"But," said Art, "is it fair play to the girls not to let that be
generally known, Toal?"

"Hut," replied the other, "let them pick it out of their larnin', the
thieves. Sure they parsecuted me to sich a degree, that they desarve no
mercy at my hands. So, Art," he proceeded, "you've got another mouth to
feed! Oh, the Lord pity you! If you go on this way, what 'ill become of
you at last?"

"Don't you know," replied Art, "that God always fits the back to the
burden, and that he never sends a mouth but he sends something to fill
it."

The little extortioner shrugged his shoulders, and raising his eyebrows,
turned up his eyes--as much as to say, What a pretty notion of life you
have with such opinions as these!

"Upon my word, Toal," said Art, "the young lady we've got home to us is
a beauty; at all events, her godfathers need not be ashamed of her."

"If she's like her own fathe