," said Miss Todd, shaking her head.

"Have you many Dissenters in your parish, Mr Wilkinson?" asked Mr
Maguire.

"A good many," said Mr Wilkinson.

"But no Papists?" suggested Mr Maguire.

"No, we have no Roman Catholics."

"That is such a blessing!" said Mr Maguire, turning his eyes up to
Heaven in a very frightful manner. But he had succeeded for the
present in putting down Miss Todd and her cards.

They were now summoned round the tea-table,--a genuine tea-table at
which it was expected that they should eat and drink. Miss Mackenzie
was seated next to Mr Maguire on one side of the table, while Mr Rubb
sat on the other between Miss Todd and Miss Baker. While they were
yet taking their seats, and before the operations of the banquet had
commenced, Susanna entered the room. She also had been specially
invited, but she had not returned from school in time to accompany
her aunt. The young lady had to walk round the room to shake hands
with everybody, and when she came to Mr Rubb, was received with much
affectionate urgency. He turned round in his chair and was loud in
his praises. "Miss Mackenzie," said he, speaking across the table,
"I shall have to report in Gower Street that Miss Susanna has become
quite the lady." From that moment Mr Rubb had an enemy close to the
object of his affections, who was always fighting a battle against
him.

Susanna had hardly gained her seat, before Mr Maguire seized an
opportunity which he saw might soon be gone, and sprang to his legs.
"Miss Todd," said he, "may I be permitted to ask a blessing?"

"Oh, certainly," said Miss Todd; "but I thought one only did that at
dinner."

Mr Maguire, however, was not the man to sit down without improving
the occasion.

"And why not for tea also?" said he. "Are they not gifts alike?"

"Very much alike," said Miss Todd, "and so is a cake at a
pastry-cook's. But we don't say grace over our buns."

"We do, in silence," said Mr Maguire, still standing; "and therefore
we ought to have it out loud here."

"I don't see the argument; but you're very welcome."

"Thank you," said Mr Maguire; and then he said his grace. He said it
with much poetic emphasis, and Miss Mackenzie, who liked any little
additional excitement, thought that Miss Todd had been wrong.

"You've a deal of society here, no doubt," said Mr Rubb to Miss
Baker, while Miss Todd was dispensing her tea.

"I suppose it's much the same as other places," said Miss Baker.
"Those