n," observed the Colonel, "There has been more than one charge
of that nature brought against you? You mentioned another to me this
morning if I mistake not."

"I have made my oath, your honor, of the thruth of it; an' here is a
dacent man, sir, a Protestant, that lent me the money, an' was present
when I offered it to him. Mr. Smith, come forrid, sir, an' spake up for
the poor man, as you're always willin' to do."

"I object to his evidence," said Carson: "he is my open enemy."

"I am your enemy, Mr. Carson, or rather the enemy of your corruption and
want of honesty," said Smith: "but, as you say, an open one. I scorn to
say behind your back what I wouldn't say to your face. Right well you
know I was present when he tendered you his rent. I lent him part of it.
But why did you and your bailiffs turn him out, when his wife was on her
sick bed? Allowing that he could not pay his rent, was that any reason
you should do so barbarous an act as to drag a woman from her sick bed,
and she at the point of death? But we know your reasons for it."

"Gentlemen," said the Colonel, "pray what character do M'Evoy and Smith
here bear in the country?"

"We have known them both for years to be honest, conscientious men,"
said those whom he addressed: "such is their character, and in our
opinion they well deserve it."

"God bless you, gintlemen!" said M'Evoy--"God bless your honors, for
your kind Words! I'm sure for my own part, I hope though but a poor man
now, God help me!"

"Pray, who occupies the farm at present, Mr. Carson?"

"The man I mentioned to you this morning, sir. His name is Jackson."

"And pray, Mr. Carson, who is his wife?"

"Oh, by the by, Colonel, that's a little too close! I see the gentlemen
smile; but they know I must beg to decline answering that question---not
that it matters much. We have all sown our wild oats in our time--myself
as well as another--ha, ha, ha!"

"The fact, under other circumstances," observed the Colonel, "could
never draw an inquiry from me; but as it is connected with, or probably
has occasioned, a gross, unfeeling, and an unjust act of oppression
towards an honest man, I therefore alluded to it, as exhibiting the
motives from which you acted. She is your illegitimate daughter, sir!"

"She's one o' the baker's dozen o' them, plase your honor," observed a
humorous little Presbyterian, with a sarcastic face, and sharp northern
accent--"for feth, sir, for my part, A thenk he lies one