aying impertinent nothings to his doting female
admirers. He had acquired, somehow or other, the reputation of being a
great wit, and, accordingly, whenever he opened his mouth, everybody who
knew him laughed very heartily.

The introduction took place in due form. Mr. Danton bowed, and twirled a
lady's handkerchief, which he held in his hand, in a most comic way.
Everybody smiled.

'Very warm,' said Dumps, feeling it necessary to say something.

'Yes. It was warmer yesterday,' returned the brilliant Mr. Danton.--A
general laugh.

'I have great pleasure in congratulating you on your first appearance in
the character of a father, sir,' he continued, addressing
Dumps--'godfather, I mean.'--The young ladies were convulsed, and the
gentlemen in ecstasies.

A general hum of admiration interrupted the conversation, and announced
the entrance of nurse with the baby. An universal rush of the young
ladies immediately took place. (Girls are always _so_ fond of babies in
company.)

'Oh, you dear!' said one.

'How sweet!' cried another, in a low tone of the most enthusiastic
admiration.

'Heavenly!' added a third.

'Oh! what dear little arms!' said a fourth, holding up an arm and fist
about the size and shape of the leg of a fowl cleanly picked.

'Did you ever!'--said a little coquette with a large bustle, who looked
like a French lithograph, appealing to a gentleman in three
waistcoats--'Did you ever!'

'Never, in my life,' returned her admirer, pulling up his collar.

'Oh! _do_ let me take it, nurse,' cried another young lady. 'The love!'

'Can it open its eyes, nurse?' inquired another, affecting the utmost
innocence.--Suffice it to say, that the single ladies unanimously voted
him an angel, and that the married ones, _nem. con._, agreed that he was
decidedly the finest baby they had ever beheld--except their own.

The quadrilles were resumed with great spirit. Mr. Danton was
universally admitted to be beyond himself; several young ladies enchanted
the company and gained admirers by singing 'We met'--'I saw her at the
Fancy Fair'--and other equally sentimental and interesting ballads. 'The
young men,' as Mrs. Kitterbell said, 'made themselves very agreeable;'
the girls did not lose their opportunity; and the evening promised to go
off excellently. Dumps didn't mind it: he had devised a plan for
himself--a little bit of fun in his own way--and he was almost happy! He
played a rubber and lost every poin