cle looked at me approvingly. "I'm glad to see, Terence," he said,
"that you possess one of the qualities of a good officer, and that even
when off duty you retain the habit of sobriety."

My brothers-in-law glanced at each other and laughed, but took care that
the major should not observe them. The guests took no notice of my
uncle's remark, evidently intending to make the whisky punch flow
freely, the great object for which they had come. Toasts and
sentiments, according to the fashion of the day, were given. My father
tried to sing one of his old songs, but soon broke down. Several of the
other gentlemen, however, took up his stave, and soon began to be
uproarious. My mother on this got up, and beckoned to my sisters to
follow her. They whispered to their husbands, who, however, only nodded
and laughed. My uncle's object was rather to guide than to suppress the
hilarity, and when he observed anything like a dispute arising, he put
in a word or two nipping it in the bud in a calm, determined way, to
soothe irritated feelings. In a short time Dan Bourke came in, and,
putting his hands on the back of my father's chair, said, "By your
leave, gentlemen, I'm come to wheel the master away;" and without more
ado, though my poor father stretched out his hand trying to grasp his
glass, before he could reach it he was at a distance from the table. It
was a melancholy spectacle, and I almost burst into tears as I saw him
moving his arms like a child, and trying to kick out with his gouty
feet. As Dan wheeled him round towards the door, he shouted and cried,
"Just let me have one glass more, Dan, only one; that can't be after
doing me harm."

One of the guests exclaimed, "Can't you be leaving the master alone, and
let him have a glass to comfort his soul? Just one glass can make no
matter of difference."

But Dan was obdurate, and, looking over his shoulder, he said, "It's the
orders of the mistress, and they're to be obeyed."

Had the major's eye not been upon him, I don't know how Dan would have
behaved, but without another word he wheeled my poor father out of the
room, and closed the door behind him. It was almost the last time he
appeared at table. His state made a deep and lasting impression on me.

As soon as he was gone, the guests went on talking and singing as
before, and would probably have kept up their revels till a late hour,
had not my uncle reminded them that he and I had just come off a long
jo