boat!"

I've heard tell that Kitty took it steady as a regiment. It must have
been a dreadful moment, the laughter turning on a sudden against her.
But she stood for a while, and then to the surprise of everyone she lifted
her head and smiled with the best. Then she caught old Polsue's eye, who
was watching her as only a parson can, and, like a woman, she fixed on him
as the man to answer.

"I reckon I can trust a daughter o' mine," says she.

It must have been nervous work for her, though, as they brought the pair
along the street: and poor Lally didn't help her much by looking a picture
of shame. But the Major stepped along gaily and up to the platform;
and I'll warrant a tier of guns there couldn't have tried a man's courage
worse.

"I humbly beg your pardon, madam. The tide cut us off while I was engaged
in persuading your daughter to accept my hand. I cannot tell you,"--here
he let fly a lover's glance at Lally--"if the delay helped me. But she
has accepted me, ma'am, and with your leave we shall be the happiest
couple in England."

They _do_ say that Mrs. Lebow's hand went up to box the poor girl's ears.
But the Bottrells had wits as well as breed, one and all; and it ended by
her giving the Major two fingers and dropping him one of those curtseys
that I've described to you already.

Ay, and the cream of the fun was that, what with her public speaking for
one party and giving her daughter to the other, the doubtful voters
couldn't for the life of them tell how to please her. "I'll vote, if you
please, for Mrs. Lebow," said more than one of them, "if you'll tell me
which side she's for." And I suppose that gave Newte his chance.
At any rate, he returned Lord William and Major Dyngwall as polling 85 and
127 against Dr. Macann 42 and Mr. Saule 36. And so Miss Lally became a
Member of Parliament's wife and rode in her coach.

"Indeed, and I'm sorry for Macann," said Kitty that night, as she untied
her bonnet-strings; "but taking one thing with another, 'tis long since
I've had such an enjoyable day."

[1] Probably "Huguenot's House."
[2] Lineage.

THE HOTWELLS DUEL.

From the Memoirs of Joshua Frampton, Esq., late Honorary Physician to
the Wells, and Surgeon.

I cannot pass this year 1790 without speaking of a ridiculous
adventure which, but that it providentially happened at the close of
our season, when the Spa was emptying and our fashionables talked
more of packing their trunks than