a good deal embarrassed himself, and
which occasioned him to feel in rather a difficult position. He felt
flattered, however, by her condescension; and instead of merely touching
his hat to her he pulled it off and stood respectfully uncovered.

"Put on your hat, my friend," said Temple; "the morning is too cold to
stand with a bare head--pray put it on."

"I know, your honor," replied the pedlar, "the respect that is due to
you both, and especially, sir," he added, in that tone, and with that
peculiar deference, so gratifying to a husband who loves and is proud of
his wife--"especially, sir, to her, for I know her family well--as who
doesn't!"

"By the way," said Mrs. Temple, "I think you committed a mistake on the
occasion of your last call here?"

"A mistake, ma'am!" said he, with well-feigned surprise--"well, indeed,
ma'am, it's not unlikely; for, to tell you the truth, I've a vile
mimory--sorra thing a'most but I disremimber, in a day or two after it
happens."

"Do you not remember," she proceeded, with a melancholy smile, "a
negotiation we had when you were here last?"

"A what, ma'am?"

"A--a--purchase you made from me," she added.

"From you!" he exclaimed, with apparent astonishment; "well, then, I
can't say that I have any recollection of it--I remember something--that
is, some dalins or other I had wid the maid, but I don't remember
purchasin' anything from you, ma'am."

"It was a shawl," she replied, "which you purchased, if you remember,
and paid for, but which you forgot to bring with you."

"Why, then," he exclaimed, after rubbing his head with his fore-finger,
"bad cess to me if I can remimber it; but the truth is, ma'am, I make
so many purchases, and so many sales, that like the priest and them that
confess to him, the last thing fairly drives the one that went afore it
out o' my head."

"You paid six guineas," continued Mrs. Temple, "for the shawl, but left
it behind you."

"Well, bedad, ma'am," said the pedlar, smiling, "it's aisy to see that
you're no rogue, at any rate. In the present case, thin," he added, "I
suppose you wish to give me the shawl?"

"Oh, certainly," she replied, "if you wish for it; but at the same time
I would much rather keep the shawl and return you the money."

"I'm in no hurry, ma'am for either shawl or money, if it isn't--hem--if
it isn't just convanient."

"You are an honest, sterling fellow," said her husband, "and I assure
you that we thoroughly apprec