of no ordinary fertility; "in
England they have spakin' birds, singin' trees, and goolden wather. So,
as I was sayin', while she went to thry the goolden wather------"

"Troth, if ever I get poor health, I'll go there myself," observed
Nancy, with a gleam of natural humor in her clear blue eye."

"Well, while she went to thry this goolden watlier, her mother, Mrs.
Norton, came in her place as tutherer general, an' that's the way they
became acquainted--Lady Lucy and her. But, my dear, I want to tell you a
saicret."

We are of opinion, that if Nancy's cap had been off at the moment, her
two ears might have been observed to erect themselves on each side of
her head with pure and unadulterated curiosity.

"Well, Miss Alley, what is it, ahagur?"

"Now, you won't breathe this to any human creature?"

"Is it me? Arrah! little you know the woman you're spakin' to. Divil
a mortal could beat me at keepin' a saicret, at any rate; an' when
you tell me this, maybe I'll let you know one or two that'll be worth
hearin'."

"Well," continued Alley, "it's this--Never call my mistress Lady Lucy,
because she doesn't like it."

This was an apple from the shores of the Dead Sea. Nancy's face bore
all the sudden traces of disappointment and mortification; and, from a
principle of retaliation, she resolved to give her companion a morsel
from the same fruit.

"Now, Nancy," continued the former, "what's this you have to tell us?"

"But you swear not to breathe it to man, woman, or child, boy or girl,
rich or poor, livin' or dead?"

"Sartainly I do."

"Well, then, it's this. I understand that Docthor Scareman isn't likely
to have a family. Now, ahagur, if you spake, I'm done, that's all."

Having been then called away to make arrangements necessary to Lucy's.
comfort, their dialogue was terminated before she could worm out of
Alley the cause of her mistress's visit.

"She's a cunnin' ould hag," said the latter, when the other had gone. "I
see what she wants to get out o' me; but it's not for nothing Miss Lucy
has trusted me, an' I'm not the girl to betray her secrets to them that
has no right to know them."

This, indeed, was true. Poor Alley Mahon, though a very neat and
handsome girl, and of an appearance decidedly respectable, was
nevertheless a good deal vulgar in her conversation. In lieu of this,
however, notwithstanding a large stock of vanity, she was gifted with a
strong attachment to her mistress, and had exhibited