the forthcoming
compliment to herself.

"Come now," Sam went on, "to your legs. You all, I suppose, know who I
mean. Stand, if you please, Miss Gourlay. Head well up, and shoulders a
little more squared, Mainwaring. Here now, are you all ready?"

"All ready," responded the gentlemen, highly amused.

"Well, then, here's my Beck's health! and long life to her! She's the
pearl of wives, and deserves to live forever!"

A fit of good-humored laughter followed old Sam's toast, in which Mrs.
Mainwaring not only came in for an ample share, but joined very heartily
herself; that worthy lady taking it for granted that old Sam was about
to propose the health of the hostess, sat still, while the rest rose;
even Lucy stood up, with her usual grace and good-nature, and put the
glass to her lips; and as it was the impression that the compliment was
meant for Mrs. Mainwaring, the thing seemed very like what is vulgarly
called a bite, upon the part of old Sam, who in the meantime, had
no earthly conception of anything else than that they all thoroughly
understood him, and were aware of the health he was about to give.

"What!" exclaimed Sam, on witnessing their mirth; "by fife and drum,
I see nothing to laugh at in anything connected with my Beck. I always
make it a point to drink the old girl's health when I'm from home; for I
don't know how it happens, but I think I'm never half so fond of her as
when we're separated."

"But, Mr. Eoberts," said Mrs. Mainwaring, laughing, "I assure you, from
the compliments you paid me, I took it for granted that it was my health
you were about to propose."

"Ay, but the compliments I paid you, ma'am, were all in compliment to
old Beck; but next to her, by fife and drum, you deserve a bumper. Come,
Mainwaring, get to legs, and let us have her health. Attention, now;
head well up, sir; shoulders square; eye on your wife."

"It shall be done," replied Mainwaring, entering into the spirit of the
joke. "If it were ambrosia, she is worthy of a brimmer. Come, then, fill
your glasses. Edward, attend to Miss Gourlay. Sam, help Mrs. Mainwaring.
Here, then, my dear Martha; like two winter apples, time has only
mellowed us. We have both run parallel courses in life; you, in
instructing the softer and more yielding sex; I, the nobler and more
manly."

"Keep strictly to the toast, Matthew," she replied, "or I shall rise to
defend our sex. You yielded first, you know. Ha, ha, ha!"

"As the stronger yiel