dlord, who
was not a man to shrink from difficulties, mustered to his aid all the
resources of a long well-practised hospitality, and gallantly met this
great occasion. His devices were, probably, exhausted; so he took
another line, and called out, "Oh, you're off, are you? Very
well--you'll find the ladies in the drawing-room. I think I hear the
tinkle of the piano: I prefer the tinkle of the glass. Pray tell the
damsels we are coming by-and-bye: mind you say 'by-and-bye.' I don't
like to be too particular, for fear of seeming rude: don't you see?"

This speech was wound up by a telegraphic flourish of the hand towards
Tim, who stood near, with a bottle between his feet, the screw buried
in the cork, and his body bent to the effort, which he only delayed to
exercise till ordered by his master to pull. "Out with him, man! out
with the cork!" cried the host. The loud report which succeeded rang
over the apartment like the sweetest music to the souls of the ever
thirsty company. Tim's thunder was echoed back by a truly
bacchanalian shout, such as nothing on earth can give proper emphasis
to, except a double allowance of claret. The Englishman, fairly
subdued by the sound, glided again to the table; then seizing his
brimming glass in one hand, and grasping the fist of his merry host in
the other, he roared out,--

"You really are an uncommon good fellow; and hang me if ever I
distrust an Irishman again as long as I live!"

But within three minutes afterwards this promise was broken; for as
soon as we had discussed the bottle which the incomparable Tim had so
opportunely introduced, the master of the house, seeing us at length
quite at his mercy, and eager to go on, rose, and said, to our great
amaze,--

"Come! we've had wine enough; let's join the ladies in the next room."

The disappointed company stared at one another, and loudly proclaimed
that it was not fair to limit them in this way. The Englishman, in
particular, wished to remain; but our host was inexorable. Meanwhile,
Timothy grinned from ear to ear; familiar with his master's tricks
upon travellers; and the landlord deliberately opening the door,
marched off the field of battle with flying colours.

As we moved along to the drawing-room, my companion whispered to me,--

"I must own I have been rightly served for my suspicions. I made quite
certain of being bullied into drinking more than was agreeable to me;
but it turns out," added he, laughing, "quite t