eautyful baffety, Miss Katey, fit for any lady from this to Knocklofty,
let alone for servants' wear, an' only tenpence-halfpenny a yard. It's
giving it away I am."

"It does not seem a very good colour," said the purchaser in a musical
voice.

"Is it the colour! Take your hand ov it, take your hand ov it, astore,"
cried the dextrous merchant; "a bleachground would look yallow an' that
purty hand to the fore. An' here, Padeen, bring a candle--an' turn out
them pigs, you sir, an' boult the half-dure, till Miss Tyrrel sees the
goods.--Now, Miss," he said, when the light was brought and his behests
obeyed, slapping his hand in fond emphasis on the bale as he unrolled it
wider along the counter, "there's an article!--that I may be happy if I'd
wish finer for my windin' sheet; only, to be sure, a body would like
_that_ to be linnen, an' go to the grave decent. Yeh! what need you be so
very particular for servants?"

"I really do not like the calico, Mr Cahill," hesitated the lady, "and,
papa"----

"You don't see it, Miss," interrupted Curly; "push back them darlin' locks
o' yours that's sweepin' the counther, an' I'll be bound the goods 'll be
at the Glebe afore an hour;" and as he spoke he playfully, but with great
respect and tender fingers, lifted aside some of the masses of golden hair
that drooped above, and, as he truly insinuated, in some measure
overshadowed the good qualities of his merchandise.

"Curly, you are a sad old flatterer," said the young lady, and she
impatiently raised her head, and shaking back its weight of ringlets,
exposed a fair high forehead and beautifully oval face to view. "I find it
always difficult to deal with you; however," she added with a smile, "the
better way, perhaps, is to send up the whole piece to the Glebe to-morrow,
and I shall then be able to judge of it."

"Ah, then, that I may be soon sellin' you the weddin' sheets, Miss Katey,"
said the successful shop-keeper, as he rolled up the bale and pushed it
to the end of the counter; "and," he added, in a very different tone,
modulated to the lowest key of suppleness and deference, "shure that 'ould
be to-morrow, if you take my advice, an' were kind en' thrue-hearted to
_the one you know_"----

"Yes, indeed!" half ironically half regretfully murmured the young lady,
as she drew down her veil and prepared to depart, but was stayed by a
prognostication from Curly, who pledged nothing less than his "hand an'
word to her," that she'