hat.'

'Good Heavens!' cried the gentleman, looking round the room with
dignity, 'what do I find to be the case! what results obtrude themselves
upon me as flowing from this weakness of character on the part of
Miss Pinch! What are my feelings as a father, when, after my desire
(repeatedly expressed to Miss Pinch, as I think she will not venture to
deny) that my daughter should be choice in her expressions, genteel in
her deportment, as becomes her station in life, and politely distant to
her inferiors in society, I find her, only this very morning, addressing
Miss Pinch herself as a beggar!'

'A beggarly thing,' observed the lady, in correction.

'Which is worse,' said the gentleman, triumphantly; 'which is worse. A
beggarly thing. A low, coarse, despicable expression!'

'Most despicable,' cried Tom. 'I am glad to find that there is a just
appreciation of it here.'

'So just, sir,' said the gentleman, lowering his voice to be the more
impressive. 'So just, that, but for my knowing Miss Pinch to be an
unprotected young person, an orphan, and without friends, I would, as
I assured Miss Pinch, upon my veracity and personal character, a few
minutes ago, I would have severed the connection between us at that
moment and from that time.'

'Bless my soul, sir!' cried Tom, rising from his seat; for he was now
unable to contain himself any longer; 'don't allow such considerations
as those to influence you, pray. They don't exist, sir. She is not
unprotected. She is ready to depart this instant. Ruth, my dear, get
your bonnet on!'

'Oh, a pretty family!' cried the lady. 'Oh, he's her brother! There's no
doubt about that!'

'As little doubt, madam,' said Tom, 'as that the young lady yonder is
the child of your teaching, and not my sister's. Ruth, my dear, get your
bonnet on!'

'When you say, young man,' interposed the brass-and-copper founder,
haughtily, 'with that impertinence which is natural to you, and which I
therefore do not condescend to notice further, that the young lady, my
eldest daughter, has been educated by any one but Miss Pinch, you--I
needn't proceed. You comprehend me fully. I have no doubt you are used
to it.'

'Sir!' cried Tom, after regarding him in silence for some little time.
'If you do not understand what I mean, I will tell you. If you do
understand what I mean, I beg you not to repeat that mode of expressing
yourself in answer to it. My meaning is, that no man can expect his
children to res