erty, of Mott Street, was the belle of the occasion, and danced with
such grace and energy that the floor came near giving away beneath her
fairy tread. [Miss Flaherty, by the way, weighed one hundred and eighty
pounds.] Mr. Mike Donovan, newspaper merchant, handed round refreshments
with his usual graceful and elegant deportment. Miss Matilda Wiggins
appeared in a magnificent print dress, imported from Paris by A. T.
Stewart, and costing a shilling a yard. No gloves were worn, as they
are now dispensed with in the best society. At a late hour the guests
dispersed. Mrs. Hoffman's party will long be remembered as the most
brilliant of the season."

"I did not know you had so much talent for reporting, Paul," said his
mother. "You forgot one thing, however."

"What is that?"

"You said nothing of yourself."

"I was too modest, mother. However, if you insist upon it, I will do so.
Anything at all to please you."

Paul resumed his writing and in a short time had the following:

"Among those present we observed the handsome and accomplished Paul
Hoffman, Esq., the oldest son of the hostess. He was elegantly dressed
in a pepper-and-salt coat and vest, blue necktie, and brown breeches,
and wore a six-cent diamond breastpin in the bosom of his shirt. His
fifteen-cent handkerchief was perfumed with cologne which he imported
himself at a cost of ten cents per bottle. He attracted general
admiration."

"You seem to have got over your modesty, Paul," said his mother.

"I am sleepy," said Jimmy, drowsily rubbing his eyes.

As this expressed the general feeling, they retired to bed at once, and
in half an hour were wandering in the land of dreams.

CHAPTER XVII

THE PADRONE IS ANXIOUS

The next morning Paul and Phil rose later that usual. They slept longer,
in order to make up for the late hour at which they retired. As they sat
down to breakfast, at half-past eight, Paul said: "I wonder whether the
padrone misses you, Phil?"

"Yes," said Phil; "he will be very angry because I did not come back
last night."

"Will he think you have run away?"

"I do not know. Some of the boys stay away sometimes, because they are
too far off to come home."

"Then he may expect you to-night. I suppose he will have a beating ready
for you."

"Yes, he would beat me very hard," said Phil, "if he thought I did not
mean to come back."

"I should like to go and tell him that he need not expect you. I should
like to see how he lo