with the
best. And in so young a girl texts are not becoming, to a parent."

"Which was the tixt, thin?" said Mrs. Riley, interested. "I'm bel'avin'
ye, me dyurr!" This was to encourage Mrs. Tapping, and disclaim
incredulity.

"Since you're asking me, Mrs. Riley ma'am, I will not conceal from you
the Scripture text used only this morning by my own daughter, to my
face. 'Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a
fall.' Whereupon I says to Alethear, 'Alethear,' I says, 'be truthful,
and admit that old Mrs. Rundle and your Aunt Trebilcock are on a
dissimular footing, one being distinctly a Foundation in the Whitechapel
Road, and the other Residences, each taking their own Milk.'" Some
further particulars came in here, relating to the bone of that mornin's
contention, which had turned on Mrs. Tapping's objections to her
daughter's demeaning, or bemeaning, herself, by marrying into a lower
rank of life than her own.

All this conversation of these two ladies has nothing to do with the
story. The only reason for referring to it is that it took place at this
time, just opposite Mrs. Riley's shop, and led her to remark:--"You lave
the young payple alone, Mrs. Tapping, and they'll fall out. You'll only
kape thim on, by takin' order with thim. Thrust me. Whativer have ye got
in the basket?"

Mrs. Tapping explained that she was using it to convey a kitten, born in
her establishment, to Miss Druitt at thirty-four opposite, who had
expressed anxiety to possess it. It was this kitten's expression of
impatience with its position that had excited Mrs. Riley's curiosity.
"Why don't ye carry the little sowl across in your hands, me dyurr?"
said she; not unreasonably, for it was only a stone's-throw. Mrs.
Tapping added that this was no common kitten, but one of preternatural
activity, and possessed of diabolical tentacular powers of entanglement.
"I would not undertake," said she, "to get it across the road, ma'am,
only catching hold. Nor if I got it safe across, to onhook it, without
tearing." Mrs. Riley was obliged to admit the wisdom of the Janus
basket. She knew how difficult it is to be even with a kitten.

This one was destined to illustrate the resources of its kind. For as
Mrs. Tapping endeavoured to conduct the conversation back to her
domestic difficulties, she was aware that the Janus basket grew suddenly
lighter. Mrs. Riley exclaimed at the same moment:--"Shure, and the
little baste's in the middle of