d the ladies dreaded being agreeable when the
master's temper blew from a stormy point. Furlong could not help
regretting at this moment the lively breakfast-table at Merryvale,
nor avoid contrasting to disadvantage the two Miss O'Gradys with
Fanny Dawson. Augusta, the eldest, inherited the prominent nose of
her father, and something of his upper lip too, beard included; and these,
unfortunately, were all she was ever likely to inherit from him; and
Charlotte, the younger, had the same traits in a moderated degree.
Altogether, he thought the girls the plainest he had ever seen, and the
house more horrible than anything that was ever imagined; and he sighed
a faint fashionable sigh, to think his political duties had expelled him
from a paradise to send him

"The other way--the other way!"

Four boys and a little girl sat at a side-table, where a capacious jug
of milk, large bowls, and a lusty loaf were laid under contribution
amidst a suppressed but continuous wrangle, which was going forward
amongst the juniors; and a snappish "I will" or "I won't," a "Let me
alone" or a "Behave yourself," occasionally was distinguishable above
the murmur of dissatisfaction. A little squall from the little girl at
last made O'Grady turn round and swear that, if they did not
_behave_ themselves, he'd turn them all out.

"It is all Goggy, sir," said the girl.

"No, it's not, you dirty little thing," cried George, whose name was
thus euphoniously abbreviated.

"He's putting----" said the girl, with excitement.

"Ah, you dirty little----" interrupted Goggy, in a low, contemptuous
tone.

"He's putting, sir----"

"Whisht! you young devils, will you?" cried O'Grady, and a momentary
silence prevailed; but the little girl snivelled and put up her bib[14]
to wipe her eyes, while Goggy put out his tongue at her. Many minutes
had not elapsed when the girl again whimpered--

[14] Pinafore.

"Call to Goggy, papa; he's putting some mouse's tails into my milk,
sir."

"Ah, you dirty little tell-tale!" cried Goggy, reproachfully; "a
tell-tale is worse than a mouse's tail."

O'Grady jumped up, gave Master Goggy a box on the ear, and then caught
him by the aforesaid appendage to his head, and as he led him to the
door by the same, Goggy bellowed lustily, and when ejected from the room
howled down the passage more like a dog than a human being. O'Grady, on
resuming his seat, told Polshee[15] (the little girl) she was always
gettin