an," thought he, "for a lawsuit's no joke, as
poor Jem would find. Jem must come and speechify. It's hard if between
us we can't manage a woman."

"Sad affair, indeed, Miss Firkin," said Dick, aloud, in a soft,
sympathising tone, and with a most condoling countenance; "it's unknown
what obstropolous creatures cows and donkies are, and what mischief
they do amongst gim-cracks. A brute of a donkey got into our garden
last summer, and ate up half-a-dozen rose-trees and fuchsias, besides
trampling over the flower-beds. One of the roses was a present from
France, worth five guineas. I hope Mr. Lamb and Miss Wolfe are not much
hurt. Very sad affair! strange too that it should happen through Jem
Tylers cattle--poor Jem, who had such a respect for you!"

"Respect for me!" echoed Miss Philly, "when he called me a chattering
old maid,--Mrs. Loveit heard him. Respect for me!"

"Aye," continued Dick, "it was but last Monday was a fortnight that Kit
Mahony, the tall pig-dealer, was boasting of the beauty of the Tipperary
lasses, and crying down our English ladies, whereupon, although the tap
was full of Irish chaps, Jem took the matter up, and swore that he could
show Kit two as fine women in this very street--you, ma'am, being
one, and Miss Parsons the other--two as fine women as ever he saw in
Tipperary. Nay, he offered to lay any wager, from a pot of double X to
half a score of his own pigs, that Kit should confess it himself. Now,
if that's not having a respect I don't know what is," added Dick, with
much gravity; "and I put it to your good sense, whether it is not more
likely that Mrs. Loveit, who is as deaf as a post, should be mistaken,
than that he should offer to lay such a wager respecting a lady of whom
he had spoken so disparagingly."

"This will do," thought Dick to himself as he observed the softening
of Miss Philly's features and noted her very remarkable and unnatural
silence--"this will do;" and reiterating his request that the order
might be got ready, he walked out of the shop.

"You'll find that I have settled the matter," observed the young
gentleman to Jem Tyler, after telling him the story, "and you have
nothing to do but to follow up my hints. Did not I manage her famously?
'Twas well I recollected your challenge to Mahony, about that pretty
creature, Harriet Parsons. It had a capital effect, I promise you. Now
go and make yourself decent; put on your Sunday coat, wash your face and
hands, and don't, spa