y, sir, may mean more than loyalty would dare to
avow. My father, Mr. Dalton But this is a very sad theme with me, let
us change it; let us drink to a better feeling in our native land, when
that abominable statute may be erased from our code, when that offspring
of suspicion and distrust shall no longer be the offence and opprobrium
of Englishmen. Here 's to its speedy and everlasting repeal!"

The word was talismanic to Dalton, connected, as it was, in his mind
with but one subject. He arose at once, and holding up his goblet in the
air, cried out,

"Hip! hip! hurrah! three cheers and success to it! Repeal forever!"

Foglass echoed the sentiment with equal enthusiasm, and draining his
glass to the bottom, exclaimed,

"Thank you, Dalton! thank you; the heartiness of that cheer tells me we
are friends; and although you know not what my feelings are indeed none
can you can execrate with honest indignation those hateful unions!"

"Bad luck to it!" exclaimed Dalton, with energy. "We never had grace nor
luck since we saw it!"

"Those petty German sovereigns, with their territories the size of Hyde
Park!" said Foglass, with intense contempt.

"Just so. The Hessians!" chimed in Dalton, who had a faint consciousness
that the other was alluding to the troops of the Electorate, once
quartered in Ireland.

"Let us change the topic, Dalton," said Foglass, pathetically, as he
wiped his brow like a man dispelling a dark train of thought. "Here's
to that charming young lady I saw last evening, a worthy sister of the
beautiful Miss Dalton."

"A better child never breathed," said Dalton, drinking off his glass.
"My own poor Nelly," muttered he, below his breath, "'t is better than
handsome ye are, true-hearted, and fond of your old father."

"She has accomplishments, sir, that would realize a fortune; that is,"
said he, perceiving the dark cloud that passed over Dalton's features,
"that is, if she were in a rank of life to need it."

"Yes very true just so," stammered out Dalton, not quite sure how to
accept the speech. "'Tis a fine thing to be able to make money, not
that it was ever the gift of the Daltons. We were real gentlemen to
the backbone; and there was n't one of the name for five generations,
barring Stephen, that could earn sixpence if he was starving."

"But Stephen, what could he do?" inquired Foglass, curious to hear of
this singular exception to the family rule.

"He took to soldiering in the Austrian arm