chief speaker. He does not
smoke of a morning, because many of his grand acquaintances are averse
to tobacco; as for Paten, the cigar never leaves his lips.

"Well, now for his story!" cried Paten. "I 'm anxious to hear about
him."

"I 'm sorry I can't gratify the curiosity. All I can tell you is where
I found him. It was in Dublin. They had a sort of humble Cremorne
there,--a place little resorted to by the better classes; indeed,
rarely visited save by young subs from the garrison, milliners, and such
other lost sheep; not very wonderful, after all, seeing that the rain
usually contrived to extinguish the fireworks. Having a spare evening on
my hands, I went there, and, to my astonishment, witnessed some of the
most extraordinary displays in fireworks I had ever seen. Whether for
beauty of design, color, and precision, I might declare them unequalled.
'Who's your pyrotechnist?' said I to Barry, the proprietor.

"'I can't spare him, Mr. Stocmar,' said he, 'so I entreat you don't
carry him off from me.'

"'Oh!' cried I, 'it was mere curiosity prompted the question. The man is
well enough here, but he would n't do for us. We have got Giomelli, and
Clari--'

"'Not fit to light a squib for him,' said he, warming up in his
enthusiasm for his man. 'I tell you, sir, that fellow would teach
Giomelli, and every Italian of them all. He's a great man, sir,--a
genius. He was, once on a time, the great Professor of a University; one
of the very first scientific men of the kingdom, and if it was n't for
'--here he made a sign of drinking--'he 'd perhaps be this day sought by
the best in the land.'

"Though interested by all this, I only gave a sort of incredulous laugh
in return, when he went on:--

"'If I was quite sure you 'd not take him away--if you 'd give me your
word of honor for it--I'd just show him to you, and you 'd see--even
tipsy as he's sure to be--if I'm exaggerating.'

"'What is he worth to you, Barry?' said I.

"'He 's worth--not to reckon private engagements for fireworks in
gentlemen's grounds, and the like,--he 's worth from seven to eight
pounds a week.'

"'And you give him--'

"'Well, I don't give him much. It would n't do to give him much; he
has no self-control,--no restraint He'd kill himself,--actually kill
himself.'

"'So that you only give him--'

"'Fourteen shillings a week. Not but that I am making a little fund for
him, and occasionally remitted his wife--he had a wife--a pound or so,