"Sure, and it's meself as'll do that same," said TEDDY, obeying a nod
from ANN.

"Away now with sich modeshty, youngster. Bear up and be a man. It'll
soon be over. And if ye make a fuss," he added in a whisper, "I'll knock
the head off ye. Do ye mind that?" Then, as if relating his experience
to a large and sympathetic audience: "'Twas just that way I felt meself
like, when the knot was tied. Wake in the knees sim'larly, and a faylin'
like I was a cold dish-cloth wrung out. But Lord, he'll hold up his head
agin, _I'll_ warrant ye."

"Oh, why can't you let me go?" begged ARCHIBALD, "I ain't done nothin'."

TEDDY smiled. 'Twas such a smile as a dentist gives, just before he
swoops upon his prey.

"Did you iver now?" said he, appealing to the minister. "What a man it
is. As bashful as a young gyrl, without a mammy to smooth it over.
Steady now. There you are, as nice as a cotton hat," he continued, as he
put ARCHIBALD'S arm within ANN'S. "Lean aginst me as hard as iver ye
like, man. I well knows as I'll nivir git me reward in _this_ world, for
all the young cooples as I've startid in life, but, thank Hevins,
there's another."

The ceremony commenced.

What can one coy youth do, single-handed, against a woman who is
determined to marry him? Like the beautiful young lady in the endless
love-stories, who faints at the altar with her hard-hearted father, the
Duke, on one side, and the relentless bridegroom, the Count, on the