be altogether illiterate; such a circumstance being a considerable
drawback, in the opinion of an admirer, from the character of a young
woman for whom he was about to propose--a drawback, too, which was
always weighty in proportion to her wealth or respectability.

Having given our readers an imperfect sketch of the interior of Mat's
establishment, we will now proceed, however feebly, to represent him at
work--with all the machinery of the system in full operation.

"Come, boys, rehearse--(buz, buz, buz)--I'll soon be after calling
up the first spelling lesson--(buz, buz, buz)--then the
mathematicians--book-keepers--Latinists and Grecians, successfully.
(Buz, buz, buz)--Silence there below!--your pens! Tim Casey, isn't this
a purty hour o' the day for you to come into school at; arraix, and what
kept you, Tim? Walk up wid yourself here, till we have a confabulation
together; you see I love to be talking to you.

"Sir, Larry Branagen, here; he's throwing spits at me out of his
pen."--(Buz, buz, buz.)

"By my sowl, Larry, there's a rod in steep for you."

"Fly away, Jack--fly away, Jill; come again, Jack--"

"I had to go to Paddy Nowlan's for to-baccy, sir, for my
father." (Weeping with his hand knowingly across his face--one eye
laughing at his comrades.)--

"You lie, it wasn't."