eighteen, handsome and well made, could be altogether insensible
to female beauty, and seductive charms of the sex. During his easy
saunterings--or, as the Scotch say, "daunerings"--along the roads and
about the green hedges, it often happened that he met a neighbor's
daughter; and Denis, who, as a young gentleman of breeding, was bound to
be courteous, could not do less than accost her with becoming urbanity.

"Good-mornin', Miss Norah," we will suppose him to say, when meeting a
good-looking arch girl of his acquaintance.

"Good-morrow, Mr. O'Shaughnessy. I hope you're well, sir."

"Indeed I am, at present, in superlatively ecclesiastical health, Miss
Norah. I hope all your family are well?"

"All very well, I thank you, sir, barrin' myself."

"An' pray what's the matther wid you, Miss Norah? I hope" (with an
exceeding grave but complacent smile) "you're not affected wid the
amorous passion of love?"

"Oh, that 'ud be tellin', Mr. O'Shaughnessy! But supposin' I am, what
ought I to do?"

"That's really a profound question, Miss Norah. But though I cannot tell
you what to do, I can tell you what I think."

"An' what is that, sir?"

"Why, Miss Norah, that he who is so beatified as to secure you in the