sunk to the saddle-skirts, and cannot get out widout men and ropes,"
In a short time a sufficient number of the neighbors were summoned
together, and proceeded to the animal's relief. Denny's importance, as
well as his black dress, was miserably tarnished; he stood, however,
with as dignified an air as possible, and, in a bombastic style,
proceeded to direct the men as to the best manner of relieving her.

"Asy, Dinny," said his brother, with a good-humored but significant
smile--"larning may be very good in its place; in the mane time, lave
the business in our hands rather than in your own head--or if you have
e'er a scrap of Greek or Latin that 'ud charm ould Sobersides out, where
was the use of sendin' for help?"

"I say," replied Dennis, highly offended, "I'll not tolerate vulgarity
any longer; you must larn to address me in a more polite style. If the
animal--that purblind quadruped--walked into the mire, by what logic
can you produce an association between her blindness and my knowledge of
Latin and Greek? But why do I degradate my own consequence by declaiming
to you an eulogium upon logic? It's only throwing pearls before swine."

"I didn't mane to offind you," replied the warm-hearted brother; "I
meant you no offince in what I said, so don't take it ill--we'll have
Sobersides out in no time--and barrin' an extra rubbin' down to both of
you, neither will be the worse, I hope."

"As to what you hope or despair, Brian, it could produce no other
impression on the subtility of my fancy than pity for the man who could
compare me--considering the brilliancy of my career, and the extent of
my future speculations--to a quadruped like Sobersides, by asserting
that I, as well as she, ought to be rubbed down! And were it not that I