"She was a shoemaker's daughter."

"A GERMAN SHOEMAKER! Hang 'em," thought I, "I have had enough of them;"
and so broke up this conversation, which did not somehow please me.

*****

Well, the day was drawing near: the clothes were ordered; the banns were
read. My dear mamma had built a cake about the size of a washing-tub;
and I was only waiting for a week to pass to put me in possession of
twelve thousand pounds in the FIVE per Cents, as they were in those
days, heaven bless 'em! Little did I know the storm that was brewing,
and the disappointment which was to fall upon a young man who really did
his best to get a fortune.

*****

"Oh, Robert," said my Magdalen to me, two days before the match was to
come off, "I have SUCH a kind letter from uncle Sam in London. I wrote
to him as you wished. He says that he is coming down to-morrow, that he
has heard of you often, and knows your character very well; and that he
has got a VERY HANDSOME PRESENT for us! What can it be, I wonder?"

"Is he rich, my soul's adored?" says I.

"He is a bachelor, with a fine trade, and nobody to leave his money to."

"His present can't be less than a thousand pounds?" says I.