"Your servant, ladies—your servant, I say. But may be you don't know who I am no more than the stupid waiter at the Golden Cross ; although there's not a ragged boy in Patrick-street that couldn't tell that my name is Corney O'Donaghue, of Drisheen Park. Now then, as you know myself in person, might I be so bould as to be after askin' which of the two of you is Miss Maria Garnett ?" " It is I, sir," answered the inimitable actress, lowly bending my head. " I perceive that you never honor Covent Garden with your presence." " There never was a truer word said by your purty lips, my dear. The dickens a garden or orchard I ever was in all London - because why, I'm only this very day landed from Cork city." "Oh ! he is an Irish poet," whispered Miss Garnett to her friend. " But do you see me now," continued Mr. O'Donaghue, as he clapped his enormous fist on the gilded back of a chair ; " do you see me now, Miss ; when I am at home in Drisheen Park, it's my fashion to ask a stranger to sit down at all events, and may be, too, to ask him if he has a mouth upon him; but it is not the custom here, I see, and so as I am completely knocked up, and bothered, I'll take the liberty of taking a chair, though I was never offered one." " He is a creditor," remarked Miss Archer. 66 Now, I'll be bound you want to know what brought | me all the wayto London," continued the visiter ; " why, then, the long and short of it is this-I have two sons, two as fine-looking boys as ever made the praties vanish out of a dish. Well, now, just listen to me, one of these follows the occupation of his father." " You are a grocer, sir, I presume." " I'm an Irish gentleman, ma'am, and one of my ancestors was the King of the Barony of Whackawaynacroostha, in the good old times ; and as for myself and my eldest son, we can tell the difference between a pig's head and its crubeen, without twice looking at it. But that's not the matter that has brought me here at all, at all. It is in the regard of my second son, that I have come to London . I sent him here about a year ago, to be learning the law and good manners (and the never a worse school I'm thinking he could come to for that same) and the fact is I want to make him a counsellor." "That must be a very fine situation in life, I suppose, sir, especially for a gentleman from the city of Cork." "Not a doubt of it ; but now, what is the fact, the deuce a counsellor ever he'll be, and all by raison of you. You have turned his brain, that is what you have, Miss Garnett. He is dying in love for you, the omathaun !" 66 Indeed ! and is he handsome ?" " Handsome !-there's not the like of him between this and the Mardyke ; but what's the use of his being a beauty, when he neither can eat, sleep, nor drink a
tumbler of punch. Did you ever know of an Irishman refusing his liquor before now ? Well now- what's brought me here is to tell you, that you must not be letting my son fall in love with you, and what's more, I desire that you'll never let him inside the door ; for if you do I'll swear the peace against you." " Oh ! dear ! how very frightful !" "I really beg your pardon, Miss, for speaking so mighty cross to you . And, in truth, when I look at you, its little I can blame my poor son for falling in love with your purty face. By dad ! if I was only nineteen, I don't think I could help doing that same myself." 66 Sir, you are too flattering." Why then, now, Miss Garnett dear, or, considering your bright eyes, Miss Diamond, only just remember that he's barely anything more than a hobbledehoy, and if he continues to be desperately in love with you, he'll never think of his studies, never be made a counsellor, and perhaps never have the slightest chance of rising to be a chief justice, or lord chancellor, or an assistant barrister." "But is he really disposed to go to the bar?" "Whew ! why he's cut out for it. Did you ever hear of an Irishman that wasn't fit for everything, from a secretary of state to a common policeman ? Sure, there's not a mother's son of us that's not born a genius ; and as to being disposed for the bar, sure, we 're all disposed for it, we have such a power of prate." "Then, Sir, I am much obliged to you for putting me on my guard against your son. I never could endure a lawyer, nor a law student either. But, may I ask you, what is your son's name ?" "My son's name, Miss, is the same as his father's ; and I could tell you you could get some money for it, if you had it on a stamp, at the fair of Doneraile. My son's name is 6 Cornelius."" 66 Cornelius ! Is it Cornelius ? Then, my dear Sir, read this letter. Is that your son's writing ?" "That is his hand and mark, as sure as that Cork stands on the river Lee !" Well then, Sir, only think that this fool of a son of yours tells me, in this billet doux, that he intends coming here to shoot himself under my very window." (6 Oh, Lord ! is it to blow his beautiful brains out ?" "Do not be too much alarmed. I shall take care he does not hurt himself." " Ah ! then do, like a little darling. Only think, that the lives of all the O'Donoughues are in your hands ; for if he attempts o shoot himself, then I may never go home, but I'll kick the life out of him, and be hanged for the murder of young Corney. Pray, Miss, don't let him shoot himself!" 66" Never fear ; and in order that I may begin the task of preserving him, I shall grant him the interview he
