Part 5 (1/2)

”_She._ 'I do.'

”_He._ 'Pray for forgiveness.'

”_She._ 'Ah, forgiveness!'

”_He._ 'Promise amendment.'

”_She._ 'Oh, yes, amendment!'

”_He._ 'Nay, I'll pardon you. But now, no sour faces, dear wife, but throw your arms round my neck and kiss me.'

”I gave him a little box on the ear, stole a quire of paper, and ran off with loud exultation. Bear followed into the kitchen growling horribly; but then I turned upon him armed with two delicious little patties, which I aimed at his mouth, and there they vanished. Bear, all at once, was quite still, the paper was forgotten, and reconciliation concluded.

”There is, Maria, no better way of stopping the mouths of these lords of the creation than by putting into them something good to eat.”

I wish I had room for my favorite Irishwoman, Lady Morgan, and her description of her first rout at the house of the eccentric Lady Cork.

The off-hand songs of her sister, Lady Clarke, are fine ill.u.s.trations of rollicking Irish wit and badinage.

At one of Lady Morgan's receptions, given in honor of fifty philosophers from England, Lady Clarke sang the following song with ”great effect:”

FUN AND PHILOSOPHY.

Heigh for ould Ireland! Oh, would you require a land Where men by nature are all quite the thing, Where pure inspiration has taught the whole nation To fight, love, and reason, talk politics, sing; 'Tis Pat's mathematical, chemical, tactical, Knowing and practical, fanciful, gay, Fun and philosophy, supping and sophistry, There's nothing in life that is out of his way.

He makes light of optics, and sees through dioptrics, He's a dab at projectiles--ne'er misses his man; He's complete in attraction, and quick at reaction, By the doctrine of chances he squares every plan; In hydraulics so frisky, the whole Bay of Biscay, If it flowed but with _whiskey_, he'd store it away.

Fun and philosophy, supping and sophistry, There's nothing in life that is out of his way.

So to him cross over savant and philosopher, Thinking, G.o.d help them! to bother us all; But they'll find that for knowledge 'tis at our own college Themselves must inquire for--beds, dinner, or ball.

There are lectures to tire, and good lodgings to hire, To all who require and have money to pay; While fun and philosophy, supping and sophistry, Ladies and lecturing fill up the day.

So at the Rotunda we all sorts of fun do, Hard hearts and pig-iron we melt in one flame; For if Love blows the bellows, our tough college fellows Will thaw into rapture at each lovely dame.

There, too, sans apology, tea, tarts, tautology, Are given with zoology, to grave and gay; Thus fun and philosophy, supping and sophistry Send all to England home, happy and gay.

From George Eliot, whose humor is seen at its best in ”Adam Bede” and ”Silas Marner,” how much we could quote! How some of her searching comments cling to the memory!

”I've nothing to say again' her piety, my dear; but I know very well I shouldn't like her to cook my victuals. When a man comes in hungry and tired, piety won't feed him, I reckon. Hard carrots 'ull lie heavy on his stomach, piety or no piety. I called in one day when she was dis.h.i.+n'

up Mr. Tryan's dinner, an' I could see the potatoes was as watery as watery. It's right enough to be speritial, I'm no enemy to that, but I like my potatoes mealy.”

”You're right there, Tookey; there's allays two 'pinions: there's the 'pinion a man has of himsen, and there's the 'pinion other folks have on him. There'd be two 'pinions about a cracked bell if the bell could hear itself.”

”You're mighty fond o' Craig; but for my part, I think he's welly like a c.o.c.k as thinks the sun's rose o' purpose to hear him crow.”