he house, I say, I rushed in
medias res at once; I couldn't keep myself quiet, my heart was too full.

"Oh, Fitz! I shall never forget the day,--the moment I was inthrojuiced
into the dthrawing-room" (as he began to be agitated, Dennis's brogue
broke out with greater richness than ever; but though a stranger may
catch, and repeat from memory, a few words, it is next to impossible for
him to KEEP UP A CONVERSATION in Irish, so that we had best give up all
attempts to imitate Dennis). "When I saw old mother Gam," said he, "my
feelings overcame me all at once. I rowled down on the ground, sir, as
if I'd been hit by a musket-ball. 'Dearest madam,' says I, 'I'll die if
you don't give me Jemima.'

"'Heavens, Mr. Haggarty!' says she, 'how you seize me with surprise!
Castlereagh, my dear nephew, had you not better leave us?' and away he
went, lighting a cigar, and leaving me still on the floor.

"'Rise, Mr. Haggarty,' continued the widow. 'I will not attempt to deny
that this constancy towards my daughter is extremely affecting, however
sudden your present appeal may be. I will not attempt to deny that,
perhaps, Jemima may have a similar feeling; but, as I said, I never
could give my daughter to a Catholic.'

"'I'm as good a Protestant as yourself, ma'am,' says I; 'my mother was
an heiress, and we were all brought up her way.'

"'That makes the matter very different,' says she, turning up the whites
of her eyes. 'How could I ever have reconciled it to my conscience to
see my blessed child married to a Papist? How could I ever have taken
him to Molloyville? Well, this obstacle being removed, _I_ must put
myself no longer in the way between two young people. _I_ must sacrifice
myself; as I always have when my darling girl was in question. YOU shall
see her, the poor dear lovely gentle sufferer, and learn your fate from
her own lips.'

"'The sufferer, ma'am,' says I; 'has Miss Gam been ill?'

"'What! haven't you heard?' cried the widow. 'Haven't you heard of the
dreadful illness which so nearly carried her from me? For nine weeks,
Mr. Haggarty, I watched her day and night, without taking a wink of
sleep,--for nine weeks she lay trembling between death and life; and I
paid the doctor eighty-three guineas. She is restored now; but she is
the wreck of the beautiful creature she was. Suffering, and, perhaps,
ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT--but we won't mention that NOW--have so pulled
her down. But I will leave you, and prepare my swee