believe, rather have remained another day in town; but
there was no possibility of doing so, as the "Chancellor"
will sit on Tuesday. Love to the girls, and believe me,
yours very truly,

M. Kennyfeck.

Invite Jones and Softly to meet us at dinner.

The clock on the mantelpiece now struck seven; and scarcely had the last
chime died away as a carriage drove up to the door.

"Here they come, I suppose," said Mrs. Kennyfeck, with a half-sigh.

"No, mamma; it is a hackney-coach. Mr. Jones, or Mr. Softly, perhaps."

"Oh, dear! I had forgotten them. How absurd it was to ask these people,
and your father not here."

The door opened, and the servant announced the Rev. Mr. Knox Softly. A
very tall, handsome young man entered, and made a most respectful but
cordial salutation to the ladies. He was in look and mien the _beau
ideal_ of health, strength, and activity, with bright, full blue eyes,
and cheeks rosy as the May. His voice, however, was subdued to the
dulcet accent of a low whisper, and his step, as he crossed the room,
had the stealthy noiselessness of a cat's approach.

"Mr. Kennyfeck quite restored, I hope, from the fatigue of his journey?"

"We 've not seen him yet," replied his lady, almost tartly. "He ought to
have been here at four o'clock, and yet it's past seven."

"I think I hear a carriage."

"Another ------," hackney, Miss Kennyfeck was about to say, when she
stopped herself, and, at the instant, Counsellor Clare Jones was
announced.

This gentleman was a rising light of the Irish bar, who had the
good fortune to attract Mr. Kennyfeck's attention, and was suddenly
transferred from the dull duties of civil bills and declarations to
business of a more profitable kind. He had been somewhat successful in
his college career,--carried off some minor honors; was a noisy member
of a debating society; wrote leaders for some provincial papers; and
with overbearing powers of impudence, and a good memory, was a very
likely candidate for high forensic honor.

Unlike the first arrival, the Counsellor had few, if any, of the
forms of good society in his manner or address. His costume, too, was
singularly negligent; and as he ran a very dubious hand through a mass
of thick and tangled hair on entering, it was easy to see that the
greatest part of his toilet was then and there performed. The splashed
appearance of his nether garments, and of shoes that might have done
honor to snipe-shooting