that Mrs. Rooney's ball was
to monopolise that evening the youth and the beauty of the capital The
National Anthem over, 'Patrick's Day' was called for loudly from every
side, and the whole house beat time to the strains of their native
melody, with an energy that showed it came as fully home to their hearts
as the air that preceded it. For ten minutes at least the noise and
uproar continued; and, although his grace bowed repeatedly, there seemed
no prospect to an end of the tumult, when a voice from the gallery
called out, 'Don't make a stranger of yourself, my lord; take a chair
and sit down.' A roar of laughter, increased as the duke accepted the
suggestion, shook the house; and poor Talbot, who all this time was
kneeling beside Miss Walstein's chair, was permitted to continue his
ardent tale of love, and take up the thread of his devotion where he had
left it twenty minutes before.

While O'Grady, who sat in the back of the box, seemed absorbed in his
chagrin and disappointment, I myself became interested in the play,
which was admirably performed; and Lord Dudley, leaning affectedly
against a pillar, with his back towards the stage, scanned the house
with his vapid, unmeaning look, as though to say they were unworthy of
such attention at his hands.

The comedy was at length over, and her grace, with the ladies of
her suite, retired, leaving only the Asgills and some members of
the household in the box with his Excellency. He apparently was much
entertained by the performance, and seemed most resolutely bent on
staying to the last. Before the first act, however, of the after-piece
was over, many of the benches in the dress-circle became deserted, and
the house altogether seemed considerably thinner.

'I say, O'Grady,' said he, 'what are these good people about? There
seems to be a general move among them. Is there anything going on?'

'Yes, your grace,' said Phil, whose impatience now could scarcely be
restrained, 'they are going to a great ball in Stephen's Green; the most
splendid thing Dublin has witnessed these fifty years.'

'Ah, indeed! Where is it? Who gives it?' 'Mr. Rooney, sir, a very
well-known attorney, and a great character in the town.'

'How good! And he does the thing well?' 'He flatters himself that he
rivals your grace.' 'Better still! But who has he? What are his people?'
'Every one; there is nothing too high, nothing too handsome, nothing too
distinguished for him. His house, like the Holyh