iety was composed of young men, and that it was
unmanly--not to say unmannerly--to make puns on the ladies. To this
sentiment little Grigs shouted "Hear! hear!" in deafening tones, and
begged leave to support the motion. This he did in an eloquent but much
interrupted speech, which was finally cut short by Macnab insisting that
the time of the Society should not be taken up with an irrelevant
commentary on ladies by little Grigs; whereupon Sandy Tod objected to
interruptions in general--except when made by himself--and was going on
to enlarge on the inestimable blessing of free discussion when he was in
turn called to order. Then Blunter and Scroggins, and Fat Collins and
Bobby Sprat, started simultaneously to their feet, but were put down by
Peter Pax, who rose, and, with a calm dignified wave of his hand,
remarked that as the question before the meeting was whether ladies
should or should not be invited to the soiree, the simplest plan would
be to put it to the vote. On this being done, it was found that the
meeting was equally divided, whereupon the chairman--Phil Maylands--gave
his casting vote in favour of the amendment, and thus the ladies were
excluded from the soiree amid mingled groans and cheers.

But although the fair sex were debarred from joining in the festivities,
they were represented on the eventful evening in question by a Mrs
Square, an angular washer-woman with only one eye (but that was a
piercingly black one), who dwelt in the same court, and who consented to
act the double part of tea-maker and doorkeeper for that occasion. As
most of the decorations and wreaths had been made and hung up by May
Maylands and two of her telegraphic friends, there was a pervading
influence of woman about Pegaway Hall, in spite of Phil's ungallant and
un-Irish vote.

When Tottie Bones arrived at the General Post-Office in search of Peter
Pax, she was directed to Pegaway Hall by those members of the staff
whose duties prevented their attendance at the commencement of the
soiree.

Finding the hall with difficulty, she was met and stopped by the
uncompromising and one-eyed stare of Mrs Square.

"Please, ma'am, is Mr Peter Pax here?" asked Tottie.

"Yes, he is, but he's engaged."

Tottie could not doubt the truth of this, for through the half-open door
of the hall she saw and heard the little secretary on his little legs
addressing the house.

"Please may I wait till he's done?" asked Tottie.

"You may, if