l events. Don't you, Polly?"

Following my father's example, I must be somewhat brief in the remainder
of my yarn. I should say, that soon after his arrival he and my mother
took a cottage which happened to be vacant in the village. He
fortunately had a considerable amount of prize-money and pay due to him,
for which it appeared my mother had neglected to draw, and with this, in
addition to what he had lately obtained, he was well able to keep house.
Mrs and the Misses Schank, however, insisted upon my remaining with
them, which, as may be supposed, I was very glad to do.

I spent a very happy time at Whithyford. Little Emily was my constant
companion, and every day I was with her. I learned to love her more and
more. At first we talked of being brother and sister, but we knew we
were not, and somehow or other in time we came to leave off calling each
other so. After this, at first I called her for a few days Miss Emily,
but I soon dropped that again. Then I began to talk of how I was going
to rise in my profession, and make heaps of prize-money, and I scarcely
know, indeed, what I was going to do and be. There was Lord
Collingwood, and Lord Nelson, and Lord Saint Vincent, and old Lord
Camperdown, who had all been midshipmen once on a time, and were
admirals and lords, and why should I not be a lord too? Emily, of
course, thought that I should be, and I am not quite certain that we did
not choose a title. I was to be Baron Burton of Whithyford, and I took
to calling her Lady Burton, and sometimes Lady Whithyford. I do not
mind confessing this now. It did no harm, and at all events made us
very happy. Why should not people be happy when happiness is so easily
obtained--by a little exercise of the imagination? I quite forgot to
mention my mother's devout admirer, Mr Gillooly. On inquiring the next
morning after our arrival of what had become of him, we found that he
had been taken ill and was laid up in bed; so it was said at the
"Wheatsheaf," where he remained for some time under the tender care of
Mrs Fowler. When he recovered, unwilling to go back to Ireland without
an English wife, which he promised he would bring, I rather think to
spite some Irish fair one who had refused him, as a reward to the
landlady for all her kindness, he made her an offer of his hand, which
she accepted. They were married shortly afterwards. She disposed of
her establishment, and, dressed in a new satin gown of the gayest