from such a scientific hand as yours. How
do you do again, Mrs. Mulroony? Mrs. Mulroony, I hope you did not come
without some refreshment. And you'll withdraw the charge, for the sake
of futurity, Mrs. Mulroony."

"If you do, Mrs. Mulroony," said Darby, "I'm afraid you'll have to
look to futurity for payment. I mean to that part of it commonly called
'to-morrow comenever.'--Make your charge, ma'am."

Here a pale-faced, sinister-looking old fellow, in a red woollen
nightcap, with baggy protuberances hanging under his red bleared eyes,
now came to a little half door, inside of which stood his office for
receiving all charges against the various delinquents that the Charlies,
or watchmen of the period, had conducted to him.

"Here," said he, in a hoarse, hollow voice, "what's this--what's this?
Another charge against you, Mr. Gray? Garvy," said he, addressing a
watchman, "tell them vagabones that if they don't keep, quiet I'll put
them in irons."

This threat was received with a chorus of derision by those to whom
it was addressed, and the noise was increased so furiously, that it
resembled the clamor of Babel.

"Here, Garvy," said honest Ned, "tickle some of them a bit. Touch up
that bullet-headed house-breaker that's drunk--Sam Stancheon, they
call him--lave a nate impression of the big kay on his head; he'll
undherstand it, you know; and there's Molly Brady, or Emily Howard,
as she calls herself, give her a clink on the noddle to stop her
jinteelity. Blast her pedigree; nothing will serve her but she must be
a lady on our hands. Tell her I'll not lave a copper ring or a glass
brooch on her body if she's not quiet."

The watchman named Garvy took the heavy keys, and big with the deputed
authority, swept, like the destroying angel upon a small scale, through
the tumultuous crew that were assembled in this villanous pandemonium,
thrashing the unfortunate vagabonds on the naked head, or otherwise,
as the case might be, without regard to age, sex, or condition, leaving
bumps, welts, cuts, oaths, curses, and execrations, _ad infinitum_,
behind him. Owing to this distribution of official justice a partial
calm was restored, and the charge of Mrs. Mulroony was opened in form.

"Well, Mrs. Mulroony, what charge is this you have against Misther
Gray?"

"Because," replied Ambrose, "I wasn't in possession of assets to pay her
own. Had I met her most iniquitous charge at home, honest Ned, I should
have escaped the minor o