t she?" Mike has a tolerable
favorable opinion of himself. He keeps a livery-stable in ---- street,
and takes the girls out to drive, and he flourishes his whip, and trots
his fast horses along the roads with the best of them. There is a
bravado sort of way about him that tells among his companions, who look
up to him with a certain degree of veneration, as a being of rather a
superior order to themselves. He twists his red hair over a hot iron
till it stands up all about his head in little bits of curls; and he has
grown a flaming mustache that is really quite killing among his female
acquaintances. No wonder he is so easy concerning Nannie Bates! He
couldn't imagine that Pat Rourke, with his uncouth ways and brusque
appearance could presume to rival him in her heart! So he enters the
stable with a joyous spring, and goes the rounds cheerfully, patting
Berk's back, and speaking pleasantly to Roscoe, and giving an ear of
corn to Arab, and a little more hay to all.

There's no doubt of his supremacy there--the grateful animals neigh, and
paw, and rub their noses fondly upon his shoulder as he passes
fearlessly around them. If Nannie could see his devotion to the helpless
and dumb it would awaken within her a far deeper regard than the
combined results of curling-tongs and pomatum, or the outward flourish
and glitter of his equestrian establishment.

Mike has a tender heart; any body can see that who visits his nice
stables, and looks upon the plump, well-cared-for horses. He has a spice
of vanity; the girls are responsible, in a measure, for this, for they
have flattered him until he begins to think he may be good enough for
any of them; but he only thinks of Nannie Bates as a fit and desirable
companion for him, and he works diligently to get the means to buy them
a home. Pat strives, with the same end constantly in view, and Nannie
smiles on them both with her winning, happy face, never dreaming herself
the motive-power to such untiring energy. She wonders why Pat puts so
much of his earnings in the savings' bank, contenting himself with his
old suit, which has grown quite rusty from such continual wear; and when
Mike whispers to her, in a sly way, that he is trying to get a home to
offer a certain fine girl that he wants for a wife, Nannie shakes her
finger witchingly at Biddy, as if to say, "I've found you out now." Mike
does not relish her obtuseness, but she seems so timid and shrinking,
that he is backward about