ll; d--n my
honor, I suppose it's all right, old cock."

* This scene is verbatim et literatim from life.

Our readers, we presume, have already observed, that however tenderly
our friend Solomon felt for the shearing habit of the poor, he was
somehow rather reluctant in offering a word in season to any one else.
What his motive could be for this we are really at a loss to know,
unless it proceeded from a charitable consciousness, that as there was
no earthly hope of improving them by admonition, it was only deepening
their responsibility to give it--for Solomon was charitable in all
things.

"Call in Tom Maguire, from Edenmore," said Val. "Now," he proceeded,
"this is a stiff-necked scoundrel, who refuses to vote for us; but it
will go hard, or I shall work him to some purpose. Well, Maguire," he
proceeded, after the man had entered, "I'm glad to see you--how do you
do?"

"I'm much obliged to you, sir," replied the other--"why just able to
make both ends barely meet, and no more; but as the time goes, sure it's
well to be able to do that same, thank goodness."

"Tom," said Solomon, "I am pleased to hear you speak in such a spirit;
that was piously expressed--very much so indeed."

"Well, Tom," proceeded Val; "I suppose you are prepared?"

"Why, sir," replied Tom, who, by the way, was a bit of a wag; "you know,
or at least Mr. M'Slime does, that it's good to be always prepared. The
rent in full is there, sir," he added, laying it down on the table; "and
I'll thank you for the receipt."

Val deliberately reckoned over the gold--for in no other coin would he
receive it--and then drew a long breath, and appeared satisfied, but not
altogether free from some touch of hesitation.

"Ay," said he, "it is all right, Tom, certainly--yes, certainly, it
is all right. Darby, fill Tom a bumper of whiskey--not that--I say the
large glass, you scoundrel."

"Throth, Captain, 'tisn't my heart 'ud hindher me to give him the
largest in the house; but I have a conscientious scruple against doin'
what I believe isn't right. My Bible tells me--. Well, well, sure I'm
only obeying orders. Here, Tom," he added, handing him the large bumper.

"Confound the fellow," said Val; "ever since he has become a convert to
Mr. Lucre there's no getting a word out of him that hasn't religion in
it."

"Ah, Captain," replied Darby, "sure Mr. M'Slime there knows, that 'out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth spaiketh.'"

"I cannot answ