ntenance. His dress was plain, but good,
and altogether becoming his apparent rank.

"I shall be back in a quarter of an hour," said he to the landlord;
"I'm only going over the way to the shop to buy something;" and away
he went, and, of course, was followed by Jeremiah, who, immediately on
entering his own house, skipped nimbly behind the counter to wait upon
his new customer.

After trying on some gloves, and purchasing two pair, the little
strange gentleman looked round the shop, as though examining its
contents to find something he wanted.

"Anything else I can do for you, sir?" replied Jeremiah.--"You sell
almost everything, I see, Mr Wag?" observed the old gentleman. "Mr
Wag? _Your_ name _is_ Wag, I suppose?"--"Yes, sir," replied the
shopkeeper drily.

"Wag, Wag, Wag!" repeated the stranger, briskly. "Funny name!
eh?"--"It was my father's before me," observed Jeremiah, scarcely
knowing what to think of the matter.

"Very good name!" continued the little gentleman, "Like it very much.
Got any children? Any little Wags, eh? Like to see 'em. Fond of
children--little Wags in particular--he, he, he!"

"Much obliged to ye for inquiring, sir," replied the senior Wag; "I've
got just half-a-score, sorted sizes. That's the eldest!" and he
pointed to young Jerry, whose lanky limbs were at the moment
displayed, spread-eagle fashion, against the shelves, from the topmost
of which he was reaching down some commodity for a customer.

"That's right. Bring 'em up to industry," said the little gentleman.
"Well, I can't stay now, because my dinner's ready; but I see you sell
Irish linen, and I want a piece for shirts; so, perhaps, you'll be so
good as to look me out a good one and bring it over to me."

"You may rely," commenced Mr Wag; but his new customer cut him short
by adding, "I know that well enough," as he briskly made his exit.

The industrious shopkeeper forthwith selected certain of his primest
articles, folded them in a wrapper, and, at the appointed time,
carried the whole across to the King's Arms.

He was immediately ushered into the presence of the eccentric elderly
gentleman, who was seated alone behind a bottle of white and a bottle
of red. "Suppose you've dined, Master Wag?" said he. "So, come! No
ceremony, sit down and take a glass of wine."

"I'm very much obliged to you, I'm sure, sir," replied Jeremiah; "but
I have just brought over half-a-dozen pieces of Irish for you to look
at and choose."