d I do not think that Jack is much wiser
than I am."

"I do not know what you mean by a speech, Sarah." My wife's name is
Sarah. "But it is necessary that Jack should be instructed that he,
at any rate, must obey the law. He is my son, and, as such, it is
essentially necessary that he should be amenable to it. The law
demands--"

"You can't do it, and there's an end of it," said Mrs Neverbend.
"You and all your laws will never be able to put an end to poor Mr
Crasweller,--and it would be a great shame if you did. You don't see
it; but the feeling here in the city is becoming very strong. The
people won't have it; and I must say that it is only rational that
Jack should be on the same side. He is a man now, and has a right to
his own opinion as well as another."

"Jack," said I, with much solemnity, "do you value your father's
blessing?"

"Well; sir, yes," said he. "A blessing, I suppose, means something of
an allowance paid quarterly."

I turned away my face that he might not see the smile which I felt
was involuntarily creeping across it. "Sir," said I, "a father's
blessing has much more than a pecuniary value. It includes that kind
of relation between a parent and his son without which life would be
a burden to me, and, I should think, very grievous to you also."

"Of course I hope that you and I may always be on good terms."

I was obliged to take this admission for what it was worth. "If you
wish to remain on good terms with me," said I, "you must not oppose
me in public when I am acting as a public magistrate."

"Is he to see Mr Crasweller murdered before his very eyes, and to say
nothing about it?" said Mrs Neverbend.

Of all terms in the language there was none so offensive to me as
that odious word when used in reference to the ceremony which I had
intended to be so gracious and alluring. "Sarah," said I, turning
upon her in my anger, "that is a very improper word, and one which
you should not tempt the boy to use, especially in my presence."

"English is English, Mr President," she said. She always called me
"Mr President" when she intended to oppose me.

"You might as well say that a man was murdered when he is--is--killed
in battle." I had been about to say "executed," but I stopped myself.
Men are not executed in Britannula.

"No. He is fighting his country's battle and dies gloriously."

"He has his leg shot off, or his arm, and is too frequently left to
perish miserably on the ground. Here