or two, by way of amusement. He might
now be seen walking of a warm day along the shady sides of the hedges,
with a book in his hand, or stretched listlessly upon the grass, at
study; or sauntering about among the neighboring workmen, with his
forefinger between the leaves of his book, a monument of learning and
industry.

It is not to be supposed, however, that Denis, who was an Irishman of
eighteen, handsome and well made, could be altogether insensible
to female beauty, and seductive charms of the sex. During his easy
saunterings--or, as the Scotch say, "daunerings"--along the roads and
about the green hedges, it often happened that he met a neighbor's
daughter; and Denis, who, as a young gentleman of breeding, was bound to
be courteous, could not do less than accost her with becoming urbanity.

"Good-mornin', Miss Norah," we will suppose him to say, when meeting a
good-looking arch girl of his acquaintance.

"Good-morrow, Mr. O'Shaughnessy. I hope you're well, sir."

"Indeed I am, at present, in superlatively ecclesiastical health, Miss
Norah. I hope all your family are well?"

"All very well, I thank you, sir, barrin' myself."

"An' pray what's the matther wid you, Miss Norah? I hope" (with an
exceeding grave but complacent smile) "you're not affected wid the
amorous passion of love?"

"Oh, that 'ud be tellin', Mr. O'Shaughnessy! But supposin' I am, what
ought I to do?"

"That's really a profound question, Miss Norah. But though I cannot tell
you what to do, I can tell you what I think."

"An' what is that, sir?"

"Why, Miss Norah, that he who is so beatified as to secure you in the
matrimonial paction--_compactum_ it is in the larned languages--in other
words--to condescend to your capacity--he who is married to you will be
a happy man. There is a juvenility about your eyes, and an efflorescence
of amaranthine odoriferousness about your cheeks and breath that are
enough to communicate the centrifugal motion to any brain adorned with
the slightest modicum of sentiment."

"He who marries me will be a happy man!" she exclaimed, repeating these
expressions, probably because they were the only words she understood.
"I hope so, Misther O'Shaughnessy. But, sure enough, who'd expect to
hear sich soft talk from the makins of a priest? Very well, sir! Upon
my word I'll be tellin' Father Finnerty that you do be spakin' up to the
girls!--Now!!"

"No, no, Miss Norah; you wouldn't do that merely for my sayin' th