"Here's the potatoes, honor jewel, I've brought yez, while the chops were frying, for is n't it hungry yez do be at this time o'night? And I've iligant pies and pastry, master Walter; and the pride of them's at your choice, dear !"

In vain Hamilton pleaded the necessity of no longer delaying his toilette.

"Sure ain't I first going to give your pumps a brush over first," exclaimed Pat, the 'prentice boy,' "for sorra a polishen do they get in them there mountains, I'll be bound."

"And I'll give yer blue coat a rub up myself," resumed Mr. Macleary.

“And it isn't my lord's that shall cry pase to it, for all his fine wallet, Mister Stuffly, anyhow."

In short, Hamilton soon found resistance to their well-meant officiousness utterly useless; and he, therefore, quietly sat down to some excellent mutton chops, which had instantly the effect of clearing the room of all the servants

except the footinan, who stoutly maintained his peculiar privilege of attending till Hamilton peremptorily insisted on his leaving him on the pretext that he did not, wish his arrival to be suspected by the family till he made his appearance in the drawing-room.

But his solitude was not of many minutes' continuance.

At the open door (for who ever saw a door shut in Ireland?) the brilliant figure of Jane O'Dwyer, immediately appeared, and the next instant she sprang to his side, holding out both her hands and exclaiming,

"O! Walter dear! But I am glad to see you at last!"

Her white and pliant hands were soon pressed in those of Walter, and the cordiality of her welcome was returned by one from him not less kind-though, perchance, more unembarrassed-as with the frank kindliness of a brother's partiality, he compli

mented her on the beauty of her appear

ance.

"Now, and indeed, Walter, do ye like these curls?" enquired the blushing girl, with a comical archness that betrayed equal vanity and diffidence, whilst as she spoke, her long, slender fingers, raised the curls playfully from her forehead, and in exhibiting her polished brow, gave an added charm to her fea

tures.

"Don't spoil your hair so Jane! I never saw anything improve you so much as your new style of dressing does."

And to prevent the damage he deprecated, Hamilton again seized the truant hand that now remained carelessly in his. A coquette would have expected as a matter of course, that he should have raised the culprit fingers to his lips; and, perchance, had they appertained to a girl Hamilton loved less than he did her, such an expectation might not have been un

fulfilled; but as it was, the idea did not seem to occur to either, and continued the, to her, interesting discussion of her dress; unembarrassed by vanity and uninterrupted by cold-hearted compliments.

"I am so delighted that you like my frockbut did you ever see such a long waist! And you have not begun to dress yet, Walter? Why we shall be so late, and you know I'm waiting to go in with you."

Hamilton half smiled at Jane's selection of a chaperon, and proposed her going in' with some other of her relatives, whilst he proceeded to make his toilette. But his fair cousin was not to be dissuaded from her wellarranged plan. "No indeed, Walter, I'll go with nobody but you; for I staid out on purpose to watch for you on the pretence of setting out the supper table, and papa and mama have been dressed and in the drawing-room since six -and Ellen went down an hour ago-and Lord Henry never thought of me, I dare say---and

I'd be ashamed, you know, to go in by myself, so now I see you're come, in good earnest, I'll run and see the jellies put on and be back again before you've done dressing;" and so saying she disappeared as rapidly as she had entered; whilst Hamilton turned towards his own well known apartment, and, as he gaily strided up the stairs three steps at once, whistled, in double quick time, the mirth stirring strain of "planxty carroll."