The Merry Past 



The thief meanwhile had got into the bed, and on 

 the arrival of the police with the lady at once apos- 

 trophised her loudly, saying : " I knew your horrible 

 jealousy would lead you to do something of this sort 

 some day ; that's the worst of being loved by a 

 woman." The lady was very much confused, and 

 during the animated disavowals which ensued, the 

 thief managed to escape. 



Singularly devoid of false modesty, a number of 

 these ladies made no secret of the fact that they 

 regarded love-making — the pursuit of man — as the 

 chief aim and object of existence ; they were often 

 quite devoid of any prudery on this point, which 

 was perfectly recognised. " Oh, papa," said a girl 

 in love with a handsome but very stupid youth, " I 

 can't think why you should object to our marrying. 



" You can't really want to marry such a man as 

 that," was the reply. " Whatever will you do with 

 him all day ? " 



" Never mind about that ; think how pleasant the 

 evenings will be," said the girl. 



Another very flighty young lady who presented 

 her husband — a collector of prints — with a bouncing 

 boy some two months after marriage, gaily remarked 

 that it was a first impression, which had come near 

 being a proof before letters. 



To get a husband was the principal aim and object 

 of every young lady, and a very natural aim it was 

 too. Ireland, in particular, was the country in which 

 husband-hunting was carried on with the greatest 

 keenness and zest. 



266 



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