SPEAKING THE IRISH 



ter, claps one of the grimy hands over her mouth and 

 doubles herself in two. 



" The master's wild about it, God help him ! " she proceeds 

 presently. "But sure, I do be tellin' him, I'm too old to be 

 thinkin' about that kind of thing at my time of life. Troth, 

 and it's queer times we do be having! Isn't the master 

 bringing back a black lady on us ! " 



" A black lady ? " ejaculated Miss Carrie, startled out of 

 her placidity. " Good gracious, Mrs. Quinlan ! " 

 " Indeed, and it's true. A rale black lady I hear she is, and 

 it's in Paris he met her." 

 "In Paris!" 



It seemed a strange place from which to bring a black lady. 

 We were all full of the liveliest interest. 

 " I suppose," says Miss Caroline, " you mean a very dark 

 lady, Mrs. Quinlan a brunette?" 



" I do not, thenrale black she is, I'm told. Out of the 

 Indies, or Africa, or some of them places." 

 " Dear me ! " Our hostess is much puzzled. " Is he think- 

 ing of marrying her, Mrs. Quinlan ? " 

 "I wouldn't put it past him. I wouldn't put anything 

 past him, Miss Carrie ! " 



A black lady! Was this to be the end of twenty -five 

 years' expectation ? 



" Well, now, and is he bringing her with him to-morrow 

 night?" 



" Och, maybe he is ! He's coming by the midnight train, 

 Miss Carrie, and the Lord knows what time in the world 

 they'll be up here." 



" Oh, he must mean to marry her ! " says Miss Carrie, 

 and Mrs. Quinlan laughs again exhaustedly with an under- 



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