sion. Two men, who at his first entrance into the avenue had come forward to the front of the house, now disappeared. Their showy dresses and arms, however, caught Henry's eye, and he inquired of his companion who they were? The fellow looked knowingly on hearing the question, and replied in an under

tone

"The Captain, please your Honour's, on his keepin, and its two of the yeomen, who're watching for fear of bailiffs."

"Good Heaven!" observed the visiter, "is it possible that a man in that embarrassed situation would think of seeing company, and his house beset by creditors?"

"Arrah the devil a man of them dare come

there," replied the gate-keeper, " for two clainer or sharper boys aint in the corps than the two very boys that's gardin him, and a whistle would bring the dogs from the yard and the boys from the kitchen."

Perhaps it was the intimate terms on which the janitor and horseman appeared to be, or probably from a prior knowledge of the visiter being expected, which prevented these tutelary

Genii from barring his passage; on the contrary, one of them advanced from his ambuscade, and having received O'Hara's horse, applied his knuckle to his mouth, and whistled loudly. A boy answered the signal by coming to lead the steed to the stable, and Henry stepped into the hall.

He entered the mansion unannounced, for the gate-keeper, acting as a vidette, immediately returned to his post, and the soldier as quickly absconded. A knocker would have been desirable, but the door unhappily proved to be unfurnished with that customary appendage. No servant was visible, and no bell appeared by which one could be summoned. Repeated bursts of merriment were heard from the apartment on the right, and Henry determined to enter this joyous assembly. He paused with his hand on the lock-romping, he knew, was the order of the day at Rockland, but the noise and tumult in the drawing-room was most tremendous. Feeling, however, that if any of the inmates discovered him as he stood, he might be suspected to be a listener, he boldly pushed the door open. The entrance was not undisputed,

VOL. I.

P

a chair-cushion, hurled with mighty force, struck the wall beside him, and narrowly missed his head. Henry started back at receiving this extraordinary salutation, while the females of the party, discovering that a stranger had entered, uttered a wild scream, and ran to sofas and chairs, leaving the carpet strewn with cushions, gloves, and bonnets. A handsome young man in regimentals advanced from the head of the room, and apologized for his great apparent rudeness," but really he thought that Mr. Edward Nugent, who had just left the room, had been returning." Henry smiled at his mistake, and assured him that no apology was necessary, and, addressing himself to Miss Nugent, who was covered with blushes in the corner, renewed his former acquaintance, and begged not to be considered a stranger. The easy, volatile manner of the speaker had more effect than his words; he was speedily introduced and acquainted with all the party. Familiarity gradually ensued-romping recommenced by degrees, and in five minutes from the date of his debut, Henry was on the floor an active combatant.

CHAPTER XIII.

The devil take order, now! I'll to the throng.

Henry V.

THE latest addition to the neighbourhood we mentioned, was Mr. George Glossin, late of Grafton-street, Dublin, who had by great industry and good leather, made a fortune as a ladies' shoemaker. His lady was a professed • Bas Bleu,' and had formerly obtained some celebrity as a provincial performer, before Mr. Glossin led her from the Temple of Thespis to the Altar of Hymen. When the Fitzmaurice estate came to the hammer, he purchased, by order of his lady, a small hunting-lodge, as Mrs. Glossin was ambitious to lead a life of classic retirement. She changed the name from Tallyho to Pompeii, demolished dog-kennels without mercy, and new modelled the Villa to her own perfect satisfaction. Mr. Glossin was

what ladies call an excellent family man; he was most submissive to his wife, and never ventured to think or act without previously obtaining the approbation of his gifted helpmate. A ride on his fat dun pony, a bottle of wine after dinner, and permission to sleep ad libitum, rendered him the happiest of mortals. He never interfered with politics, although Mrs. Glossin was a staunch Republican; and, as he was clearly unfitted for active life, neither party troubled him on the subject.

Major O'Hara had gone through the form of visiting and entertaining the Glossins on their arrival in the country, but as he rarely went into company, their acquaintance had almost ceased. On the arrival, however, of Lady Sarah at Castle Carra, Mrs. Glossin was among the first to visit one whose name had been so often recorded in the annals of tonnish life; and the day after Henry's return was known, Mr. Glossin and his dun pony were put in requisition to invite him to what his Lady called her Literary Melange." What kind of concerns Mrs. Glossin and her Melange were, young O'Hara could not imagine.