I think I can occasionally detect in these ferret-like orbs
that constitute such an attractive portion of your beauty, a passing
scintillation of intelligence which you wish to keep _a secretis_, as
they say."
"Mr. Finigan," said Keenan, who had now returned to his friends, "if
you wouldn't be betther employed to-morrow, you'd be welcome to the
weddin'."
"Many thanks, Mr. Keenan," replied Finigan; "I accept your hospitable
offer wid genuine cordiality. To-morrow will be a day worthy of a white
mark to all parties concerned. Horace calls it chalk, which is probably
the most appropriate substance with which the records of matrimonial
felicity could be registered, _crede experto_."
"At any rate, Misther Finigan, give the boys a holiday to-morrow, and be
down wid us airly."
"There is not," replied Finigan, who was now pretty well advanced, "I
believe widin the compass of written or spoken language--and I might
on that subject appeal to Mr. Thaddeus O'Phats here, who is a good
authority on that particular subject, or indeed on any one that involves
the beauty of elocution--I say, then, there is not widin the compass of
spoken language a single word composed of two syllables so delectable
to human ears, as is that word 'dismiss,' to the pupils of a _Plantation
Seminary_; (* A modest periphrasis for a Hedge-School) and I assure you
that those talismanic syllables shall my youthful pupils hear correctly
pronounced to-morrow about ten o'clock.
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