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Hould your tongue, Mick, you booby. Them husbands are always in the way, Mrs. Osborne, my dear; and as for my Mick, I often tell him he should never open his mouth but to give the word of command, or to put meat and drink into it. Ill tell you about the regiment, and warn you when were alone. Introduce me to your brother now; sure hes a mighty fine man, and reminds me of me cousin, Dan Malony (Malony of Ballymalony, my dear, you know who maried Ophalia Scully, of Oystherstown, own cousin to Lord Poldoody). Mr. Sedley, sir, Im deloighted to be made known te ye. I suppose youll dine at the mess to-day. (Mind that divvle of a docther, Mick, and whatever ye du, keep yourself sober for me party this evening.) Its the 150th gives us a farewell dinner, my love, interposed the Major, but well easy get a card for Mr. Sedley. Run Simple (Ensign Simple, of Ours, my dear Amelia. I forgot to introjuice him to ye). Run in a hurry, with Mrs. Major ODowds compliments to Colonel Tavish, and Captain Osborne has brought his brothernlaw down, and will bring him to the 150th mess at five oclock sharp when you and I, my dear, will take a snack here, if you like. Before Mrs. ODowds speech was concluded, the young Ensign was trotting downstairs on his commission. Obedience is the soul of the army. We will go to our duty while Mrs. ODowd will stay and enlighten you, Emmy, Captain Osborne said; and the two gentlemen, taking each a wing of the Major, walked out with that officer, grinning at each other over his head. And, now having her new friend to herself, the impetuous Mrs: ODowd proceeded to pour out such a quantity of information as no poor little womans memory could ever tax itself to bear. She told Amelia a thousand particulars relative to the very numerous family of which the amazed young lady found herself a member. Mrs. Heavytop, the Colonels wife, died in Jamaica of the yellow faver and a broken heart comboined, for the horrud old Colonel, with a head as bald as a cannon-ball, was making sheeps eyes at a half-caste girl there. Mrs. Magenis, though without education, was a good woman, but she had the divvles tongue, and would cheat her own mother at whist. Mrs. Captain Kirk must turn up her lobster eyes forsooth at the idea of an honest round game (wherein me fawther, as pious a man as ever went to church, me uncle Dane Malony, and our cousin the Bishop, took a hand at loo, or whist, every night of their lives). Nayther of ems goin with the regiment this time, Mrs. ODowd added. Fanny Magenis stops with her mother, who sells small coal and potatoes, most likely, in Islington-town, hard by London, though shes always bragging of her fathers ships, and pointing them out to us as they go up the river: and Mrs. Kirk and her children will stop here in Bethesda Place, to be nigh to her favourite preacher, Dr. Ramshorn. Mrs. Bunnys in an interesting situationfaith, and she always is, thenand has given the Lieutenant seven already. And Ensign Poskys wife, who joined two months before you, my dear, has quarld with Tom Posky a score of times, till you can hearm all over the barck (they say theyre come to broken pleets, and Tom never accounted for his black oi), and shell go back to her mother, who keeps a ladies siminary at Richmondbad luck to her for running away from it! Where did ye get your finishing, my dear? I had moin, and no expince spared, at Madame Flanahans, at Ilyssus Grove, Booterstown, near Dublin, wid a Marchioness to teach us the true Parisian pronunciation, and a retired Mejor-General of the French service to put us through the exercise. Of this incongruous family our astonished Amelia found herself all of a sudden a member: with Mrs. ODowd as an elder sister. She was presented to her other female relations at tea-time, on whom, as she was quiet, good- natured, and not too handsome, she made rather an agreeable impression until the arrival of the gentlemen from the mess of the 150th, who all admired her so, that her sisters began, of course, to find fault with her. I hope Osborne has sown his wild oats, said Mrs. Magenis to Mrs. Bunny. If a reformed rake makes a good husband, sure its she will have the fine chance with Garge, Mrs. ODowd remarked to Posky, who had lost her position as bride in the regiment, and was quite angry with the usurper. And as for Mrs. Kirk: that disciple of Dr. Ramshorn put one or two leading professional questions to Amelia, to see |
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