"Very good, Mrs. Hay!"--thus, on receipt of a letter, would run her husband's commentary, embodying transposed quotation in its text, "'Pray go my own way'--that's it, is it?--'On no account give the slightest consideration underlined to the wishes of your underlined wife.' Oh, very well--I won't. 'If my Conscience with a big C didn't turn a deaf ear to the pleadings of my Better Self with a big B and a big S'--what's all this? can't read it--oh! I see--yes, at least I see what it comes to!--I should come to my sences--spelt wrong--and overcome the ridiculous false pride that stands between me and something or other underlined--h'm! h'm!--'consult my own dignity'--h'm, h'm--something's something else I can't make out in the truest sence of the word, underlined. I dare say. I know what all this rot comes to in the end. I'm to go and ask forgiveness and show contrition, and I shouldn't wonder if I was expected to beg Aunt Priscilla's pardon. And be taken to Church, as like as not! I say, Stumpy, that would be rather jolly, wouldn't it? Fancy the Wicked Man turnething away from his Wickedness and Aunt Priscilla taking care visibly not to look at your humble servant, so as not to hurt his feelings!" "I tell you what, Crocky,"--thus Mr. Hughes, on the occasion the above is chosen from, some time in November--"I tell you what: if I was you, I shouldn't be an Ass. Just you mozey off to Athabasca Villa and make it up. I believe Mrs. Gapp's right." "That old sot been talking? Parples was the best of the two. I'll have Parples back." For Mrs. Gapp had taken Mrs. Parples' place, under pretence of greater accomplishments and better training. "At my invitation, Mr. Aiken," said Mr. Hughes with some show of dignity--"at my invitation, observe!--Mrs. Gapp, who has buried three husbands and really ought to know a good deal about connubiosity--conjugosity--what the dooce is the word?..." "Well--married life, anyhow! What did old boozey say?" "She had great faith in a spirit of mutual conciliation. That is not precisely the way she put it. Her exact expression was 'A good 'ug's the thing, Mr. Stumpy' .... Yes--that is what Mrs. Gapp calls me, misled by your example.... I must say I think the course she indicated has much to recommend it." Mr. Aiken looked moody, and did not reply at once. Then he said: "That's all very fine, Stump, my boy. But--Sairah! Sairah's the point. Now, mind you, I'm not suggestin' anythin'. But just you look at it this way. There was a rather nice lookin' gyairl, with a bird's wing in her hat, came for the place, and Euphemia wouldn't hear of her, don't you know! Suppose it had been her!--puts the matter on a more human footin', shouldn't you say?"