"That's really a sweet little dog of yours, Jemima," said Mrs Dale, who was embroidering the word CAROLINE on the border of a cambric pocket-handkerchief, but edging a little farther off, as she added, "he'll not bite, will he?" "Dear me, no!" said Miss Jemima; but (she added, in a confidential whisper,) "don't say _he_--'tis a lady dog!" "Oh," said Mrs Dale, edging off still farther, as if that confession of the creature's sex did not serve to allay her apprehensions--"oh, then, you carry your aversion to the gentlemen even to lap-dogs--that is being consistent indeed, Jemima!" MISS JEMIMA.--"I had a gentleman dog once--a pug!--they are getting very scarce now. I thought he was so fond of me--he snapped at every one else;--the battles I fought for him! Well, will you believe,--I had been staying with my friend Miss Smilecox at Cheltenham. Knowing that William is so hasty, and his boots are so thick, I trembled to think what a kick might do. So, on coming here, I left Buff--that was his name--with Miss Smilecox." (A pause.) MRS DALE, looking up languidly.--"Well, my love." MISS JEMIMA.--"Will you believe it, I say, when I returned to Cheltenham, only three months afterwards, Miss Smilecox had seduced his affections from me, and the ungrateful creature did not even know me again. A pug, too--yet people _say_ pugs are faithful!!! I am sure they ought to be, nasty things. I have never had a gentleman dog since--they are all alike, believe me--heartless, selfish creatures." MRS DALE.--"Pugs? I dare say they are!" MISS JEMIMA, with spirit.--"MEN!--I told you it was a gentleman dog!" MRS DALE, apologetically.--"True, my love, but the whole thing was so mixed up!" MISS JEMIMA.--"You saw that cold-blooded case of Breach of Promise of Marriage in the papers--an old wretch, too, of sixty-four. No age makes them a bit better. And when one thinks that the end of all flesh is approaching, and that--" MRS DALE, quickly, for she prefers Miss Jemima's other hobby to that black one upon which she is preparing to precede the bier of the universe.--"Yes, my love, we'll avoid that subject, if you please. Mr Dale has his own opinions, and it becomes me, you know, as a parson's wife," (said smilingly; Mrs Dale has as pretty a dimple as any of Miss Jemima's, and makes more of that one than Miss Jemima of three,) "to agree with him--that is, in theology." MISS JEMIMA, earnestly.--"But the thing is so clear, if you would but look into--" MRS DALE, putting her hand on Miss Jemima's lips playfully.--"Not a word more. Pray, what do you think of the Squire's tenant at the Casino, Signor Riccabocca? An interesting creature, is not he?" MISS JEMIMA.--"Interesting! Not to me. Interesting? Why is he interesting?" Mrs Dale is silent, and turns her handkerchief in her pretty little white hands, appearing to contemplate the R in Caroline.