nt. “" THE SILVER FAIRIES. 147

 

think of you amongst all them wise people in the
Parliament House! Td never have thought of it
myself, but Mr. Muggins—/e knows—and why and
wherefore not I should like to know? Oh, he do
know a lot, Mr. Muggins! Just hear him!’ And
Martha clasped her hands and raised them before her
in a supplicating attitude as if appealing to the world
at large to bear testimony to the knowledge and
sagacity of the immortal Muggins.

Dolly, solely ejaculating the words ‘Oh la!’ sat
still and wondered greatly, whilst, at the conclusion
of Martha’s address, Simon opened his mouth and
spoke, scratching his head at the same time as if
thereby to give greater force to his words.

‘I bean’t rightly sure, he began, ‘whether I be
standing on my head or my heels;’ a remark which,
taken by itself, showed but small appreciation of his
own position, seeing that he was comfortably seated
in an arm-chair by his fireside, and not standing at
all. ‘It seems all curious like, he continued,
scratching his head with greater vigour, ‘and I can’t
make it out nohows. How be I to get made Parlia-
ment man, neighbour?’ and here Simon stopped
scratching and again stared at Joe Muggins with the
air of a man who had propounded a question difficult
of answer.

But Muggins was equal to the occasion. Without
altering his position or indulging in explanations of
unnecessary length, he simply remarked : ‘ Beer: jaw:
them notes ;’ by which it is to be feared that the astute
publican intended to convey the intimation that by
the bestowal upon the enlightened electors of malt-

L2