PLEASE excuse him." "Bless you, I don't mind him," said Peg, from whom the unexpected seemed to be the thing to expect.

"I like a lad of spurrit.

And so your father run away, did he, Peter?
He used to be a beau of mine--he seen me home three times from singing school when we was young.

Some folks said he did it for a dare.

There's such a lot of jealousy in the world, ain't there?
Do you know where he is now ?" "No," said Peter.
"Well, he's coming home before long," said Peg mysteriously.
"Who told you that ?" cried Peter in amazement.
"Better not ask," responded Peg, looking up at the skull.
If she meant to make the flesh creep on our bones she succeeded.