With an abstracted gesture, and an air that betokened continued meditation, the good dame took the inspiring cordial from the hand of her youthful cupbearer,-- "And ere a man had power to say 'Behold!' The jaws of Lobkins had devoured it up: So quick bright things come to confusion!" The nectarean beverage seemed to operate cheerily on the matron's system; and placing her hand on the boy's curly head, she said (like Andromache, dakruon gelasasa, or, as Scott hath it, "With a smile on her cheek, but a tear in her eye"),-- "Paul, thy heart be good, thy heart be good; thou didst not spill a drop of the tape! Tell me, my honey, why didst thou lick Tom Tobyson ?" "Because," answered Paul, "he said as how you ought to have been hanged long ago." "Tom Tobyson is a good-for-nought," returned the dame, "and deserves to shove the tumbler [Be whipped at the cart's tail]; I but oh, my child, be not too venturesome in taking up the sticks for a blowen,--it has been the ruin of many a man afore you; and when two men goes to quarrel for a 'oman, they doesn't know the natur' of the thing they quarrels about.

Mind thy latter end, Paul, and reverence the old, without axing what they has been before they passed into the wale of years.

Thou mayst get me my pipe, Paul,--it is upstairs, under the pillow." While Paul was accomplishing this errand, the lady of the Mug, fixing her eyes upon Mr.Dunnaker, said, "Dummie, Dummie, if little Paul should come to be scragged!" "Whish!" muttered Dummie, glancing over his shoulder at MacGrawler; "mayhap that gemman--" Here his voice became scarcely audible even to Mrs.Lobkins; but his whisper seemed to imply an insinuation that the illustrious editor of "The Asinaeum" might be either an informer, or one of those heroes on whom an informer subsists.
Mrs.Lobkins's answer, couched in the same key, appeared to satisfy Dunnaker, for with a look of great contempt he chucked up his head and said, "Oho! that be all, be it!" Paul here reappeared with the pipe; and the dame, having filled the tube, leaned forward, and lighted the Virginian weed from the blower of Mr.Dunnaker.As in this interesting occupation the heads of the hostess and the guest approached each other, the glowing light playing cheerily on the countenance of each, there was an honest simplicity in the picture that would have merited the racy and vigorous genius of a Cruikshank.

As soon as the Promethean spark had been fully communicated to the lady's tube, Mrs.Lobkins, still possessed by the gloomy idea she had conjured up, repeated,-- "Ah, Dummie, if little Paul should be scragged!" Dummie, withdrawing the pipe from his mouth, heaved a sympathizing puff, but remained silent; and Mrs.Lobkins, turning to Paul, who stood with mouth open and ears erect at this boding ejaculation, said,-- "Dost think, Paul, they'd have the heart to hang thee ?" "I think they'd have the rope, dame!" returned the youth.
"But you need not go for to run your neck into the noose!" said the matron; and then, inspired by the spirit of moralizing, she turned round to the youth, and gazing upon his attentive countenance, accosted him with the following admonitions:-- "Mind thy kittychism, child, and reverence old age.

Never steal, 'specially when any one be in the way.