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Miss Deemas was one of those unfortunates with whom it is impossible for any one to sleep. Besides being angular and hard, she had a habit of kicking in her slumbers, and, being powerful, was a dangerous bedfellow. She knew this herself, and therefore wisely preferred, when visiting her friends, to sleep alone.
That gentleman was still in the act of shaking his sister's hands with both of his, and kissing her on both cheeks heartily, when Matty announced Miss Deemas. Matty, being Irish, allowed her soul to gush out too obviously in her tones; so that her feelings towards the Eagle, though unexpressed, were discernible.
"Boy," said Miss Deemas severely, "your looks belie you." "Yes, ma'am," answered Willie, "my mother always said I wasn't half so bad as I looked; and she's aware that I'm absent from home." At this point Willie allowed a gleam of intelligence to shoot across his face, and he winked to Emma, who thereupon went into private convulsions in her handkerchief.
"You're so particular, dear Julia," replied Miss Tippet with a little sigh; "a what's-'is-n-, a protege, you know." "Indeed," said Miss Deemas, regarding Willie with a severe frown, as if in her estimation all proteges were necessarily villains. "Yes, dear Julia, and, would you believe it, that this boy's brother-in-law " "Brother, ma'am," interrupted Willie.
"Yes; but then," said Miss Tippet, "he first went up the the thingumy, you know." "No, he didn't," retorted Miss Deemas smartly; "he was in the house at the time, and only came down the `thingumy, as you call it!"
Having said thus much in behalf of the Deemas eagles, we now dismiss them, with an apology to the reader. The clocks were striking nine when Frank issued from Miss Tippet's dwelling and walked briskly away.
Among the sound sleepers in that region was Miss Deemas. The fair head of that lady reposed on its soft pillow all unconscious of the fact that she was even then being gently smoked before being roasted alive.
"Perhaps you'll be in the middle of a fire this very night," cried Tom Tippet, following him to the door. "It is quite possible," said Frank, with a smile. Miss Deemas was heard to snort contemptuously at this. "Perhaps you may even save more lives!" cried Miss Tippet.
No doubt this was only a palliation of the life they led, but she thought that if anyone was to be severely blamed in the matter it was the people who went to witness and encourage such wicked displays. Miss Deemas dissented generally from all her friend's observations, and, wishing to change the subject, asked Loo if her father was coming to fetch her home.
My only difficulty in regard to it is, madam," he addressed himself to Miss Deemas here, "that it is apt to burst, and I am uncertain whether or not to add a safety-valve to prevent such a catastrophe, or to make the metal so very strong, that nothing short of gunpowder would burst it; but then, you see, that would make the whole affair too heavy.
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