With that the squire flew over to Mr. Chromatic, and, with a hearty slap on the shoulder, asked him “How he should like him for a son-in-law?”

Mr. Chromatic, rubbing his shoulder, and highly delighted with the proposal, answered, “Very much indeed”; but, proceeding to ascertain which of his daughters had captivated the squire, the squire was unable to satisfy his curiosity.

“I hope,” said Mr. Chromatic, “it may be Tenorina, for I imagine Graziosa has conceived a penchant for Sir Patrick O’Prism.”

“Tenorina, exactly!” said Squire Headlong; and became so impatient to bring the matter to a conclusion that Mr. Chromatic undertook to communicate with his daughter immediately.  The young lady proved to be as ready as the squire, and the preliminaries were arranged in little more than five minutes.

Mr. Chromatic’s words concerning his daughter Graziosa and Sir Patrick O’Prism were not lost on the squire, who at once determined to have as many companions in the scrape as possible; and who, as soon as he could tear himself from Mrs. Headlong elect, took three flying bounds across the room to the baronet, and said, “So, Sir Patrick, I find you and I are going to be married?”

“Are we?” said Sir Patrick.  “Then sure, won’t I wish you joy, and myself too, for this is the first I have heard of it.”

“Well,” said Squire Headlong, “I have made up my mind to it, and you must not disappoint me.”

“To be sure, I won’t, if I can help it,” said Sir Patrick.  “And pray, now, who is that I am to be turning into Lady O’Prism?”

“Miss Graziosa Chromatic,” said the squire.

“Och violet and vermilion!” said Sir Patrick; “though I never thought of it before, I dare say she will suit me as well as another; but then you must persuade the ould Orpheus to draw out a few notes of rather a more magical description than those he is so fond of scraping on his crazy violin.”

“To be sure, he shall,” said the squire; and immediately returning to Mr. Chromatic, concluded the negotiation for Sir Patrick as expeditiously as he had done for himself.

The squire next addressed himself to Mr. Escot:  “Here are three couples of us going to throw off together, with the Reverend Doctor Gaster for whipper in.  Now I think you cannot do better than to make the fourth with Miss Cephalis.”

“Indeed?” said Mr. Escot.  “Nothing would be more agreeable to both of us than such an arrangement; but the old gentleman since I first knew him has changed like the rest of the world, very lamentably for the worse.”.

“I’ll settle him,” said Squire Headlong; and immediately posted up to Mr. Cranium, informing him that four marriages were about to take place by way of a merry winding up of the Christmas festivities.  “In the first place,” said the squire, “my sister and Mr. Foster; in the second, Miss Graziosa Chromatic and Sir Patrick O’Prism; in the third, Miss Tenorina Chromatic and your humble servant; and in the fourth, to which, by the by, your consent is wanted, your daughter——­”