"But you have given me nothing else, my lord," was the answer.
"My dear sir, of late we have not had any proof of sufficient weight in our gift to convince you."
"Oh, I beg your pardon, my lord; there's a majority of the ---- dragoons vacant."
"Very true, my dear sir; and if you _had_ a child to devote to the service of your country, no one should have the majority sooner."
"Thank you, my lord," said the worthy man with a low bow; "then I _have_ a child."
"Bless me, sir! I never heard you had a son."
"A daughter!" said my Lord Secretary, with a look of surprise; "but you forget, sir--this is a regiment--a _dragoon_ regiment."
"Oh, she rides elegant," said her father.
"Why shouldn't a woman do her duty, my lord, as well as a man, when the country is in danger? I'm ready to sacrifice my daughter," said the heroic man, with an air worthy of Virginius.
"My dear sir, this is really impossible; you _know_ it's impossible."
"I know no such thing, my lord. But I'll tell you what I know: there's a bill coming on next week--and there are _ten friends of mine_ who have not made up their minds yet."
"My dear sir," said the Lord Secretary, squeezing his hand with vehement friendship, "why place us in this dreadful difficulty? It would be impossible even to draw up the commission;--fancy, 'Major _Maria_,' or 'Major _Margery_'!"
"Oh, my lord," said my father quickly, "I have fancied all that long ago, and got a cure ready for it. My wife not having been blessed with boys, we thought it wise to make the girls ready for any chance that might turn up, and so we christened the eldest George, the second Jack, and the third Tom; which enables us to call them Georgina, Jacqueline, and Thomasine, in company, while the secret of their real names rests between ourselves and the parish register. Now, my lord, what do you say? I have George, Jack, and Tom--think of your _bill_!" The argument was conclusive, and the patriotic man got the majority of a cavalry corps, with perpetual leave of absence, for his daughter Jack, who would much rather have joined the regiment.
Such were the days in which our Furlong flourished; and in such days it will not be wondered at that a Secretary, when he had no place to give away, invented one. The old saying has it, that "Necessity is the mother of invention;" but an Irish Secretary can beat necessity hollow. For example--