Mr. Snuggs replied afar off--somewhat approaching to the obscure; but not so the fair troubler of his peace and his chambers. She gave his worship to understand, in good round terms, that she was the veritable _mamma_ of sundry _little Snuggses_; and that Mr. Snuggs was neither more nor less than a gay deceiver. She denied that she had ever "kicked up a row" in his chambers--she had merely told him of his faults and his failings; and she hoped his worship would not think of separating her from her children.
The magistrate immediately dismissed the charge; the damsel smiled triumphantly; and Mr. Snuggs, like a tall elderly gentleman as he was, stalked out of the office, sighing--as who should say, "The Gods are just, and of our pleasant vices make instruments to scourge us!"
This was a proceeding wherein one Mrs. Florence O'Shaughnessy sought "_purtection behint_ the law _agen_ the thumpings of her _oun_ lawful husband," Mr. Phelim O'Shaughnessy, of the parish of St. Giles, labourer.
Phelim O'Shaughnessy was a clean-made, curly-pated, good-tempered little fellow, in a new flannel jacket, white apron, and duck trousers. His wife, Florence, was about his own size, no whit behind him in cleanliness, very pretty, and she had a voice--plaintive as a turtledove's.
"--An' plase your honour," said she, "this is Phelim O'Shaughnessy, the husband to myself, that was when he married me; and is--barring the _bating_ he gave me yesterday, just for nothing at all, your honour, that I knows of--_ounly_ that he listens to bad folks, the neighbours of us; and bad folks they are sure enough, your honour, for that same; and your honour'll be plased just to do me the kindness to make them _hould_ their _pace_ and not be after taking away the senses of my _oun_ husband from me, to make him look upon me like a stranger, your honour--for what would I be then?"
Poor Florence would have gone on murmuring forth her little griefs in this manner by the hour together, if his worship would have listened to her. But the office was crowded with business, and he reminded her that the warrant she had sued for, charged her husband with having beat her; and she must confine herself to making good that charge, if she wished to have him punished for so doing.