F. My child, I could never come between friends who would gladly see each other after so long an absence!
D. I was only trying to realize your idea of "light from opposite quarters."
F. The most of 'em must be far too rusty to reflect light.
D. Oh, I dare say their reflections are heavy enough.
F. And so will mine be, soon, if you go on in that style.
D. Well, pa, I do drivel—that's a fact! Let us turn to something of more importance.
F. Suppose we now attend the Celestial Bull Fight always going on over there in the sky. On one side you perceive that gamey matador, ORION (not the "Gold Beater,") with his club and his lion's skin, a la Hercules. You observe how "unreservedly and unconditionally" he pitches into the Bull, and how superb is the attitude and ardor of his opponent. It is a splendid set-to, full of alarming possibilities. Every moment you expect to see those enormous horns engaged with the bowels of ORION, or, in default of this, to behold that truculent Club come down, Whack! on that curly pate!
D. And yet, they don't!
F. True enough,—they don't. It reminds me of one JOHN BULL, and his familiar vis-a-vis, O'RYAN the Fenian. As the celestial parties have maintained their portentous attitudes for ages, and nothing has come of it, so we may look placidly for a similar suspension in the earthly copy.
D. But their very attitudes are startling! Wasn't ORION something of a boaster?