This was sufficient: Mrs. Withers was relieved of all care, and soon wended her way out shopping and making calls, until nearly the dinner hour. Home came Mr. Withers and friend, an Englishman by the name of Molesworth, with keen appetites. The dinner was served; oysters and soup finished, the waiter brought on a large dish covered.
'Ha, what have we here?' asked Withers, the husband.
'Something new, my dear,' answered Withers, the wife. 'I knew they were in season, and I ordered it for a surprise.'
Withers lifted the cover!
There WAS a sheep's head—with horns on.
However a Sheep's Head is like a turbot—for a turbot—according to Albert Smith's account of the Frenchman learning English—is not unlike a tire-botte (or a boot-jack) which has horns. Is'nt that a frantic conciliation of differences, and one which might have done honor to Petrus d'Abano, the Conciliator, himself?
There are many conscientious men whose consciences tear at the first pull—as is shown 'in the subsequent:'
CONSCIENTIOUS.
Dear Continental: Perhaps the following incident will cause a smile to ripple the good-natured features of some of your readers:—In the county of M——, the Draft Commissioner held an extra appeal for the 'conscientious men.' Now, in said county, there dwelt one Barney Mullen, who, not being exempted at the first appeal, on 'non-citizenship' grounds, was in 'great tribulation' in regard to the approaching draft. Some wag persuaded him to attend the second 'hearing,' telling him to swear that he was conscientious, and he would get his exemption papers. So Barney was at hand at the 'appointed time and place,' At last, 'it came to pass' that he got a hearing, and the Commissioner asked him what he had to say for himself.