"Oh----!" said he, and then to their visitor, "What have you to say
about my daughter?"
"The fact is, sir," he stammered, "I'm in love with her."
"I see, you are the delicate subject, and what then?"
"And I want to marry her, sir."
"That's not delicacy, that's disease, young man. Have you spoken to
Julia Elizabeth about this?"
"No, sir, I wanted first to obtain your and Mrs. O'Reilly's permission
to approach her."
"And quite right, too," said the lady warmly. "Isn't it delightful,"
she continued, "to see a young, bashful youth telling of his love for
our dear child? Doesn't it make you think of Moore's beautiful song,
'Love's Young Dream,' O'Reilly?"
"It does not," her husband snapped, "I never heard of the song I tell
you, and I never want to."