sold as he had inventoried them; had his debts been paid; and had he
not spent his money a little faster than it was bona fide made, that Henry
Halfacre, Esq. would have been a very rich man. As he managed,
however, by means of getting portions of the paper he received
discounted, to maintain a fine figure account in the bank, and to pay all
current demands, he began to be known as the RICH Mr. Halfacre.
But one of his children, the fair Eudosia, was out; and as she had some
distance to make in the better society of the town, ere she could pass
for aristocratic, it was wisely determined that a golden bridge should be
thrown across the dividing chasm. A hundred-dollar pocket-
handkerchief, it was hoped, would serve for the key-stone, and then all
the ends of life would be attained. As to a husband, a pretty girl like
Eudosia, and the daughter of a man of "four figure" lots, might get one
any day.

{was out = was a debutante, had been presented to society}

Honor O'Flagherty was both short-legged and short-breathed. She felt
the full importance of her mission; and having an extensive acquaintance
among the other Milesians of the town, and of her class, she stopped no
less than eleven times to communicate the magnitude of Miss Dosie's
purchase. To two particular favorites she actually showed me, under
solemn promise of secrecy; and to four others she promised a peep
some day, after her bossee had fairly worn me. In this manner my
arrival was circulated prematurely in certain coteries, the pretty mouths
and fine voices that spoke of my marvels, being quite unconscious that
they were circulating news that had reached their ears via Honor
O'Flagherty, Biddy Noon, and Kathleen Brady.

{Milesians = slang for Irish (from Milesius, a mythical Spanish