_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