This military person was insignificant in appearance and small of stature, but he was very attentive to both the young ladies.

Then there was Valentine, looking very handsome, between Mrs.Henfrey and Miss Christie Grant, and being rebuked by one and advised by the other as to his carving, for he could not manage the joint before him, and was letting it slip about in the dish and splash the white sauce.
"You must give your mind to it more," said Mrs.Henfrey, "and try to hit the joints." "It's full of bones," exclaimed Valentine in a deeply-injured voice.
"Well, laddie," said Miss Christie, "and if I'm not mistaken, ye'll find when you get more used to carving, that a breast of veal always is full of bones." "Nobody must take any notice of him till he has finished," said Brandon.

"Put up a placard on the table, 'You are requested not to speak to the man at the veal.' Now, Aunt Christie, you should say, 'aweel, aweel,' you often do so when there seems no need to correct me." "Isn't it wonderful," observed Valentine, "that he can keep up his spirits as he does, when only last week he was weighed in the columns of the _Wigfield Advertiser and True Blue_, and expressly informed that he was found wanting." "If you would only let politics alone," observed Mrs.Henfrey, "the _True Blue_ would never interfere with you.

I always did hate politics," she continued, with peaceable and slow deliberation.
"They are talking of some Penny Readings that St.George has been giving," said John Mortimer, for he observed a look of surprise on Laura's face.
"'Our poet,' though, has let him alone lately," remarked Valentine.

"Oh I wish somebody would command Barbara to repeat his last effusion.