owered by this
circumstance that, after two or three ineffectual attempts to soothe
him, he was himself fairly overcome, and yielded for the moment to
bitter tears, whilst the whole family broke out into one general
outburst, of sorrow, accompanied in many cases by the spectators, who
were not proof against the influence of so natural and touching an
incident.

Their neighbors and friends, in the meantime, were pouring in fast
from all directions. Jemmy Burke and his wife--the latter ridiculously
over-dressed--drove there upon their jaunting-car, which was considered
a great compliment, followed soon afterwards by Hycy and Harry Clinton
on horse-back. Gerald Cavanagh and his family also came, with the
exception of Kathleen and Hanna, who were, however, every moment
expected. The schoolmaster having finished the _De Profundis_, was,
as is usual, treated to glass of whiskey--a circumstance which just
advanced him to such a degree of fluency and easy assurance as was
necessary properly to develop the peculiarities of his character. Having
witnessed Bryan's failure at consolation, attended as it was by the
clamorous grief of the family, he deemed it his duty, especially as
he had just taken some part in the devotions, to undertake the task in
which Bryan had been so unsuccessful.

"Thomas M'Mahon," said he, "I'm disposed to blush--do you hear me, I
say? I am disposed to blush, I repate, for your want of--he doesn't hear
me:--will you pay attention? I am really disposed to blush"--and as he
uttered the words he stirred M'Mahon by shaking his shoulders two or
three times, in order to gain his attention.

"Are you?" replied the other, replying in an absent manner to his words.
"God help you then, and assist you, for it's few can do it."

"Can do what?"

"Och, I don't know; whatever you wor sayin'."

"Patience, my good friend, Thomas M'Mahon. I would call you Tom
familiarly, but that you are in affliction, and it is well known that
every one in affliction is, or at least ought to be, treated with
respect and much sympathetical consolation. You are now in deep sorrow;
but don't you knows that death is the end of all things? and believe me
there are many objects in this world which a wise and experienced man
would lose wid much greater regret than he would a mere wife. Think, for
instance, how many men there are--dreary and subdued creatures--who
dare not call their souls, if they have any, or anything else they do
posses