hum, ahagur--ta sha er Purgathor, ta
barlhum_."--"Och, I dunna that, jewel; I believe he's on Purgatory."

"_Och, och, oh--och, och, oh--oh, i, oh, i, oh!_"

And on understanding that Purgatory is the subject, they commence their
grief with a rocking motion, wringing their hands, and unconsciously
passing their beads through their fingers, whilst their bodies are bent
forward towards the earth.

On the contrary, when the priest gets jocular--which I should have
premised, he never does in what is announced as a solemn sermon--you
might observe several faces charged with mirth and laughter, turned,
even while beaming with this expression, to those who kneel beside them,
inquiring:

"Arrah, Barny, what is it--ha, ha, ha!--what is it he's sayin'? The Lord
spare him among us, anyhow, the darlin' of a man! Eh, Barny, you that's
in the inside the English?" This, of course is spoken in Irish.

Barny, however, is generally too much absorbed in the fun to become
interpreter just then; but as soon as the joke is nearly heard out, in
compliance with the importunity of his neighbors, he gives them a brief
hint or two, and instantly the full chorus is rung out, long, loud, and
jocular.

On the Sunday in question, as the subject could not be called strictly
religious, the priest, who knew that a joke or two would bring in many
an additional crown to Jemmy's _caubeen_,* was determined that they,
should at least have a laugh for their money. The man, besides, was
benevolent, and knew the way to the Irish heart; a knowledge which he
felt happy in turning to the benefit of the lad in question.

* Such collections were generally made in hats--the
usual name for an Irish peasant's hat being--_caubeen_.

With this object in view, he addressed the people somewhat in the
following language: "'_Blessed is he that giveth his money to him that
standeth in need of it._'"

"These words, my brethren, are taken from St. Paul, who, among
ourselves, knew the value of a friend in distress as well as any other
apostle in the three kingdoms--hem. It's a nate text, my friends,
anyhow. He manes, however, when we have it to give, my own true,
well-tried, ould friends!--when we have it to give. It's absence althers
the case, in toto; because you have all heard the proverb--'there is no
takin' money out of an empty purse:' or, as an ould ancient author said
long ago upon the same subject:

'Cantabit whaekuus coram lathrone whiathur!'

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