ther, an' God, I hope,
will look over it! Now, darlins, afore I bless yez, I ax your
forgiveness if ever I was harsher to yez than I ought!"

The children with a simultaneous movement encircled his bed, and could
not reply for some minutes.

"Never, father darlin'! Oh, never did you offind us! Don't speak in that
way, or you'll break our hearts; but forgive us, father asthore! Oh,
forgive an' bless us, an' don't remimber against us, our folly an'
disobedience, for it's only now that we see we warn't towards you as we
ought to be. Forgive us an' pardon us!"

He then made them all kneel around his bed, and with solemn words, and
an impressive manner, placed his hand upon their heads, and blessed them
with a virtuous father's last blessing.

He then called for his wife, and the scene became not only more
touching, but more elevated. There was an exultation in her manner, and
an expression of vivid hope in her eye, arising from the fact of her
husband having received, and been soothed by the rites of her church,
that gave evident proof of the unparalleled attachment borne by persons
of her class to the Catholic religion. The arrival of our hero had been
so unexpected, and the terrors of the tender wife for her husband's soul
so great, that the administration of the sacrament almost superseded
from her heart every other sensation than that of devotional triumph.
Even now, in the midst of her tears, that triumph kindled in her eye
with a light that shone in melancholy beauty upon the bed of death.
In proportion, however, as the parting scene--which was to be their
last--began to work with greater power upon her sorrow, so did this
expression gradually fade away. Grief for his loss resumed its dominion
over her heart so strongly, that their last parting was afflicting even
to look upon.

When it was over, Lanigan once more addressed the priest:--

"Now, sir," he observed, but with great difficulty, "let me have your
blessin' an' your prayers; an' along wid that, your Reverence, if you
remimber a request I once made to you"--

"I remember it well," replied the priest; "you allude to the masses
which you-wished I me to say for you, should I ever receive Orders. Make
your mind easy on that point. I not only shall offer up mass for the
repose of your soul, but I can assure you that I have mentioned you by
name in every mass which I celebrated since my ordination."

He then proceeded to direct the mind of his dying benefac