s legs as if he had
been shot. He limped off the ground, and we were troubled with him no
more. I hit as I never did before, or shall again. At first I played
wild, but as I got cool, and my sight became steady, I felt quite at
home. The bowlers got tired, and Dick Phillips, who had no science, but
the strength of a unicorn, was in with me half-an-hour, slashing in all
directions. In short, the tide turned, and the match ended in our
favour.

I was quite sober, and free from all excitement, when I joined Clara,
for the last time, after the game was over. "I am so glad you played so
well," said she; "if you are but as successful at Oxford as you have
been at the boat-race and the cricket, you will have no reason to be
disappointed: your career here has been one course of victory." "Not
altogether, Miss Phillips: the prize I shall leave behind me when I
quit Glyndewi to-morrow, is worth more than all that I can gain." "Mr
Hawthorne," said she kindly, "one victory is in your own power, and you
will soon gain it, and be happy--the victory over yourself."

I made some excuse to Hanmer about letters from home, to account for my
sudden departure. How the party got on after I left them, and what was
the final result of our "reading," is no part of my tale; but I fear the
reader will search the class-lists of 18-- in vain for the names of Mr
Hanmer's pupils.

FATHER TOM AND THE POPE;
OR, A NIGHT AT THE VATICAN.

_As related by Mr Michael Heffernan, Master of the National
School at Tallymactaggart, in the County of Leitrim, to a
friend, during his official visit to Dublin, for the purpose of
studying Political Economy, in the Spring of 1838._

[_MAGA._ MAY 1838.]

CHAPTER I.

HOW FATHER TOM WENT TO TAKE POT-LUCK AT THE VATICAN.

When his Riv'rence was in Room, ov coorse the Pope axed him to take
pot-look wid him. More be token, it was on a Friday; but, for all that,
there was plenty of mate; for the Pope gev himself an absolution from
the fast on account ov the great company that was in it--at laste so I'm
tould. Howandiver, there's no fast on the dhrink, anyhow--glory be to
God!--and so, as they wor sitting, afther dinner, taking their sup
together, says the Pope, says he, "Thomaus"--for the Pope, you know,
spakes that away, all as one as one ov uz--"Thomaus _a lanna_," says he,
"I'm tould you welt them English heretics out ov the face."

"You may say that," says his Riv'rence to him aga