it was found indispensable. In two
things only did Father John show his extravagance; in the first, too,
his expenditure was only so to be called, in comparison with that of
others round him, of the same profession. It was this--he was always
dressed like a gentleman; Father John's black coat was always black,
never rusty brown; his waistcoat, his trowsers, his garters, even
shoes, the same; and not only did his clothes always look new, but
they were always well made, as far as his figure would allow; his
hat was neat, and his linen clean; his hands, too, were always clean,
and, when he was from home, always gloved; even his steady cob, whom
he called Paul (it was rumoured that he had called him St. Paul,
but the bishop objected), together with his saddle and bridle, was
always neat; this particular was nearly all that the polish of French
society had left him, and those who are accustomed to see Irish
priests will know that this peculiarity would be striking. His other
expensive taste was that of books; he could not resist the temptation
to buy books, books of every sort, from voluminous editions of
St. Chrysostom to Nicholas Nicklebys and Charles O'Malleys; and
consequently he had a great many. But alas! he had no book-shelves,
not one; some few volumes, those of every day use, were piled on
the top of one another in his little sitting-room; the others were
closely packed in great boxes in different parts of the cottage--his
bed-room, his little offertory, his parlour, and many in a little
drawing-room, as he called it, but in which was neither chair nor
table, nor ever appeared the sign of fire! No wonder the poor man
complained the damp got to his books.

In all other respects Father John was a fair specimen of the Irish
priesthood. He must have been an eloquent man, for he had been sent
on different foreign missions to obtain money for building chapels
by preaching sermons. But his appearance was anything but dignified;
he was very short, and very fat, and had little or no appearance of
neck; his face, however was intelligent; he had bright, small black
eyes, a fine, high forehead, very white teeth, and short thick,
curling, dark hair.

As I am on the subject of the church, I might as well say now that
his curate, Father Cullen, was unlike him in everything but his zeal
for the church. He was educated at Maynooth, was the son of a little
farmer in the neighbourhood, was perfectly illiterate,--but chiefly
showed