r them," their gloom and anxiety passed away,
and the thoughtless buoyancy of their natural disposition resumed its
influence over their minds. A good-humored nod, or a sly wink, from
a young man to his female acquaintance, would now be indulged in; or,
perhaps a small joke would escape, which seldom failed to produce a
subdued laugh from such as had confessed, or an impatient rebuke from
those who had not.

"Tim!" one would exclaim, "arn't ye ashamed or afeared to get an that
way, and his Reverence undher the wan roof wid ye?"

"Tim, you had better dhrop your joking," a second would observe, "and
not be putting us through other, (* confusing us) when we have our
offenses to remimber; you have got your job over, and now you have
nothing to trouble you."

"Indeed, it's fine behavior," a third would say, "and you afther coming
from the priest's knee; and what more, didn't resave (* Communicate)
yet; but wait till Father Con appears, and, I'll warrant, you'll be as
grave as another, for all you're so stout now."

The conversation would then pass to the merits of Father Philemy and
Father Con, as Confessors.

"Well," one would observe--"for my part, I'd rather go to Father
Philemy, fifty times over, than wanst to Father Con, bekase he never
axes questions; but whatever you like to tell him, he hears it, and
forgives you at wanst."

"And so sign's an it," observed another; "he could confess more in a day
that Father Con could in a week."

"But for all that," observed Andy Lalor, "it's still best to go to the
man that puts the questions, you persave, and that won't let the turning
of a straw escape him. Whin myself goes to Father Philemy, somehow or
other, I totally disremember more nor wan half of what I intinded to
tell him, but Father Con misses nothing, for he axes it."

When the last observation was finished, Father Con, finding that the
usual hour for breakfast had arrived, came into the kitchen, to prepare
for the celebration of mass. For this purpose, a table was cleared, and
just in the nick of time arrived old Moll Brian, the vestment woman, or
itinerant sacristan, whose usual occupation was to carry the priests'
robes and other apparatus, from station to station. In a short time,
Father Con was surpliced and robed; Andy Lalor, whose face was charged
with commensurate importance during the ceremony, sarved Mass, and
answered the priest stoutly in Latin although he had not the advantage
of understanding tha