unding him as to the practicability of effecting a certain
design, which was then snugly latent in his Reverence's fancy. The fact
was, that on taking the survey of the premises aforesaid, he discovered
that, although there was abundance of fowl, and fish, and bacon, and
hung-beef--yet, by some unaccountable and disastrous omission, there was
neither fresh mutton nor fresh beef. The priest, it must be confessed,
was a man of considerable fortitude, but this was a blow for which he
was scarcely prepared, particularly as a boiled leg of mutton was one of
his fifteen favorite joints at dinner. He accordingly took two or three
pinches of snuff in rapid succession, and a seat at the fire, as I have
said, placing Phaddhy, unconscious of his design, immediately beside
him.

Now, the reader knows that Phaddhy was a man possessing a considerable
portion of dry, sarcastic humor, along with that natural, quickness of
penetration and shrewdness for which most of the Irish peasantry are in
a very peculiar degree remarkable; add to this that Father Philemy, in
consequence of his contemptuous bearing to him before he came in for his
brother's property, stood not very high in his estimation. The priest
knew this, and consequently felt that the point in question would
require to be managed, on his part, with suitable address.

"Phaddhy," says his Reverence, "sit down here till we chat a little,
before I commence the duties of the day. I'm happy to, see that you have
such a fine thriving family: how many sons and daughters have you?"

"Six sons, yer Reverence," replied. Phaddhy, "and five daughters:
indeed, sir, they're as well to be seen as their neighbors, considhering
all things. Poor crathurs, they get fair play* now, thank Grod, compared
to what they used to get--God rest their poor uncle's sowl for that!
Only for him, your Reverence, there would be very few inquiring this or
any other day about them."

* By this is meant good food and clothing.

"Did he die as rich as they said, Phaddhy?" inquired his Reverence.

"Hut, sir," replied Phaddhy, determined to take what he afterwards
called a rise out of the priest; "they knew little about it--as rich as
they said, sir! no, but three times as rich, itself: but, any how, he
was the man that could make the money."

"I'm very happy to hear it, Phaddhy, on, your account, and that of your
children. God be good to him--_requiescat animus ejus in pace, per omnia
secula seculorum_,