Amen!--he liked a drop in his time, Phaddhy, as well
as ourselves, eh?"

"Amen, amen--the heavens be his bed!--he-did, poor man! but he had it at
first cost, your Reverence, for he run it all himself in the mountains:
he could afford to take it."

"Yes, Phaddhy, the heavens be his bed, I pray; no Christmas or Easter
ever passed but he was sure to send me the little keg of stuff that
never saw water; but, Phaddhy, there's one thing that concerns me about
him, in regard of his love of drink--I'm afraid it's a throuble to him
where he is at present; and I was sorry to find that, although he died
full of money, he didn't think it worth his while to leave even the
price of a mass to be said for the benefit of his own soul."

"Why, sure you know, Father Philemy, that he wasn't what they call a
dhrinking man: once a quarther, or so, he sartinly did take a jorum;
and except at these times, he was very sober. But God look upon us, yer
Reverence--or upon myself, anyway; for if he's to suffer for his doings
that way, I'm afeard we'll have a troublesome reck'ning of it."

"Hem, a-hem!--Phaddhy," replied the priest, "he has raised you and your
children from poverty, at all events, and you ought to consider that. If
there is anything in your power to contribute to the relief of his
soul, you havs a strong duty upon you to do it; and a number of masses,
offered up devoutly, would--"

"Why, he did, sir, raise both myself and my childre from poverty," said
Phaddhy, not willing to let that point go farther--"that I'll always own
to; and I hope in God that whatever little trouble might be upon him for
the dhrop of dhrink, will be wiped off by this kindness to us."

"He hadn't even a Month's mind!"*

* A Mouth's Mind is the repetition of one or more
masses, at the expiration of a month after death, for
the repose of a departed soul. There are generally more
than the usual number of priests on such occasions:
each of whom receives a sum of money, varying according
to the wealth of the survivors--sometimes five
shillings, and sometimes five guineas.

"And it's not but I spoke to him about both, yer Eeverence."

"And what did he say, Phaddy?"

"'Phaddy,' said he, 'I have been giving Father M'Guirk, one way or
another, between whiskey, oats, and dues, a great deal of money every
year; and now, afther I'm dead,' says he, 'isn't it an ungrateful
thing of him not to offer up one mass for my sowl, exc