long with it the redoubtable
Parra More Slevin, Captain Wilson, and another nephew of Father
Philemy's, who had come to know what detained his brother who had
conducted the auxiliary priest to Phaddhy's. It is surprising on these
occasions, to think how many uncles, nephews, and cousins, to the
forty-Second degree, find it needful to follow their Reverences on
messages of various kinds; and it is equally surprising to observe with
what exactness they drop in during the hour of dinner. Of course,
any blood-relation or friend of the priests must be received with
cordiality; and consequently they do not return without solid proofs
of the good-natured hospitality of poor Paddy, who feels no greater
pleasure than in showing his "dacency" to any one belonging to his
Reverence.

I dare say it would be difficult to find a more motley and diversified
company than sat down to the ungarnished fare which Katty laid before
them. There were first Fathers Philemy, Con, and the Auxiliary from the
far part of the diocese; next followed Captain Wilson, Peter Malone, and
Father Philemy's two nephews; after these came Phaddhy himself, Parrah
More Slevin, with about two dozen more of the most remarkable and
uncouth personages that could sit down to table. There were besides
about a dozen of females, most of whom by this time, owing to Katty's
private kindness, were in a placid state of feeling. Father Philemy _ex
officio_, filled the chair--he was a small man with cherub cheeks as red
as roses, black twinkling eyes, and double chin; was of the fat-headed
genus, and, if phrenologists be correct, must have given indications
of early piety, for he was bald before his time, and had the organ of
veneration standing visible on his crown; his hair from having once been
black, had become an iron gray, and hung down behind his ears, resting
on the collar of his coat according to the old school, to which, I must
remark, he belonged, having been educated on the Continent. His coat
had large double breasts, the lappels of which hung down loosely on each
side, being the prototype of his waistcoat, whose double breasts fell
downwards in the same manner--his black small-clothes had silver buckles
at the knees, and the gaiters, which did not reach up so far, discovered
a pair of white lamb's-wool stockings, somewhat retreating from their
original color.

Father Con was a tall, muscular, able-bodied young man, with an
immensely broad pair of shoulders, of