ss
of manner, and the singular control which a long life of hypocrisy had
given him over his feelings, that it was impossible to draw any correct
distinction between that which he only assumed, and that which he really
felt. This consequently gave him an immense advantage over every one
with whom he came in contact, especially the artless and candid, and
all who were in the habit of expressing what they thought. We shall,
however, take the liberty of introducing him to the reader, and allow
honest Skinadre to speak for himself.

"They're beggars--them three--that woman and her two children; still my
heart bleeds for them, bekase we should love our neighbors as ourselves;
but I have given away as much meal in charity, an' me can so badly
afford it, as would--I can't now, indeed, my poor woman! Sick--troth
they look sick, an' you look sick yourself. Here, Paddy Lenahan, help
that woman an' her two poor children out of that half bushel of meal
you've got; you won't miss a handful for God's sake."

This he said to a poor man who had just purchased some oat-meal from
him; for Skinadre was one of those persons who, however he might have
neglected works of mercy himself, took great delight in encouraging
others to perform them.

"Troth it's not at your desire I do it, Darby," replied the man; "but
bekase she an' they wants it, God help them. Here, poor creature, take
this for the honor of God: an' I'm only sorry, for both our sakes, that
I can't do more."

"Well, Jemmy Duggan," proceeded the miser, addressing a new-comer,
"what's the news wid you? They're hard times, Jemmy; we all know that
an' feel it too, and yet we live, most of us, as if there wasn't a God
ta punish us."

"At all events," replied the man, "we feel what sufferin' is now, God
help us! Between hunger and sickness, the counthry was never in such a
state widin the memory of man, What, in the name o' God, will become of
the poor people, I know not. The Lord pity them an' relieve them!"

"Amen, amen, Jemmy! Well, Jemmy, can I do any thing for you? But Jemmy,
in regard to that, the thruth is, we have brought all these scourges
on us by our sins and our transgressions; thim that sins, Jemmy, must
suffer."

"There's no one denyin' it, Darby; but you're axin' me can you do any
thing for me, an' my answer to that is, you can, if you like."

"Ah! Jemmy, you wor ever an' always a wild, heedless, heerum-skeerum
rake, that never was likely to do much good; littl