s he is. I don't know a boy livin' I'd go farther for nor
the same Micaul.--He's a credit to the family as much as the other's a
stain upon them."

"Well, any how, you war Frank's match, an' more, last night. How bitther
he was bint on bringin' Peggy aff', when he an' his set waited till they
seen the country clear, an' thought the family asleep? Had you man for
man, Mike?"

"Ay, about that; an' we sat so snug in Peggy's that you'd hear a pin
fallin'. A hard tug, too, there was in the beginnin'; but whin they
found that we had a strong back, they made away, an' we gave them
purshute from about the house."

"You may thank me, any how, for havin' her to the good; but I knew by my
dhrame, wid the help o' God, that there was somethin' to happen; by the
same a token, that your mother's an' her high horse about that dhrame.
I'm to tell it to her, wid the sinse of it, in the evenin', when the
day's past, an' all of us in comfort."

"What was it, Darby? sure you may let me hear it."

"Maybe I will in the evenin'. It was about you an' Peggy, the darlin'.
But how will you manage in regard of brakin' the oath, an' sthrikin' a
brother?"

"Why, that I couldn't get over it, when he sthruck me first: sure he's
worse off. I'll lave it to the Dilegates, an' whatever judgment they
give out, I'll take wid it."

"Well," observed Darby, sarcastically, "it made him do one good turn,
any way."

"What was that, Darby? for good turns are but scarce wid him."

"Why, it made him hear mass to-day," replied the mendicant; "an' that's
what he hadn't the grace to do this many a year. It's away in the
mountains wid his gun he'd be, thracin', an' a fine day it is for
it--only this business prevints him. Now, Mike," observed. Darby, "as
we're comin' out upon the boreen, I'll fall back, an' do you go an;
I have part of my padareem to say, before I get to the chapel, wid a
blessin'; an' we had as good not be seen together."

The mendicant, as he spoke, pulled out a long pair of beads, on which
he commenced his prayers, occasionally accosting an aquaintance with the
_Gho mhany Deah ghud_, (* God save you) and sometimes taking a part in
the conversation for a minute or two, after which he resumed the prayers
as before.

The day was now brightening up, although the earlier part of the morning
had threatened severe weather. Multitudes were flocking to the chapel;
the men well secured in frieze great-coats, in addition to which, many
of them had