and impeded its
development. For a few moments she watched the movements of the orphans
as they smote their breasts at the "Confiteor," or bowed their heads at
the "Sanctus," accompanying the priests who, they knew, in thousands of
churches, were engaged in offering sacrifice to God; and reading the
"Prayers at Mass" out of the Key of Heaven manual of devotion.

Instead of admiring this sincerity of devotion, or giving thanks to God
for the grace of fidelity and piety that his mercy had vouchsafed to
these children of grace, Amanda, as if she could not endure the sight of
such happiness, or mortified at the miscarriage of her vain attempts to
rob these innocent hearts of the treasure of true faith and piety which
they possessed, still pale with rage in consequence of her ruminations
about her own misfortune, the ill-tempered old maid there and then
resolved to try another and a severer plan to effect her purpose of
proselytism.

"Confound yer impudence, ye little Popish paupers!" she said to herself.
"I shall soon make ye give up these superstitious practices. Paul, Paul,
dear," she said, tapping at the window, "come in out of that, come in
Bridget, ye little fools; the sun will spoil yer features, cover ye with
tan."

"Yes, miss, in a few minutes; we are just finishing," said Paul.

Ever since Paul came to this house, in obedience to the advice of his
mother, as well as in accordance with the prescriptions of the excellent
religious education he received at home in the diocesan seminary, he
always read the "Prayers at Mass," accompanied by his sister Bridget,
first; and after having read them with her at home, he went across the
brook to Reuben Prying's, where his brothers lived, and taking them into
the fields, or to the barn if the weather did not answer, he read for
them the same devotions, causing them to answer "Amen" after the end of
each prayer, and reading to them a chapter of the catechism for
committal to memory. And to do justice to Reuben, whose wife was a
southern lady, there was no obstacle thrown in the way of the children
to prevent them from discharging their duties to their religion. On the
contrary, the fidelity of Paul, and his watchfulness over the faith and
morals of his younger brothers Patrick and Eugene, commanded the
highest approbation of Mrs. Reuben Prying. And such was her horror of
any thing like the domestic tyranny or intolerance of Amanda, that Mrs.
Reuben always allowed the two yo