y of June, 18--_."

"I think, Misther O'Flaherty, it's a dacent oath as it stands. Plase
God, I'll swear to it some time to-morrow evenin'."

"Dacent! Why I don't wish to become eulogistically addicted; but I'd
back tha same oath, for both grammar and arithmetic, aginst any that
ever was drawn up by a lawyer--ay, by the great Counsellor himself!--but
faith, I'd not face him at a Vow, for all that; he's the greatest man at
a Vow in the three kingdoms."

"I'll tell you what I'm thinkin', Masther--as my hand's in, mightn't I
as well take another wid an ould friend of mine, Owen Smith, of Lisbuy?
He's a dacent ould residenther, an' likes it. It'll make the baker's or
the long dozen."

"Why, it's not a bad thought; but won't thirteen get into your head?"

"No, nor three more to the back o' that. I only begin to get hearty
about seventeen, so that the long dozen, afther all, is best; for--God
he knows, I've a regard for Owen Smith this many a year, an' I wouldn't
wish to lave him out."

"Very well,--I'll add it up to the other part of the oath.

'Octavo--One ditto out of respect for dacent Owen Smith, of
Lisbuy, 1

Now I must make the total amount thirteen, an' all will be right."

"Masther, have you a prayer-book widin?--bekase if you have, I may as
well swear here, and you can witness it."

"Katty, hand over the Spiritual Exercises--a book aquil to the Bible
itself for piety an' devotion."

"Sure they say, Masther, any book that, the name o' God's in, is good
for an oath. Now, wid the help o' goodness, repate the words afore me,
an' I'll sware thim."

O'Flaherty hemmed two or three times, and complied with Peter's wishes,
who followed him in the words until the oath was concluded. He then
kissed the book, and expressed himself much at ease, as well, he said,
upon the account of Ellish's soul, as for the sake of his children.

For some time after this, his oath was the standing jest of the
neighborhood: even to this day, Peter Connell's oath against liquor is a
proverb in that part of the country. Immediately after he had sworn,
no one could ever perceive that he violated it in the slightest degree;
indeed there could be no doubt as to literally fulfilling it. A day
never passed in which he did not punctually pay a visit to those whose
names wore dotted down, with whom he sat, pulled out his flask, and
drank his quantum. In the meantime the poor man was breaking down
rapidly; so much so, that