who was every whit as
superstitious as his father; "and to atone for my error, I desire you
will sprinkle me all over with it--clothes and all."

The father complied with this, and Denis was setting out, when his
mother exclaimed, "Blessed be them above us, Denis More! Look at the
boy's legs! There's luck! Why one of his stockin's has the wrong side
out, and it's upon the right leg too! Well, this will be a fortunate
day for you, Denis, any way; the same thing never happened myself, but
something good followed it."

This produced a slight conflict between Denis's personal vanity and
superstition; but on this occasion superstition prevailed: he even felt
his spirits considerably elevated by the incident, mounted the mare, and
after jerking himself once or twice in the saddle, to be certain that
all was right, he touched her with the spur, and set out to be examined
by the Bishop, exclaiming as he went, "Let his lordship take care that I
don't make a _ludibrium_ of him."

The family at that moment all came to the door, where they stood looking
after, and admiring him, until he turned a corner of the road, and left
their sight.

Many were the speculations entered into during his absence, as to the
fact, whether or not he would put down the bishop in the course of the
examination; some of them holding that he could do so if he wished; but
others of them denying that it was possible for him, inasmuch as he had
never received holy orders.

The day passed, but not in the usual way, in Denis More O'Shaughnessy's.
The females of the family were busily engaged in preparing for the
dinner, to which Father Finnerty, his curate, and several of their
nearest and wealthiest friends had been invited; and the men in clearing
out the stables and other offices for the horses of the guests. Pride
and satisfaction were visible on every face, and that disposition to
cordiality and to the oblivion of everything unpleasant to the mind,
marked, in a prominent manner, their conduct and conversation. Old
Denis went, and voluntarily spoke to a neighbor, with whom he had not
exchanged a word, except in anger, for some time. He found him at work
in the field, and, advancing with open hand and heart, he begged his
pardon for any offence he might have given him.

"My son," said he, "is goin' to Maynooth; and as he is a boy that we
have a good right to be proud of, and as our friends are comin' to
ate their dinner wid us to-day, and as--as my he