with which they were covered argued an amazing hardihood of
constitution and tremendous physical energy.

"Sure, Masther, I'm comin' to school to you!" were the first words he
uttered.

Now there ran beneath the master's solemnity of manner a broad but
shallow under-current of humor, which agreed but poorly with his pompous
display of learning. On this occasion his struggle to retain the grave
and overcome the ludicrous was unavailing. The startling fact thus
uncouthly announced by so grotesque a candidate for classical knowledge
occasioned him to receive the intelligence with more mirth than was
consistent with good breeding. His pupils, too, who were hitherto afraid
to laugh aloud, on observing his countenance dilate into an expression
of laughter which he could not conceal, made the roof of the house ring
with their mirth.

"Silence, gintlemen," said he; "_legite, perlegite, et relegite_--study,
gintlemen, study--pluck the tree of knowledge, I say, while the fruit is
in season. Denny O'Shaughnessy, what are you facetious for? _Quid rides,
Dionysi_ And so, Pether--is Pettier your pronomen--quo nomine gowdes?
Silence, boys!--perhaps he was at Latin before, and we'll try him--_quo
nomine gowdes, Pethre?_"

A stare of awkward perplexity was the only reply he could get from the
colossus he addressed.

"And so you're fished up from the Streights (* Alluding to the Colossus
of Rhodes) at last, Pether?"

"Sir, my name's not Pether. My father's name is Paddy Doorish, but my
own is Franky. I was born in Lisnagh; but we lived double as long as I
can mind in the Mountain Bar."

"And, Franky, what put Latin into your head?"

"There was no Latin put into my head; I'm comin' to you for that."

"And, you graceful sprig of juvenility, have you the conscience to think
that I'd undhertake to fill what you carry on your showlders on the
same terms that I'd take for replenishing the head of a rasonable youth?
Would you be so unjust in all the principles of correct erudition as to
expect that, my worthy Man-mountain?"

"I don't expect it," said Frank; "all that's in your head wouldn't fill
the corner of mine, if you go accordin' to size; but I'll pay you for
tachin' me as much as you know yourself, an' the more I larn the less
pains you'll have wid me."

Franky, however, made an amazing progress--so very rapid, indeed, that
in about three years from that day he found himself in Maynooth, and
in three years more was an activ