ilarity beamed from their faces. In
a short time they all separated themselves among their neighbors to
communicate the agreeable tidings; and the latter, with an honest
participation in their happiness, instantly laid aside their avocations,
and flocked to Denis O'Shaughnessy's, that they might congratulate him
and his friends upon what was considered the completion of their hopes.
When the day was more advanced, several of Denny's brothers and sisters
returned, and the house was nearly filled with their acquaintances and
relations. Ere one o'clock had passed they wore all assembled, except
old Denis, of whom, no person could give any intelligence. Talk, loud
laughter, pure poteen, and good-humor, all circulated freely? the
friendly neighbor unshaved, and with his Sunday coat thrown hastily over
his work-day apparel, drank to Denny's health, and wished that he might
"bate all Maynewth out of the face; an' sure there's no doubt of
that, any how--doesn't myself remimber him puttin' the explanations to
Pasthorini before he was the bulk o' my fist?" His brothers and sisters
now adopted with enthusiasm the terms of respect which he had prescribed
for them through his father; he was Sirred and Misthered, and all but
Reverenced, with a glow of affectionate triumph which they strove not
to conceal. He was also overwhelmed with compliments of all hues
and complexions: one reminded him of the victory he obtained over a
hedge-schoolmaster who came one Sunday a distance of fifteen miles to
sack him in English Grammar on the chapel-green; but as the man was no
classical scholar, "Sure," observed his neighbor, "I remember well that
he couldn't get a word out of Misther Denis's head there but Latin; so
that the poor crathur, afther travellin' fifteen long miles, had to go
home agin, the show o' the world, widout undherstandin' a sintence
of the larnin' that was put an him; an' so here's wishin' you health,
Misther Dinis, agra, an' no fear in life but you'll be the jewel at the
prachin,' sir, plase Goodness!"

Another reminded him of "how often he proved Phaidrick Murray to be an
ass, and showed him how he couldn't make out the differ atween black an'
white."

"Sure, an' he did," said Phadrick, scratching his head, for he was
one of the first at the house; "an' no wondher, wid his long-headed
screwtations from the books. Throth, his own father was the best match,
barrin' Father Lawdher that was broke of his bread, he ever met wid,
t