ill he got too many for him by the Latin an' Greek."

This allusion to old Denis occasioned his absence to be noticed.

"Can nobody tell where Denis More is?" said the wife; "my gracious, but
it's quare he should be from about the place this day, any way. Brian,
mavourneen, did you see him goin' any where?

"No," said Brian, "but I see him comin' down there carryin' some
aitables in a basket."

Brian had scarcely ended when his father entered, bearing beef and
mutton, as aforesaid, both of which he deposited upon the kitchen table,
with a jerk of generosity and pride, that seemed to say, as he looked
significantly at Denny--and, in fact, as he did say afterwards--"Never
spare, Dinny; ate like a gintleman; make yourself as bright an' ginteel
as you can; you won't want for beef an' mutton!"

Old Denis now sat down, and, after wiping the perspiration from his
forehead, took the glass of poteen which the wife handed him: he held it
between his finger and thumb for a moment, glanced around him upon the
happy faces present, then laid it down again, fixed his eyes upon his
son, and cast them once more upon the company. The affectionate father's
heart was full; his breast heaved, and the large tears rolled slowly
down his cheeks. By a strong effort, however, he mastered his emotion;
and taking the glass again, he said in broken voice:--

"Neighbors!--God bless yez!--God bless yez!--Dinny--Dinny--I"--

The last words he pronounced with difficulty; and drinking off his
glass, set it down empty upon the table. He then rose up, and shook his
neighbors by the hand--

"I am," said he, "a happy man, no doubt of it, an' we're all happy; an'
it's proud any father might be to hear the account of his son, that I
did of mine, as I was convoyin' Father Finnerty a piece o' the way home.
'Your son,' says he, when he took that bit of a coult out o' my hand,
'will be an honor to you all. I tell you,' says he, 'that he's nearly as
good a scholar, as myself, an' spakes Latin not far behind my own; an'
as for a pracher,' says he, 'I can tell you that he'll be hard farther
nor any man I know.' He tould me them words wid his own two lips. An'
surely, neighbors," said he, relapsing into strong feeling, "you can't
blame me for bein' both proud and happy of sich a son."

My readers, from the knowledge already given them of Denny's character,
are probably disposed to think that his learning was thrown out on this
occasion in longer words and mo