ife, said the starving girl,
and much as I love my father and mother, for whose relief I would endure
any earthly toil, I will suffer them as well as myself to die, rather
than get them relief at the price of my virtue. A Roscommon man thus
writes in the query sheet sent to him: "Years after the Famine, and when
in another part of the country, I was obliged, on my way to my house, to
pass the house of a poor blacksmith; and often at night, as I passed, I
heard him and his family reciting the Rosary. I told him one day how
much edified I was at this. The poor fellow replied with great
earnestness: 'Sir, as long as I have life in me I'll say the Rosary, and
I'll tell you why. In the Famine times, my family and myself were
starving. One night the children were crying with the hunger, and there
was no food to give them. By way of stopping their cries they were put
to bed, but, after a short sleep, they awoke with louder cries for food.
At length, I recommended that all of us, young and old, should join in
saying the Rosary. We did; and before it was ended a woman came in,
whose occupation was to deal in bread, and she had a basketful with her.
I explained our condition to her, and asked her to give me some bread on
credit. She did so, and from that day to this we never felt hunger or
starvation; and from that day to this I continue to say the Rosary, and
will, please God, to the end of my life.'"

The news came from Sligo, through the public journals, that the Famine
was carrying off hundreds and thousands there, and that the work left
undone by the Famine would be finished by pestilence. The Workhouse was
described as a pesthouse, and the guardians in terror had abandoned it.
The following short note will give a better idea of the state of this
part of the country than any lengthened description:--

"_Riverston, 8th Feb_.

"SIR,--_Half-a-dozen_ starvation deaths have been reported to Mr. Grant
this evening, and he directs me to write to you to request you will
attend here early to-morrow morning to hold inquests.

"JAMES HAY, _Head Constable_.

"Alexander Burrows, Esq."

But things were much worse than was revealed by this note. Mr. Burrows
was quite unequal to the work he had to do. In one day, although he
tired three horses, he succeeded in holding only five inquests. Poor
progress indeed, inasmuch as there were FORTY dead bodie