, will be sure to find it. Maybe it'll tache them a little more
civility to their neighbors."

Mogue looked at the document, and placing it securely in his pocket,
asked, "Is it a notice?"

The other nodded in the affirmative, and added, with a knowing wink,
"There's a coffin and a cross-bones in it, and the name is signed
wid real blood, Mogue; and that's the way to go about breakin' the
Millstone, my man."

"That I may never do an ill turn, but it is. Well, God bless you,
Misther Magrath, an' whisper now, don't forget an odd patther-anavy
goin' to bed, in hopes that God will prosper our honest endayvours. That
was a hard thing upon young Devlin in Murray's murdher. I'm not sure
whether you do, but I know that that act was put upon him through
ill-will; and now he'll hang for it. But sure it's one comfort that
he'll die a martyr, glory be to God!"

The pedlar, having assented to this, got on his pack, and leaving Mogue
to meditate on the new discovery which he had made respecting Julia
Purcel, he proceeded on towards the highway to which we have alluded.

Purcel himself, in the course of a few miles' drive, reached the
parsonage, in which the Rev. Jeremiah Turbot ought to have lived, but in
which, for several years past, he had not resided; if we except about a
fortnight twice a year, when he came to sweep off as weighty a load of
tithes as he could contrive to squeeze out of the people through worthy
Mat Purcel, his proctor.

For a year or two previous to this visit, there is no doubt but the
aspect of ecclesiastical affairs was gradually getting worse. Turbot
began to feel that there was something wrong, although he could not
exactly say what it was. Purcel, however, was by no means reluctant to
disclose to him the exceedingly desperate state to which not only had
matters been driving, but at which they had actually arrived. This, in
truth, was our worthy proctor's version of ecclesiastical affairs, for
at least two years before the present period of our narrative. But, like
every man who tampers with, simple truth, he began to perceive,
almost when it was too late, that his policy in antedating the tithe
difficulties was likely very soon to embarrass himself; and to deprive
the outrages resulting from the frightful opposition that was organized
against tithes of all claim to novelty. He had, in fact, so strongly
exaggerated the state of the country, and surcharged his pictures of
anti-tithe violence so much b