n
the child unborn!"

"So you think."

"So I think! aye, and it would be betther for you that you thought
so, too; but ye don't know what's before ye yet, Phaddhy--and now take
warnin' in time, and mend your life."

"Why what do you see wrong in my life? Am I a drunkard? am I lazy? did
ever I neglect my business? was I ever bad to you or to the childher?
didn't I always give yez yer fill to ate, and kept yez as well clad as
yer neighbors that was richer? Don't I go to my knees, too, every night
and morning?"

"That's true enough, but what signifies it all? When did ye cross
a priest's foot to go to your duty? Not for the last five years,
Phaddhy--not since poor Torly (God be good to him) died of the mazles,
and that'll be five years, a fortnight before Christmas."

"And what are you the betther of all yer confessions? Did they ever mend
yer temper, avourneen? no, indeed, Katty, but you're ten times worse
tempered coming back from the priest than before you go to him."

"Oh! Phaddhy! Phaddhy! God look down upon you this day, or any man
that's in yer hardened state--I see there's no use in spaking to you,
for you'll still be the ould cut."

"Ay, will I; so you may as well give up talking about it Arrah, woman!"
said. Phaddhy, raising his voice, "who does it ever make betther--show
me a man now in all the neighborhood, that's a pin-point the holier of
it? Isn't there Jemmy Shields, that goes to _his duty_ wanst a month,
malivogues his wife and family this minute, and then claps them to a
Rosary the next; but the ould boy's a thrifle to him of a fast day,
afther coming from the priest. Betune ourselves, Katty, you're not much
behind him."

Katty made no reply to him, but turned up her eyes, and crossed herself,
at the wickedness of her unmanageable husband. "Well, Briney," said she,
turning abruptly to the son, "don't take patthern by that man, if you
expect to do any good; let him be a warning to you to mind yer duty, and
respect yer clargy--and prepare yerself, now that I think of it, to go
to Father Philemy or Father Con on Thursday: but don't be said or led by
that man, for I'm sure I dunna how he intends to face the Man above
when he laves this world--and to keep from his duty, and to spake of his
clargy as he does!"

There are few men without their weak sides. Phaddhy, although the
priests were never very much his favorites, was determined to give
what he himself called a _let-out_ on this occasion, simply