ps it is from my
uncle, in Ireland, to whom Paul often wrote, but never got an answer
back."
"No, my dear, it is from your father," said the tempter.
"My father is dead, sir," she quickly rejoined. "It can't be from him,
anyhow, God rest his soul."
"It is from your Father in heaven,--behold it!" said he, in a dramatic
accent, and pulling out of his breast-pocket a small octodecimo Bible.
"Queer letter carrier, and purty heavy letter," grinned a young fellow,
who was sitting by, waiting for the return of the boss to employ him.
"Christ sent you this by me," said the dominie, presenting the Bible.
"It will teach you the knowledge of the Lord, and the true spirit of his
gospel."
"Never knew before that the Lord kept a post-office," said the young
Celt; "but I'm sure he never sent the like of you to be
letter-carrier,--too slow, too stupid, entirely, entirely; and not very
honest, maybe."
"I am not addressing you, sir," said the parson, gruffly. "How do you
like that, Bridget?" said he, plying his arts.
"It is very nicely bound, sir," said she; "but I dare not take it
without acquainting my brother Paul."
"Now, my little favorite," said the representative of the serpent, "if
your uncle at home left you all his property, would you not like to be
able to read the _will_, or would you wait for Paul's leave to read a
document by which you inherited so much wealth?"
"Perhaps not, sir," she answered, "particularly if he did not forbid me
to do so."
"Very well, this is the will, the testament of God to all men, to me,
to you. Now, Bridget, learn this will, read it, study its contents,
without consent of priest or brother. Don't you see how proper this
advice is?" said he, thinking he had her little reasoning powers
conquered.
"Yes, old fellow," said the young man at the table; "but if that will
was disputed, which would you do,--submit it to an able lawyer, or go
into court yourself without advice or counsel? You surely would fee a
lawyer, if money or property was at stake. Well, you '_omadawn_,'" said
our young stranger, "don't you see that, though that Bible is the will,
the devil, and his small heretical attorneys--Luther, Calvin,
Wesley--dispute the will, and the Church is the able advocate, and
judge, too, that will conquer the devil, and put to shame his agents,
and secure the stake, which is heaven, and the salvation of the soul?
Let the child alone," said he, boldly, "as you see she doesn't want
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