e little doubt of
Jac's conversion to the Romish faith. I asked that young lad Paul, who
used to stop at Prying's, and he said it was true."

"'Tis really astonishing," said Benjamin Lifford, the Quaker. "I'd have
let him die without a minister, if he did not content himself with the
inflooence of the speerit. These is how I would sarve thee, Jacob."

"I consider Mr. Prying rather simple to allow such a man as the priest
to come into his house at all," said his _honor_ Squire Wilson, the
Universalist.

"Had it been my brother," said old Elder Fussel, "I would pay no
attention to the dying request of old uncle Jacob. That would be the way
to bring him to."

"That would be cruel," said High Sheriff Walter, "seeing that Jacob
left him all his property, real and personal. Besides, this is a free
country, and I say a man ought to be allowed to embrace any religion he
has a mind to. That's my creed, at all events."

"Yes," said Mr. Ebenezer White, the Methodist class leader, "_pervided_
the creed he wanted to jine was the religion of the Bible; otherwise
not."

"Do not the Roman Catholics ground their doctrines on the Bible?" said
the sheriff. "That they do, and their Bible contains many books that
yours does not contain."

"Nonsense, sheriff!" said his enlightened _honor_. "The Papists never
read the Bible. I have a boy, Thomas Noonan,--you know him,--and he
neither will read it himself, nor listen to it read. The priest won't
allow him. No Catholic is allowed to have or read a Bible."

"You state what is not true," said a loud, emphatic voice from behind
the stove. It was the voice of Murty O'Dwyer.

"I guess, squire, you are in error there," said the sheriff. "My boy,
you know, Patrick, a very strict Catholic, every month at confession
with the priest, has a Bible with him in my house, which Bible the
priest gave him. I have read the book time and again. Nay, I heard the
priest preach out of our Bible last summer."

"Is it not astonishing," began Murty again, "that, though ye all differ
in opinion, ye agree in hating and maligning the church of Christ?
Though ye can't 'join in love,' ye know well how to 'join in hate.' Here
are unbaptized Quakers, groaning Methodists, blaspheming Presbyterians,
faithless Universalists and Unitarians, and humbug spiritual rappers;
and yet ye not only coincide in hating the pope, but ye are all
intolerant and cruel save this gentleman here," said he, pointing to Mr.
Walter. "Now