it
yourself; think of me on my deathbed whenever he asks ye for any trifle.
Is it down, Billy Scanlan? the two acres at the cross to Con Cregan, and
his heirs _in secla seclorum_. Ah, blessed be the saints! but I feel my
heart lighter after that," says he; "a good work makes an easy conscience;
and now I'll drink the company's good health, and many happy returns----"

What he was going to add, there's no saying; but Peter, who was now
terribly frightened at the lively tone the sick man was assuming, hurried
all the people away into another room, to let his father die in peace.

When they were all gone, Peter slipped back to my father, who was putting
on his brogues in a corner: "Con," says he, "ye did it all well; but sure
that was a joke about the two acres at the cross."

"Of course it was, Peter," says he; "sure it was all a joke for the matter
of that: won't I make the neighbors laugh to-morrow when I tell them all
about it!"

"You wouldn't be mean enough to betray me?" says Peter, trembling with
fright.

"Sure ye wouldn't be mean enough to go against yer father's dying words?"
says my father; "the last sentence ever he spoke;" and here he gave a low,
wicked laugh, that made myself shake with fear.

"Very well, Con!" says Peter, holding out his hand; "a bargain's a
bargain; yer a deep fellow, that's all!" and so it ended; and my father
slipped quietly home over the bog, mighty well satisfied with the legacy
he left himself.

And thus we became the owners of the little spot known to this day as
Con's Acre.

GEORGE III SOUGHT HEAVEN'S AID.

The British Sovereign Proclaimed a General Fast and Commanded His
Subjects to Humble Themselves to Win the Divine Favor in Their War
with the American Colonies.

When the American colonies rebelled against King George, England was not
so easy in her view of the situation as is often assumed. The reader who
may stumble upon a copy of the London _Gazette_ for October, 1776, will
find therein this:

PROCLAMATION FOR A GENERAL FAST.

=George R=.

We, taking into our most serious Consideration the just and
necessary Measures of Force which We are obliged to use
against Our rebellious Subjects in Our Colonies and
Provinces in North America and Putting Our Trust in Almighty
God, that He will vouchsafe a special Blessing on Our Arms
both by Sea and Land, have resolved, and do, by and with the
Advice of Our Privy Council