dying boy! He is yet warm,"
he added, grinding his teeth and looking up to heaven, "and here beside
him, I pray, that the gates of mercy may be closed upon my soul through
sill eternity, if I die without vengeance for your death, my son!"

His mother, who was now in a state between stupor and distraction,
exclaimed--

"To be sure, darling, and I'll assist you, and so will Torley."

The death of this boy, under circumstances of such incredible cruelty,
occasioned even M'Clutchy to relax something of his original intentions.
He persisted, however, in accomplishing all the ejectments without
exception, but when this was over, he allowed them to re-occupy their
miserable cabins, until the weather should get milder, and until such
of them as could, might be able to procure some other shelter for
themselves and families.

When all was over, M'Slime, who had brought with him a sheaf of tracts
for their spiritual sustenance, saw, from the deeply tragic character
of the proceedings, that he might spare himself the trouble of such
Christian sympathy as he wished to manifest for their salvation. He
and M'Clutchy, to whom, by the way, he presented the truly spiritual
sustenance of some good brandy out of a flask, with which he balanced
the tracts in his other pocket, then took their way in the very centre
of the Dashers, leaving behind them all those sorrows of life, for
which, however, they might well be glad to exchange their consciences
and their wealth.

The circumstances which we have just described, were too striking not to
excite considerable indignation among all reasonable minds at the time.
An account of that day's proceedings got into the papers, but was so
promptly and fully contradicted by the united testimony of M'Clutchy and
M'Slime, that the matter was made to appear very highly complimentary
to the benevolence and humanity of both. "So far from the proceedings in
question," the contradiction went on to say, "being marked by the wanton
cruelty and inhumanity imputed to them, they were, on the contrary, as
remarkable for the kindness and forbearance evinced by Messrs. M'Clutchy
and M'Slime. The whole thing was a mere legal form, conducted in a most
benevolent and Christian spirit. The people were all restored to their
tenements the moment the business of the day was concluded, and we
cannot readily forget the admirable advice and exhortation offered to
them, and so appropriately offered by Solomon M'Slime, Esq.,