y you are my own dearest brother."

Whilst she uttered the words, the tears: which flowed from her eyes
fell upon his face. He looked at her pale features, so full of love and
tenderness--the muscles of his face worked strongly; but at length, with
a loud cry, he threw himself over, caught her in his arms, and laying
her head upon his bosom, wept aloud. The evil spell was now broken.
Neither John nor Alick could resist the contagion of tenderness
which their beloved sister shed into their hearts. Their tears
flowed fast--their caresses were added to those of Brian; and as they
penitently embraced her, they retracted their awful oath, and promised
never again to think of violence, revenge, or bloodshed.

Thus did the force and purity of domestic affection charm back into
their hearts the very spirit which its own excess had before driven
out of it;--and thus it is that many a triumph over crime is won by
the tenderness and strength of that affection, when neither reason,
nor religion, nor any other principle that we are acquainted with,
can succeed in leading captive the fearful purposes of resentment and
revenge.

"Now," said Father Eoche, "we have still a, duty to perform, and that
is, to return thanks to Almighty God for the dark and deadly crime, and
the woeful sorrow, which, by his grace and mercy, he has averted from
this family; and I think we may take this blessing--for such surely it
is--as an earnest hope that the same Divine hand, which has put aside
this impending calamity from us, may, and will, in his own good time,
remove the other afflictions which the enmity and wickedness of evil
hearts, and evil councils have brought upon us; but especially let us
kneel and return thanks for the great and happy change which, through
the humility and affection of one of us, has been wrought upon the
rest."

He then knelt down, and on this occasion the iron sinews of these young
men became soft, and were bent in remorse, sorrow, repentance. The pious
priest prayed fervently and humbly, and as his tears fell fast, in the
trusting sincerity of his heart and the meek earnestness of his
spirit, it is almost unnecessary to say, that those of his little flock
accompanied him. The brothers wept bitterly, for the rocky heart of each
had been touched, and religion completed the triumph which affection had
begun.

Such had been the situation of this family on the day alluded to by
Mr. Easel, who could not, of course, have ha