green, he turned
the horse over quite nathural to the wedding; and, sure enough, when he
jogged up, it was Friar Rooney himself, with a sack of oats, for he had
been _questin_.* Well, sure the ould people couldn't do less nor all
go over to put the _failtah_** on him. 'Why, then,' says my father and
mother-in-law, ''tis yourself, Friar Rooney, that's as welcome as the
flowers of May; and see who's here before you--Father Corrigan, and
Father Dollard.'

* Questin--When an Irish priest or friar collects corn or
money from the people in a gratuitous manner, the act is
called "questin."

** Welcome.

"'Thank you, thank you, Molshy--thank you, Matthew--troth, I know that
'tis I am welcome.'

"'Ay, and you're welcome again, Father Rooney,' said my father, going
down and shaking hands with him, 'and I'm proud to see you here. Sit
down, your Reverence--here's everything that's good, and plinty of it,
and if you don't make much of yourself, never say an ill fellow dealt
with you.'

"The friar stood while my father was speaking, with a pleasant,
contented face upon him, only a little roguish and droll.

"'Hah! Shane Fadh,' says he, smiling dryly at me, 'you did them all, I
see. You have her there, the flower of the parish, blooming beside
you; but I knew as much six months ago, ever since I saw you bid her
good-night at the hawthorn. Who looked back so often, Mary, eh? Ay,
laugh and blush--do--throth, 'twas I that caught you, but you didn't see
me, though. Well, a colleen, and if you did, too, you needn't be ashamed
of your bargain, any how. You see, the way I came to persave yez that
evening was this--but I'll tell it, by and by. In the mane time,' says
he, sitting down and attacking a fine piece of corn-beef and greens,
'I'll take care of a certain acquaintance of mine,' says he. 'How are
you, reverend gintlemen of the Secularily? You'll permit a poor friar to
sit and ate his dinner, in your presence, I humbly hope.'

"'Frank,' says Father Corrigan, 'lay your hand upon your conscience, or
upon your stomach, which is the same thing, and tell us honestly, how
many dinners you eat on your travels among my parishioners this day.'

"'As I'm a sinner, Michael, this is the only thing to be called a dinner
I eat this day;--Shane Fadh--Mary, both your healths, and God grant
you all kinds of luck and happiness, both here and hereafter! All your
healths in gineral! gintlemen seculars!'

"'Thank you, Frank,