of a son of mine that
I've some notion of--"

"By the by, I wonder Denis is not here before now," exclaimed his
Reverence, lending a deaf ear to Mike O'Shaughnessy's interrogatory.

Old Denis's favorite topic had been started, and he accordingly launched
out upon it with all the delight and ardor of a fond father.

"Now, Docthor dear, before us all--an' sure you know as well as I do,
that we're all friends together--what's your downright opinion of Denis?
Is he as bright as you tould me the other mornin' he was?"

"Really, Denis O'Shaughnessy," replied his Reverence, "it's not pleasant
to me to be pressed so often to eulogize a young gintleman of whose
talents I have so frequently expressed my opinion. Is not once
sufficient for me to say what I've said concerning him? But, as we
are all present, I now say and declare, that my opinion of Denis
O'Shaughnessy, jun., is decidedly _peculiar_--decidedly.

"Come, girsha, keep basting the mutton, and never heed my boots--turn it
about and baste the back of it better."

"God be thanked," exclaimed the delighted father, "sure it's comfort to
hear that, any how--afther all the pains and throuble we've taken wid
him, to know it's not lost. Why, that boy was so smart, Docthor, that,
may I never sin, when he went first to the Latin, but--an' this no lie,
for I have it from his own lips--when he'd look upon his task two or
three times over night, he'd waken wid every word of it, pat off the
book the next mornin'. And how do you think he got it? Why, the crathur,
you see, used to dhrame that he was readin' it off, and so he used to
get it that way in his sleep!"

At this moment Darby Moran, Denis's old foe entered, and his reception
was cordial, and, if the truth were known, almost magnanimous on the
part of Denis.

"Darby Moran," said he, "not a man, barrin' his Reverence here, in the
parish we sit in, that I'm prouder to see on my flure--give me your
hand, man alive, and Mave and all of ye welcome him. Everything of what
you know is buried between us, and you're bound to welcome him, if
it was only in regard of the handsome way he spoke of our son this
day--here's my own chair, Darby, and sit down."

"Throth," said Darby, after shaking hands with the priest and greeting
the rest of the company, "the same boy no one could spake ill of; and,
although we and his people were not upon the best footin', still the
sarra one o' me but always gave him his due."

"Indeed, I belie