but once, that being--as follows:--He was passing a Catholic place of
worship one Sunday, on his way to fowl--for he had his dog and gun with
him;--'twas beside a road, and many of the congregration were kneeling
out across the way. Just as he passed they were making a collection
for a poor scholar--and surely they that love the larning desarve to be
encouraged! Well, behold you, says one of them, 'will you remember the
poor scholar,' says he, 'and put something in the hat? You don't know,'
says he, 'but his prayers will be before you.' (* In the other world.)
'True enough, maybe,' says the man, 'and there's a crown to him, for
God's sake.' Well and good; the man died, and so did the wife; but the
very day before her departure, she got a scapular, and died in it. She
had one sister, however, a good crature, that did nothing but fast and
pray, and make her sowl. This woman had strong doubts upon her mind, and
was very much troubled as to whether or not her sister went to heaven;
and she begged it as a favor from the blessed Virgin, that the state of
her sister's sowl might be revaled to her. Her prayer was granted.
One night, about a week after her death, her sister came back to her,
dressed, all in white, and circled round by a veil of glory.

"'Is that Mary?' said the living sister.

"'It is,' said the other; 'I have got liberty to appear to you,' says
she, 'and to tell you that I'm happy.'

"'May the holy Virgin be praised!' said the other. 'Mary, dear, you have
taken a great weight off of me,' says she: 'I thought you'd have a bad
chance, in regard of the life you led.'

"'When I died,' said the spirit, 'and was on my way to the other world,
I came to a place where the road divided itself into three parts;--one