worship, did not hesitate to send their quota by some Roman Catholic
neighbor.

Their names were accordingly announced with an encomium from the priest,
which never failed to excite a warm-hearted murmur of approbation.
Nor was this feeling transient, for, we will venture to say, that had
political excitement flamed up even to rebellion and mutual slaughter,
the persons and property of those individuals would have been held
sacred.

At length Jemmy was equipped; and sad and heavy became the hearts of
his parents and immediate relations as the morning appointed for his
departure drew nigh. On the evening before, several of his more distant
relatives came to take their farewell of him, and, in compliance with
the usages of Irish hospitality, they were detained for the night. They
did not, however, come empty-handed: some brought money; some brought
linen, stockings, or small presents--"jist, Jimmy, asthore, to keep me
in yer memory, sure,--and nothin' else it is for, mavourneen."

Except Jemmy himself, and one of his brothers who was to accompany him
part of the way, none of the family slept. The mother exhibited deep
sorrow, and Dominick, although he made a show of firmness, felt, now
that the crisis was at hand, nearly incapable of parting with the
boy. The conversation of their friends and the cheering effects of the
poteen, enabled them to sustain his loss better than they otherwise
would have done, and the hope of seeing him one day "an ordained
priest," contributed more than either to support them.

When the night was nearly half spent, the mother took a candle and
privately withdrew to the room in which the boy slept. The youth was