of two dozen, which brought the rest down to inquire into the state
of affairs.

The presence of the old gentleman served to impart a cheerfulness to all
who gazed upon his happy countenance, and his kind tones, as he inquired
for the welfare of the family, penetrated the screen, reaching the ear
of Biddy, who sat wondering what the good father Teely would say, if he
knew she had so far sinned as to remain under the same roof with a
"wicked Protestant praste;" but as she heard him speaking to Pat, who
had come in of an errand, with such a pleasant voice, she ventured a
peep out, and the form of her thoughts just at that moment, might have
been a little, a very little, savoring of heresy. Suffice it to say,
when the old gentleman took his departure, there was a peculiar twinkle
in Biddy's eye, and she had so far overcome her aversion to the
"imposther" as to have had a few private words with him, which had by no
means decreased her usual flow of good spirits. It was evident that
Biddy "had on her high heels," for the rest of that evening. As Winnie
strolled over the farm, enjoying the evening breeze, reflecting upon her
good pastor's words, her attention was suddenly attracted toward the
enclosure where the cows were being milked, by hearing the voice of
Biddy, who, as she "stripped" the patient animal again, for the dozenth
time, was very much engaged with Pat, whose round, smiling face, as he
glanced at her from the opposite side of the creature, shone with
delight; and as the white foam rose higher and higher in Biddy's pail,
so did the warmth of her feelings get the better of her, and those
tell-tale eyes of Winnie's danced with mischief, as she overheard the
following conversation:

"Ah, Pathrick dear, does ye think there is the laste sin in it? And
indade, it's mesilf that's thinking the blissid St. Pathrick would be