* The efficacy of holy water in all Roman Catholic countries,
but especially in Ireland, is supposed to be very great. It
is kept in the house, or, in certain cases, about the
person, as a safeguard against evil spirits, fairies, or
sickness. It is also used to allay storms and quench
conflagrations; and when an Irishman or Irishwoman is about
to go a journey, commence labor or enter upon any other
important undertaking, the person is sure to be sprinkled
with holy water, under the hope that the journey or
undertaking will prosper.

Nancy, however, did not perceive that the trepidation of her hand
was such as to incapacitate her from making nice distinctions in the
admixture. She now brought the spirits to the stranger, who no sooner
took a mouthful of it, than he immediately stopped it on its passage,
and fixing his eyes earnestly on herself, squirted it into the fire, and
the next moment the whiskey was in a blaze that seemed likely to set the
chimney in flames.

"Why, my honest hostess," he exclaimed, "do you give this to me for
whiskey? Confound me, but two-thirds of it is water; and I have no
notion to pay for water when I want spirits: have the goodness to
exchange this, and get me some better stuff, if you have it."

He again put the jug to his mouth, and having taken a little, swallowed
it:--"Why, I tell you, woman, you must have made some mistake; one-half
of it is water."

Now, Nancy, from the moment he refused to swallow the liquor, had been