it, for you're a worthy fellow."

"Ah, Docthor," said Ned, "it's a great thing entirely to be born of the
true church--one's always sure, then."

"Ay, ay; you may say that, Ned," returned the priest, "come or go what
will, a man's always safe at the long run, except he dies without his
clargy.--Shane, hand me the jug, if you please.--Where did you get this
stuff, Nancy?--faith, it's excellent."

"You forget, Father Ned, that that's a secret.----But here's Biddy with
the eggs, and now you'll have your rasher in no time."

When the two clergymen had discussed the rashers and eggs, and while the
happy group were making themselves intimately acquainted with a fresh
jug of punch, as it circulated round the table--

"Now, sir," said Father Ned to the stranger, "we'll hear your story with
the greatest satisfaction possible; but I think you might charge your
tumbler before you set to it."

When the stranger had complied with this last hint, "Well, gentlemen,"
said he, "as I am rather fatigued, will you excuse me for the position
I am about to occupy, which is simply to stretch myself along the hob
here, with my head upon the straw hassoch? and if you have no objection
to that, I will relate the story."

To this, of course, a general assent was given. When he was stretched
completely at his ease--