within forbidden degrees, nor clandestinely."

"The first precept, Patrick, we cannot keep here, as we are not near the
church. But the second, 'to abstain on the days commanded,' we can keep.
Do you ever eat meat on Friday, Pat?"

"Never but once, through mistake," said Pat. "I thought it was Thursday.
Mr. Prying is always wanting me to eat it every day, and so was a
gentleman whom he called the _priest_,--sure he is not a right priest,
is he, Paul?"

"Not at all, Pat; he is only a Protestant minister."

"A minister!" said Pat, in astonishment. "Why did they call him a
priest? He wanted me and Eugene to eat meat on Friday; but I said I
could not, it would make me sick. Then Mrs. Prying told him to let me
be; that she could not allow any interference with our religion; and
since that, the minister never returned to our house, or nobody said a
word about it. I think she is very good. She often cries when she hears
me and Eugene speaking of father and mother, God rest their souls!
Paul," said Pat, introducing a new subject, "ain't there a hell to
punish the wicked, as well as a heaven to reward the good?"

"Certainly, Pat; does not the Catechism say so?"

"Yes, but yesterday, Cassius Prying tried to persuade me that there was
no hell. He said all would go to heaven, in the end. I told him it was
no such thing. He said the minister said so."

"Oh, Patrick, my boy, beware of Cassius; you must not listen to his