"Is she very ill?" said Father O'Shane; for thus was named the sole
pastor of the city of T---- in those days.

"That she is, your reverence, and callin' for the priest this three
days; but as we heard your reverence say that you would be in the
country till this day, we thought it no use to give in the sick call
sooner. I myself gave it in this morning afore my poor, sick old man got
up."

"God help the poor!" muttered the tender-hearted priest, as he ascended
to the third floor, where the dying woman lay.

"Amen!" answered Mrs. Doherty, aloud. "You would pity her, your
reverence, if you seen the misery they are in this two months; and it is
easily telling they saw better days in the ould country. It is easily
knowing _that_, by the _dacent_, mannerly children she has around her,
God help 'em."

"Pax huic domui, et omnibus habitantibus in ea"--"Peace to this house,
and all that dwell therein," uttered the priest of God, as he opened
the latchless door of the room on the third story of the old "Oil Mill
House," where the patient was extended on her "pallet of straw." For a
moment he stood on the threshold, for within an unusual and solemn sight
presented itself to his view. A woman of fair and comely features,
between about thirty and forty years of age, lay as described on the
floor, with four children kneeling around her. The eldest, a lad of
about fifteen years, read aloud the litanies and prayers of the church
for the dying, while the three younger children repeated the responses
in fervent but trembling accents.