"Meditate well on it," said the priest, "and repent, if you have been
guilty of violating the laws of God, the laws of your country, and the
dictates of reason, by compelling Catholics to join in your, to them,
repulsive and unlawful worship. Forgive me, miss; I must be off. Good
by. God bless you," said he, departing.




CHAPTER XVI.

THE ENLIGHTENED CITIZENS.


"Any news this morning, squire?" said Mr. Wakely, the tavern keeper, to
his _honor_ Squire Wilson, as he entered the bar room with a cigar in
his mouth.

"Wal, nothin' except this report of the turning of old uncle Jacob
Prying, if we can give credit to such a rumor."

"I seed the priest riding past here two days since," said the tavern
man, "and his team half dead from driving. There can be little doubt of
Jac's conversion to the Romish faith. I asked that young lad Paul, who
used to stop at Prying's, and he said it was true."

"'Tis really astonishing," said Benjamin Lifford, the Quaker. "I'd have
let him die without a minister, if he did not content himself with the
inflooence of the speerit. These is how I would sarve thee, Jacob."