their days of petty power, would be sure to be compelled to retire
forever from public life, and pass into the gloom and infamy of his
depraved private circle. There were many exposures and wailings of the
children of Israel on the waters of the river of Egypt, before Moses;
and there was many an instance of the kidnapping of Irish Catholic
children from their parents, or natural guardians, by the jealous
Pharaohs of sectarianism, before the attempt made by Mr. Van Stingey to
kidnap Paul O'Clery and his brethren.

In their new home, however, up to this time, Paul and his little charge
were well treated, as far as meat and clothing were concerned. Even in
regard to religion, and the devotional exercises prescribed by its
precepts, there was no obstacle thrown in their way; although the
fidelity of Paul and his sister Bridget to their morning and night
prayers was quite astonishing to their patrons. A few indirect, covert
attacks were all that, for many months, it was thought prudent they
should have to encounter from the family, named Prying, with whom they
staid. The truth was, that Paul, the eldest of the children, was such a
smart, watchful, prudent young lad, his younger brothers and sister were
so accustomed to obey him, and he exercised such emphatic authority over
them, that it was the advice of the most prudent of the preachers who
interested themselves in his case, to let him alone for the present. The
change intended to be brought about was to be left to time,
conversation, and the influence of common school education to
accomplish. His education, in Ireland, was principally religious and
classical, rather than commercial; and he was just now acquiring, in his
present trying noviceship, what was precisely wanting to his previous
course. He and his brothers, who lived in the next farmer's house,
together with Bridget, his sister, who was under the same roof with
himself, obstinately refused to attend the Sunday school, the meeting