'When two years were served he began to long for a more active life; and slippeen one night through the bars he came away. They pat up the hue-and-cry next morneen, and had half the country at his heels. The capteen met him; said he was just the young man he wanted; and took him to the heart of the establishment.
'And now comes the interesteen part of the story. Mr. Sykes was not an idle man; he would scorn to eat a crumb that he did not work for; so he was every day abroad, and if he could bring in notheen better he was sure to return a little after dark with half a dozen chickeens, or a couple of quarters of lamb or veal around his neck. One day he came in with something that was not lamb, nor veal, nor fowl. Now, what do you think it was? Blow my eyes if it wasn't a Methodist parson!
'The parson was a meek-lookeen man, with a white bow under his throat; and his name was Mr. Jonas.
'"What in thunder did you bring that Sky-pilot here for?" the capteen asked in his most angry tones; while ould missus run a ecreecheen to the cavern.
'"I have good reason, I assure you, capteen, for the capture," was the reply. "Give the man of God sometheen to eat. He must pray for us this eveneen. It'll be as good as a circus to listen to him. It's been so long since we had divine service in here."
'Ah, young man, but it was good fun to hear that parson pray and preach that night. The very
'Aisles of the dim-wood rang to the anthem'
that he raised; and I am sure he thought that he had carried our hearts by storm. He prayed God to soften our obdurate hearts; and especially asked heaven to cause these misguided men to relent in their intensheens, and permit him to go and carry the refresheen rain of the Gospel to thirsty ground. After the prayer was ended I showed him his couch, the same whereon you slept last night, and before I said good night I asked him to pray for me. He squeezed my hand and said:
'"Is your heart softened? May I depend on you?"
'I answered, "Fear not. I have been a burneen brand and you have snatched me from the fire." He turned his eyes toward the clayey roof and gave thanks. When I returned to upper air Mr. Sykes had gathered Mr. Jonas' late congregasheen about him, and thus addressed the meeteen: