So I’ll freely confess, and hope you’ll forgive—

That same Molly Muldoon, sure I loved her indeed;

Ay, as well as the Creed

That was never forsaken by one of my breed;

But I couldn’t have married her, after I saw—”

“Saw what?” cried the Father, desirous to hear—

And the chair that he sat in unconsciously rocking—

“Not in her karàcter, yer Riv’rince, a flaw”—

The sick man here dropped a significant tear,

And died as he whispered in the clergyman’s ear—