“Present, sir.”
“Do you know what keeps that reprobate from mass?”
“I bleeve he's takin' advantage, sir, of the frost, to get in his praties to-day, in respect of the bad footin', sir, for the horses in the bog when there's not a frost. Any how, betune that and a bit of a sore head that he got, yer Reverence, on Thursday last in takin' part wid the O'Scallaghans agin the Bradys, I bleeve he had to stay away to-day.”
“On the Sabbath day, too, without my leave! Well, tell him from me, that I'll make an example of him to the whole parish, if he doesn't attend mass better. Will the Bradys and the O'Scallaghans never be done with their quarrelling? I protest, if they don't live like Christians, I'll read them out from the altar. Will you tell Parrah More that I'll hold a station in his house on next Wednesday?”
“I will, sir; I will, yer Reverence.”
“On Thursday, in Phaddhy Sheemus Phaddhy's of the Esker. Are you there, Phaddhy?”'
“Wid the help of God, I'm here, sir.”
“Well, Phaddhy, how is yer son Briney, that's at the Latin? I hope he's coming on well at it.”
“Why, sir, he's not more nor a year and a half at it yet, and he's got more books amost nor he can carry; he'll break me buying books for him.”
“Well, that's a good sign, Phaddhy; but why don't you bring him to me till I examine him?”