archly up in his face, as she leaned on his knee, saying, "Didn't I tell you it was kindly welcome we'd be; and did'nt the lady say that same herself, now?"

"My dear child," observed the widow, "there are no ladies or gentlemen here. We are poor people all, and so we must regard each other. Happy are we, if we be among the poor of this world, rich in faith, whom God has chosen to be heirs of his kingdom!"

"By my life," ejaculated Malony, "but that's a fine saying-Glory be to God!"

"What an odd way of talking," whispered James to Mary.

tality of ould Ireland itself, come across over the salt say. Sorra such a welcome have I met here, to put the warmth in me cold bones, barrin among my own poor people in it, that has the will but not the power. Long life to you, ma'am!" and he held out his hand and gave the widow's a hearty shake.

"To the Giver of all good we must render our thanks," she replied, "for any comforts that he enables us to refresh one another with in the way of our pilgrimage."

"True for you, ma'am dear; but it's many years since I went on pilgrimage, "Oh, let him alone: granny will soon and little comfort I found by the way." bring him to leave off swearing."

But the new discoveries, consequent upon this meeting, must be reserved for another chapter.

CHAPTER XIII.

A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.

"Father's been to Lough Derg, and brought home a blessed crucifix," whispered Katy to Mary, who replied aloud, "And what is Lough Derg?"

""Tis the holiest place in all Ireland, my dear," said Malony. "I went and performed my stations there-didn't miss one."

"And what did you get?"

"The pardon of all my sins, jewel." "And how did you know they were pardoned?"

AMPLE justice was done to the widow's provisions by Malony, whose craving appetite-one of the concomitants of his distressing malady-rarely found such abundance, accompanied with such kind persuasions to make himself at home. When the meal was over, he drew from his waistcoat-pocket what he called his "bit of a dudeen," a very short pipe, and ad-manded us not to swear at all." ding another pinch to the contents of its bowl, he helped himself to a cinder from the little grate, and presently enveloped the party in the smoke of his favourite weed. The young people looked on in some consternation; their grandmother not only disapproved the habit, but also greatly disliked the smell and other effects resulting from it; and Mary was about to remonstrate, when the widow by a sign prevented her. The exquisite happiness that beamed from the really beautiful face of poor little Katy, as she watched her father's returning smiles induced her to extend even this unusual indulgence; and Malony's felicity was complete.

"How did I know, is it? Sure had not I it under his reverence's own hand? and I came away with my sowl as clean as the smooth of your cheek by my life I did."

"My good friend," said the widow mildly, " don't be offended if I remind you that our Lord Jesus Christ has com

"By my soul now," said he, as gradually raising his drooping form he leaned back on his chair, "but this is the hospi

Malony bent his head very low when the Saviour was named, but looked surprised; and James quickly followed it up by reading from the fifth chapter of St. Matthew the words of our Lord, and then from the epistle of St. James, that apostle's warning on the same subject. This led to an animated conversation, in the course of which they discovered that so far from Malony taking the bible for his guide, the poor fellow had never heard of such a book: that he was wholly ignorant of every thing relating to the Lord Jesus, excepting the fact of his crucifixion, in reference to which he drew from his bosom a very rude carving in wood, more like a South Sea idol than any thing else, in honouring which he evidently considered that he worshipped God; and in bearing

fondly in a tongue wholly new and unintelligible to his English friends. Katy responded in the same language, with some earnestness, and her father turning to the widow, said, "Sure, ma'am, my child loves your little girl with all the veins of her heart; and why should'nt she, being that she's the first friend my Katy ever had in them mills."

This mention of the mills brought back to Mrs. Green's recollection the painful circumstances that she had well nigh forgotten in the deep interest of the sacred subject they had been discussing. She asked Malony whether he had himself been employed in the factories; and learned that he had filled a most laborious office in the engine department, until his health wholly gave way. It had been declining for some time, even before he left Ireland, and of course the change was not likely to prove beneficial to it; but the truth, he said, was, that his wife's death had broken his heart, and the restlessness that came over him made every place disagreeable. He wandered about with his motherless child, till at M. he found an opening for giving her some employment, and getting the same himself. "But now," he concluded, "I'd be going back to my own poor country, to lay my bones under the green grass, and to leave my Katy among them that would give her the biggest half of their last pratee for the love of God and the holy Virgin-let alone the regard they had for her mother and me. It can't be, though: they've got us in a net, and in it we must abide, God help us!"

it about his person, that he enjoyed the divine presence and protection. It is impossible to describe the astonishment of the children, the emotion of Helen, or the anxious distress of the widow, as this false hope of the dying man gradually became apparent to them. Katy's sparkling eyes were turned eagerly from one countenance to another, as, clinging closer to her poor father, she seemed almost to resent the evident discredit put upon the objects of his faith; while the gentle, affectionate, and even respectful language in which they all addressed him, won her heart in spite of its evident purport. It was plainly James's Bible against Malony's crucifix; and nothing could be more touching than to see the bright gaze of these two-the man and the boy-both far advanced in consumption, fixed, now on each other, now on the respective objects of their earnest but friendly debate. James had truth on his side; he argued plainly, and brought a passage from scripture to confirm every sentiment he uttered: Malony abounded in clever remarks, ready evasions, and a confidence in the power of his church and of his wooden talisman, as unlimited as was that of James in the infallibility of the oracles of God. Every word spoken by the boy was precious to the soul of his grandmother and Helen, for it showed how very deeply he had drank at the fountain of saving knowledge; and this was rendered more conspicuous by the childish simplicity of language in which he clothed the most weighty arguments, and uttered the strongest assertions that triumphant faith could dictate. On the other hand they were surprised at the natural ability and shrewd good sense which lay obscured beneath the rags, the poverty, the ignorance and uncouth phrase of the poor Irishman, who finished the controversy by saying, "It's a credit you are the agent they call him-what does he to them that reared you, ma bouchal; and but tell me I put her in by the year; and you've more good words on your side because I didn't take her out at the end of than poor Pat Malony, and he speaking ait, here's eleven months of a new one to foreign tongue. Fait, and if 'twas Irish ye spake we'd be more even."

"What! do you speak Irish?" "Musha, what else would I spake, and I an Irishman all out?" He uttered this in a sharper tone than he had before used, and stroking Katy's head, addressed her

"What net?" asked Mary.

"Fait, dear, it isn't for simple people like us to deal with them that are above us. I just put Katy into the mill, thinking that I might take her out again on a decent notice; but when I comes to the chap

come, before I can remove her. Eleven months," he deliberately repeated, opening the collar of his tattered shirt, and showing the skeleton of a neck, "with not as much flesh on these bones as will stand the wear of three."

"Be asy, father dear," said the ittle

those who tortured and murdered him; but you shall hear what he did to a wicked thief who was put to death at the same time" he proceeded and finished the chapter.

"Don't be angry, Helen," said James, "but I do want to know why you were struck."

Mary undertook to answer the question, and said that Helen had been complaining to her of headache and languor during their walk to the mill, owning that she felt scarcely equal to the day's work. When there, she had exerted herself greatly; but on being assailed by some rude taunts and ruder insinuations on the part of Phoebe and her abettors, who attri

"And now," said the widow, who saw the intense interest excited in the mind of her poor guest by this sacred history, "now let us speak a few words to Him who said and did all this for our salvation." They kneeled down immediately; and in most touching language she breathed forth a prayer, suited to the cir-buted her evident illness to having drank cumstances of all present, especially to those of Helen, Malony and his child. All were in tears save Willy, who had fallen asleep with his head on the chair, and Katy, who was repeating with all her might, and in an audible whisper, paters, aves and creeds; evidently supposing it was the same thing. Not so Malony; he gave his whole attention to what was uttered; and the frequent transit of his coat-sleeve across his eyes proved how much he entered into the meaning of the petitions. When they rose, Mary exclaimed,." Now let us sing;" and Willy being roused with a gentle rebuke-for the poor child was worn out with fatigue -they all struck up a hymn of praise and gladness to a very cheerful tune, which threw Katy into an ecstacy of delight, and brightened her father's face with smiles.

too much on the preceding night, she had, for the first time, burst into a fit of hysterical crying. This moved some who had never been touched by her patient endurance, and led to a violent quarrel between Phœbe and a lad occasionally employed in that room. The foulest language was given and retorted; and an overlooker passing just then was attracted by the noise they made. He demanded the cause of the riot: Helen was pointed out, and he commanded her instantly to rise from the bench where she had sank, and to resume her employment. This she was unable to do, from the increased agitation that the uproar had thrown her into; and without waiting any farther explanation, the man had struck her severely across the arm and shoulder with one of the rods of the machinery which he had in his hand.

"God be with ye!" uttered the poor "It was not a very hard blow," said man, as he prepared to go. "It's you that Helen in a deprecating tone; " and when have lightened Pat Malony's heart of the the people about me saw me struck, some biggest sorrow within it this blessed night; of them interposed, and told the overlooker and I've put trouble into yours, but II was not to blame. A girl fetched me didn't mean it, any how."

"No, you have not," replied the widow. "We hope to be able all of us to say with David, 'It is good for me to have been afflicted.'"

"Who is David, maʼam ?”

"There's a deal about him in my book, Mr. Malony," answered James. "Come again soon, and I'll read to you about him."

"Long life to you, avourneen! 'Tisn't a long life may be you'll have; but 'tis a happy one."

"My book makes it so," said James: "at least it teaches me how to be happy."

A cordial good-night now passed; and the family were left alone.

some water to drink, and I was soon able to go back to my employment. I was more sorry to have given way so, than for the pain of the blow; but indeed I had been feverish all night, and the noise and whirling of the machinery almost took away my senses. So now, James, you have heard all; and pray do let it drop."

The request was complied with; but every bosom swelled with indignation hard to be repressed even by the pleadings of Christian forgiveness: all felt it would have been far easier to overlook such an outrage against their own persons than against their gentle Helen. widow was thankful that Malony had blundered out what was to have been

The

interest him with some portion of scripture: till the widow, struck by the increasing attention paid by the poor man, and conscious that he must ere long be disabled from walking so far, resolved that he should, by some means, have at least a new Testament for himself. She enquired whether he would not like Katy to read such a book to him in the evenings and on Sundays.

kept a profound secret from her, though it The next few days passed on as usual, added tenfold poignancy to another secret, Malony dropping in occasionally for halfconfined in her own bosom-her total fail-an-hour to see James, who never failed to ure in seeking redress from the owners, and the consciousness that even in a case of violence like this she should fare no better. She had built too much on the supposed advantage of Mr. Stratton's introduction and countenance; she was now painfully undeceived, and obliged to admit the conviction that he was a stranger to the individuals with whose unprincipled tool, Ferris, he had co-operated, for the good of the parish, in sending her to the factories. Her position, therefore, was in no respect better than that of any other friendless poor woman in M., excepting the respectability of appearance and character which she still hoped to maintain, and the far richer distinction of having a sure, though unseen refuge in the day of calamity.

"Troth, and I would; but Katy can't read."

"Not read! She has been to school every day for two hours since she entered the mill, for that at least the law compels them to allow! and how is it that she cannot yet read ?"

"Sure, I'll ask her that same," replied Malony, who seemed never before to have thought on the subject. The widow mentioned it to Mary, who said Katy certainly went to school, but not to the same that she attended. Enquiry being made of Katy, she stated that during schoolhours she went to a place where as many children as could stand in it were crowded in a small room; the mistress was an old woman who kept some of the better dressed near her, and they seemed to be

Helen's arm, which she examined when they were alone, was much swollen and discoloured; and the girl was glad to have the stiffened shoulder-joint relieved by bathing with a lotion: had it been the right arm, she confessed, it would have been impossible to conceal it, so painful was every movement. Seeing the tears escaping from the eyes of her best friend, as she tenderly laved the place, Helen entered on the subject of poor Malony's un-spelling and reading, and some had accountable religion, which seemed to her to set common sense utterly at defiance, and then spoke with glowing delight of the part little James had taken. "Did you observe, granny, how he put down every thing the other said, by setting forth the Saviour only? I thought it very beautiful. Indeed it is plain to me that Popery and Jesus Christ are two things like darkness and light-a person may have either, but he cannot have both."

"Very true, Helen; and the way to drive darkness out is to let the light in."

"Yes, that was what dear James was trying to do all the while; and it seemed to me as if a little glimmer did now and then fall upon poor Malony. Oh, granny! what ways Satan has of blinding people!" Thus did the girl beguile the attention of her friend from her own sufferings; and then declaring that the operation had made her arm "delightfully comfortable," she went smilingly to rest.

slates: but she with many other little girls, had never yet been called up to the table, except to receive their certificate; they had a few torn Primers, into which they looked if any chanced to come in; otherwise, they rested, talked and played among themselves, glad of the relaxation. She had been a year and one monthgoing in the course of that time the mistress had been changed; but Katy had not yet learned her alphabet.

This appeared too monstrous to be credited: the widow resolved to ascertain the fact; and on the following day she proceeded to the spot, at the hour when Katy usually attended; but had some difficulty in finding it. At length a narrow alley brought her to the door of a low, filthylooking house, on entering which she was nearly suffocated by the effluvia exhaling from such a mass of little human beings, most squalid in appearance, and covered with the flue and stains of the mill. At