Southern standard., 1851-04-05

ashamed of himself he did not dare to encounter
Mary's reproachful looks, so he brought over his
blotted desk and sat with his back to her, appa-
rently intent on his books but despite all he could
do, his mind went wandering back to the time he
was poor scholar himself, and no matter Wheth-
er he looked over Problems or turned the leaves
of Homer there was the pale gentle face OF the
poor scholar, whom he had 'heeced to the utter
most.
Mary he said, anxious to be reconciled to-
never was one of them poor scho
lars that had not twice as much as they purten-
ded.'
WAS that the way with yersef, avick?' she
answered James pushed back the desk, flung
the ruler at the cat-bounced the door after HIM
and went to bed. He did not fall very soon
asleep-nor when he did, did he sleep very sound
lv-but tossed and tumbled about IN a most un-
dienified manner So much so, that his poor wife
left off rocking and, taking out her beads, began
praving for him as hard and as fast as she could;
and she believed her prayers took effect, tor he
soon became tranquil, and slept soundly; but Ma
nv went on praving she was accounted what was
called the steadest hand at prayers in the country,
but, on this particular night, she prayed on with
out stopping until the grey cock, who always
crowed at four, told her what the time was, and
she thought she might as well sleep for couple of
hours, for Mary could not only pray when she
pie can do who have a clear conscience. AS soon
however as she hung the beads on the same nail
that supported the holy water, cross and cup,
James gave groan and start, and called her
Give me your hand, he said, that L may know
it's YOU that's in it Mary did SO, and affection
ately bade God bless him.
Mary my own ould darling, he whispered,
I'm a great sinner and all my learning sn't-isn't
worth brass farthing.' Mary was really aston
1 i l., IL { t' 0pSt
| am, dear, and here's the key of my little box,
and 90 and bring out that poor scholars night cap
and take care of his money, and as soon as day
breaks intirely, 90 find out where he's stopping
and tell him III never touch cross nor coin belong
ING to him, nor one of his class, and give him
back his coins of silver and coins of brass and
Mary agra, if you've the power, turn every boy
in the parish into poor scholar, that may have
the satisfaction of taching them, for I've had a
dream Mary, and III tell it to you, who knows
better than myself how to be grateful for such
a warning-there, praise the holy saints is
streak of daylight; now listen, Mary, and don't
interrupt me-
4 suppose it's dead 1 was first, but anyhow,
thought | was floating about in a dark space-and
every minute | wanted to fly up, but something
kept me down. could not rise-and as | grew
used to the darkness, you see, | great many
things floating about like myself-mighty curious
close up to ne, and, after all what was it but a
Homer; and thought maybe it will hepme up,
but when made crap at it, it turned into smoke
then came great white faced owl, with red
borthered eyes, and out of one of them glared
Voster, and out of the other a Cough, and globes
and inkhOrns changed, Mary, in the sight of my
two looking eyes, into yiyacious tadpoles, swim
ming here and there, and making game of me
as they passed-oh, | thought the time was
thousand years, and every thing about me talk
ing bad Latin and Greek that would bother a
saint, and |, without power to answer or to get a.
way. I'm thinking it was the schoolmaster's pur-
gatory [ was in
May be so, replied Mary, particularly as they
wouldn't let you correct the bad Latin, dear
But it changed, Mary, and l found myself, af-
ter thousand or two years, in the midst of a
mist-there was mistiness all around me-and
in my head-but it was clear, soft, downy like
vapor, and | had my full liberty in it, so [ kept on
going up-up for ever so many years, and by de-
grecs it cleared away, drawing itself into 6ohrcen
at either side leading to great high hill of light
and | made straight for the hill and having got
over it looked up, and of all the brightnesses
ever saw, was the brightness above me the bright
est; and the more l looked at it the brighter it
grew, and yet there was no dazzle in my eyes,
and something whispered that that was Heaven
and with that | fell down my knees and asked
how [ was to get there, for mind ye Mary, there
was gulf between me and the hill, or to speak
more to your understanding, a gap; the hill of
light above me was in no ways joined to the hill
on which [ stood. So | cried how | was to get
there. Well, before you could say twice ten,
there stood before me seven poor scholars, those
seven, dear that taught, and that have taken the
vestments since. knew them all, and l knew
them we'll Many hard days work l had gone
through with them, Just for that holy blessed
pay, the love of God-there they stood and Abel
at their head.
'Oh yah mulla! think of that now, my poor Aby,
didn't | know the good pure drop was in hm!'
interrupted Mary.
'The only way for you to get to that hapy place.
masther dear, they said is for you to make a
ladder of US
is it a ladder of the
whist, will ye,' interrupted the masther
we are the stairs said they, that will lead
you to that happy mansion-all your learning of
which you were proud-all your examinations
all your disquisition and knowledge-your alge-
bra and mathematics-your Greek-ay, OF even
your Hebrew if you had that same, are all not
worth traneen. All the mighty fine doings, the
greatness of man, or Of mans learning, are not
the value of single blessing here but we, mas
ther jewel, we are your charities seven of us
poor boys, through your means, learned their duty
seven of US and upon you can walk up to
the shining light, and be happy forever
4 was not bit bothered at the idea of making
a step tddder OF the seven holy creatures who,
though they had been poor scholars, were far be-
fore myself where we were now but as they bent
| slept, first on Abel, then on Paddy Blake. then
on Billy Murphy; but any how, when got to the
end of the seven, l found there were five or six
more WANTING: | tried To mako n cyr;no. ,,,d or,1