Semi-weekly news., 1865-05-04
The Preist and the Piper.
BY J.. 0OLDRlCk.

priest Of Knocknashee. in the do
cese of Ardah. Ireland, was one of
the best men. generally speaking.
that ever existed in any country OF
Of the world. Beloved by his own
people. and revered by. others who
differed from him in his religious
opinions. he passed his life in the
humble discharge of his clerical du.
,y. preaching the Gospel to the poor,
ruproving vice. intoxicating virtue.
aud doing good to all. without dis
sinction Of creed, or dread Of the po-
!itical enemies by whom he was sur
rounded. He was humble. meek,
pious and benevolent. given to hos
pitality like the enrly fathers of tie
church. whose good example he ever
emulatcd. He was lover o! good
men, no matter Of what denomina-
tion-a lover Of his country, poor,
d.spiscd and down-trodden-, con
sumnatc scholar an eloquent preach
-r, who spoke his own nativ" tonsu"
with great huency, and did more to
suppress the evil influence arising
from Irish wakes, funerals and Sun
day dances, than any other priest Of
bis day. To the wavf,riny man,
his hospitablc door was ever open,
with tina: generous, warn-hrarcd
'"eela ufalhu. peculiar to his native
isle. 70 the child Of SORROW. the
.rri,s. and tn" distressed. his faith
-rly counsel. admins, cred like the
balm Of Gilr:ld. seldom failed to
-oothr. reclaim and comfort. He re-
ioicrd with them that did rejoice.
and mingled tl.r tear OF unaffected
sorrow with all who had r.:l>nu to
weep In one short sentence. Father
Ambrose was 4 man attrr Gods own
heart, in the Christian accrp'a:ipn OF
that term.
About this tim. there hnu,i he'd
III that part OF their country, On" Of
the most singular characters that
ever figured in 1rish romance. Ihi-
was Patrick Noon-t.u. bu nr,'-,-
known in the sporting world hy TIN
nick nam. Of "l'aAGy the Piper"
H. was remarkable small hi; OF a
Fellow. not over five t,rI IN blight.
black; haired, thin and swart.iv, with
long hooked n"s". -!nal' "Ir~. -" "
rrdins forehead, au. n,'.rr, il hi-
'att.st day, exceeding l,iurty pounds
in weight. H.. va, inU, cd :. queer
looking. diminu;ivc l:tt!t man, but
remarkable for i4i- -hr""l 4 answers.
ready Wit, and an inc xhau-,ioI" tnnU
of nncrtimcnt and lr:s!. lr,!lrrv.
At the timr Of which speak. P;u!-
dy was about forty years Of age, to-.
best piper of his day. but on, Of the
greatest topers to be met with in amy
par, of Ireland. Besides his extra
ordinary performance" on the ba1
pipes, he was til. life Of the wake and
tho wedding wherever W. went.
When any lower order died within
ten miles around. the piper was sure
20 be there and if the relations of
the deceased were rich people and
able Ito procure lots Of whisky, Pat
was in his element, and made the
wake house resound with laughter
and merriment. 1t was no wonder
then these exploits Of Paddy the
piper should be severely c:nsUrcd
by the pious priest. 1r did all i'll
his power to reform the little mus!ca!
topper, but to no purpose. Like Mil
toms devil
He's harden'd more by what should mos;
reclaim"
By the pious exertions Of Father
Ambrose, Sunday dancing and the
excesses practicad at wakes and fu-
nerals gradually began to fall away,
60 that in a little time Paddy's craft
was in danger and his drollcry in
little demand. With such gloomy
prospect in the locality that gave
him birth. no wonder he should feel
disposed to enlarge his sphere Of
action, and to try his fortune in town
ships moro remote. where he though,
his musical talent would be more ap
preciated.
After Z little piping among tht
hamlets in the adjacent parishes
with no better success or greater in
dulgence from the clergy, he took il
into his head to visit protestant Eng
land. where he supposed the moral:
Of the people were not so strictly
looked into. Accordingly the iirs
Monday morning in the glorious
month Of June found him piping hi
passage on board packet across tn
irish Channel.
In England he found better pa,
and better eating, but what good wa
all that. thought the piper, wi'ho"
whisky and the congeniat society .