The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-09
His Last Chance.
From the Lewiston Journal.

From the Lewiston Journal
Here is story told by that amiable clergy
man, Father Mccarthy, of Boston, and l only
wish you could hear him tell it in his own mimi
table way.
Among the Fathers parishioners was a certain
Mike Donahue. lie was good-natured fellow
enough, but so unpunctual in his church duties
that Father Mccarthy was sorely greved about
him.
One fine Sunday morning he saw Mike on the
other side of Washington street. Mike had no
ticed him fast enough, but became Immediately
so busy with contemplating the roofs of the
houses that he failed to see the good priest en-
trely.
But Father Mccarthy did not intend to let the
sinful man escape him. He hailed him and
beckoned him to come over. Mike looked
around, crossed over eheerfully, and exclaimed
in most delighted and innocent voice:
"Och, sure, it's the good praste himself. The
top av the marnin to ye Father Mccarthy 1t
does my Dyes good to see ye!
But the Father was in no mood for Mikes
blarney. He looked at him severely and said
"Mike, am grieved to see that you neglect
all holy duties in shameful manner. Why is
it that l never see you at church? Where were
you yesterday"
the best wurrk av my life, an proud OF am to
| tell ye av it Oi was saving souls for Jasus -
And he regarded the priest with proud look
of happiness.
"Savng souls for Jesus ?" said Father Nc
| Carthy. ''How was that, Mike?n
"Maybe you know Jim Molony, Father; the
red-headed shtone mason, who never goes to
church, an who don't behave nather in God
nor the Divvil ?'
'Jim Molony, that wicked agnostic,n said
Father Mccarthy, 'that sinful man ? Why do
you associate with low, irreligious scoffer
like that, Mike?'
'True for you, Yer Reverence, but wait till
Oi tell ye," said Mike. ''Quoite arly Yesterday
marnin' Jim comes in to me an says: 'Moike,'
says he, let us have a sail in that new boat of
yours. Olive never been in Boston Harbor,
he says, 'an Oi should like to see it,
"Well, Yer Reverence, we took sail, an fur
a long tonne everything went beautifully.
''Boy an boy fresh braze comes up, an
Jim got that excited that the little boat began
to rock loike mad.
&c Fur Hiven's sake sit shtill,' SAYS Oh sor
yell swamp the boat wild yer wriggling!' =
'But the more Oi talked the more excited
Jim grew, and furrst thing OF knew Jim was in
the water.
" 'Moikc,' says OF to myself, now is your
tonne, my bhoy. Now ye can do a good
wurrk fur Jim's poor SOUL So Oh watched
my chance. AM when he comes up fur the
first time Oi grasped him by his long red hai1
an gives him good shake koind ar to attract
his attention, Yer Riverince.
'' Jim,' Oi says moulding him well out av
tie water, Jim, do ye behave in our Lord an
Saviour Jasus ChristT
&c Il do not says he, as cool as a nagurr.
$50 Oh let go av' him.
{" 'Oill give him another chance says Oh to
myself fur Oi was bound to save the poor
hathen's soul.
''When he came up fur the second tonne he
was koind of exhausted loike, an Oi was pretty
sure Oi would succade wild him.
50 'Jim,' says OF, grabbing hould av' him an
shakin' his red curls till Oi thought they would
come av': Jim, think well before ye shpake