THE BAWN VONE. 131 



Before dismissing her attendants satisfied, and locating sundry 

 others for the night, then finding ample employment for a poor child 

 about the house, she had often a duty to perform to those who per- 

 haps ought not to have placed themselves in the situation to require *it. 



Friar Flannery was always a welcome visitor ; his good humour, 

 sly tact, and eccentric pleasantry, made him ambassador extraordi- 

 nary from the neighbouring convent. Mounted upon an ass, his low 

 burly fat figure accorded so well with the appearance of his quad- 

 ruped that he looked a kind of assinine centaur. 



" Why then is it Mrs. H., the Bawn Vone, that is leaving one this 

 away, and I having to give her Father Finnerty's compliments, who 

 will be always glad to see her at the Conwent" 



"Mr. Flannery, I hope you are very well. Indeed I did not see 

 you. I cannot expect to have my sight as sharp as it was thirty years 

 ago." 



" Doant be fishin for compliments now, my dear Mrs. H. Why 

 it is going backwards that you are, like the crabs, getting young 

 again. If you be talking of thirty years back you will be perswadin 

 myself that its ould I'm gettin.'' 



* c In truth, Mr. Flannery, we are neither of us getting young; but 

 that is neither here nor there. Come, dismount, you must not pass 

 my door without something for the house above." 



"Musha, the light of glory to your sowll" 



Friar Flannery is brought into the barn, but not until he has had 

 himself well rested after his labour, having been carried a mile or 

 two upon his patient ass, which animal in the mean time is regaling 

 himself. 



The friar and the Bawn Vone going into the barn was always a 

 subject of special interest with the young folk. The children enjoyed 

 his mirth, and with the quick wittedness of children saw into the mo- 

 tives of his extravagant blessings, and liked him the better for it all. 

 The ample sack is displayed, the friar keeping open its capacious 

 mouth. 



In goes a shovel full of wheat. 



" Musha, the light of glory to your sowl !" 



Another. 



" And to all your sowls !" 



Again. 



" Oh ! may every shovel of wheat be a shovel of glory to your 

 sowls, I pray, sweet Virgin." 



Another, another, and another. As the sack fills the prayers re- 

 double. Then the sack is shaken, in order to make room for more 

 and more the friar, although not learned, knew the principle of 

 gravitation as well as Newton himself till shaking the sack, and 

 puffing and blowing, and " the light of glory, and FatherFinnerty will 

 be glad to see you at ilieConwent" the friar is dismissed to his heart's 

 content. And, taking leave of him, we must for the present forget 

 the Bawn Vone. 



There are two characters which are always to be found in an 

 Irish town an idler and an idiot. The former character is in some 

 degree disappearing ; the latter, it is to be hoped, will soon cease 



