300 THE GUERNSEY LILY. 



I had just left, had placed in my hanas a sum of 

 money, for the use of her poor countrymen in St. 

 Giles's ; and I resolved that out of this I would 

 regularly supply O'Neil with nutriment proper for 

 his weak state. I thank God, I was able, from 

 one source or another, to continue it up to the 

 time of his death, more than two years after. My 

 dislike of his poor crooked fingers soon vanished ; 

 and many, oh many a day have I run up the long 

 passage, and mounted the stairs, and placed my- 

 self on the old box, with one of those formidable 

 hands clasping mine, while I read or talked to the 

 dear old saint about his glorious Redeemer. The 

 daily pittance of soup, or milk, with bread, soon 

 nourished him into better health ; and the little 

 service of being the medium through which the 

 bounty of others reached him, won for me. such a 

 warm niche in his Irish heart, that it almost 

 amounted to idolatry. 



To such a place I could not, of course, go 

 alone ; but the privilege of visiting O'Neil was 

 sought for by so many, that I never lacked a com- 

 panion. The dear Pastor of the Irish Church in 

 that place delighted in him ; and unbounded was 

 O'NeiPs affection for Mr. B. But though he was 

 exposed to so much notice as might try the Chris 

 tian humility of any man, O'Neil lay quiet at the 

 foot of the cross, glorying in that alone. He had 

 some habits that gave offence to persons of vari- 



