THE DEATH OF SIR TOM 349 



< Sir Tom," said I, " shall I send for a priest ? " 



" A priest ! What could I do with a priest ? 

 Me forebears were on the Orange side of Boyne 

 Water, and we have never changed color." 



" Would you like to see a clergyman ? " 



"No, no; just the grip of a friend's hand and 

 these angels around me. Asking pardon is not 

 me long suit, Williams, but perhaps the time has 

 come for me to play it. If the good God will be 

 kind to me I will thank Him, as a gentleman 

 should, and I will take no advantage of His 

 kindness ; but if He cannot see His way clear to 

 do that, I will take what is coming." 



" Dear Sir Tom," said Jane, with streaming 

 eyes, " God cannot be hard with you, who have 

 been so good to every one." 



" If there's little harm in me life, there's but 

 scant good, too ; I can't find much credit. Me 

 good angel has had an easy time of it, more's 

 the pity ; but Janie, if you love me, Le Bon 

 Dieu will not be hard on me. He cannot be 

 severe with a poor Irishman who never stacked 

 the cards, pulled a race, or turned his back on 

 a friend, and who is loved by an angel." 



I asked Sir Tom what we should do for him 

 after he had passed away. 



" It would be foine to sleep in the woods just 

 back of Janie's forge, where I could hear the 

 click of her hammer if the days get lonely ; but 

 there's a little castle, God save the mark, out 

 from Sligo. Me forebears are there, the lucky 



