260 CLERICAL EXPEDIENT. 



In the evening, my friend Senor Paris ac- 

 companied me back to my mountainous re- 

 treat, and during the ride related to me the 

 following anecdote of the reverend father we 

 had just left :— 



Having occasion for a considerable sum 

 of money, in order to enter into a lucrative 

 speculation that offered, he racked his brain 

 in order to find out the means by w^hich the 

 required sum might be raised, and at last 

 hit upon the following expedient. 



*' He preached an eloquent sermon, and 

 told his flock, that if they wished to make 

 sure of going to Heaven, on quitting this 

 transitory world, they should each select a 

 patron Saint; and he would petition the 

 Great Father of all to permit them to call 

 the Saint they should choose br^other,'' by 

 whose powerful interference and mediation 



