esteem to the highest degree of comparison, and you will be pleased to report my eulogium to himself and to his dacent family--and proud may they be of having so brilliant a youth among them as you are--ehem!' “Now, you may all think that this was plain conversation; but I had read too much for that. In fact, it was logic--complate, convincing logic, every word of it. So I responded to him in what is called in the books, the _argumentum ad crumenam_; although I question but it ought to be designated here the _argumentum ad bestiam_. Said I, 'Father Finnerty, the colt, my paternal property, which you are pleased to eulogize so highly, is a good one; it was designed for myself when I should come out on the mission; however, I will undertake to say, if you get me into Maynooth, that my father, on my authority, will lend you the colt tomorrow, and the day of his claiming it will be dependent upon the fulfilment of your promise or _votum_.' “'_Signatum et sigttlatum est_,' said he--for, indeed, the best part of the discussion was conducted in Latin; 'and now,' he continued, 'my excellent Dionysius, nothing remains but that the colt be presented--' --“'Lent,' I responded, correcting him, 'you see, even although he was the priest--'lent,' said I; 'and your Reverence will be good enough to give the _votum_ before one or two of my friends.' “He looked at me sharply, not expecting to find such deep logic in one he conjectured to be but a tyro. “'You will be a useful man in the church,' he added, 'and you deserve to be pushed on at all events. In the meantime, tell your father that I'll ride up and breakfast with him to-morrow, and he can have a friend or two to talk over the _compactum_.' “So, father, there's the state of the question at present; the accomplishment of the condition is dependent upon yourself.” My readers may perceive that Denis, although a pedant, was not a fool. It has been said that no man is a hero to his _valet-de-chambre_; but I think the truth of the sentiment contained in that saying is questionable. Denis, on the contrary, was nowhere so great a man as in his own chimney-corner, surrounded by his family. It was there he was learned, accomplished, profound; next to that, he was great among those who, although not prejudiced in his favor by the bonds of affection, were too ignorant to discover those literary pranks which he played off, because he knew he could do so without detection. The basis, however, of his character was shrewd humor and good sense; and even at the stage of life which we have just described, it might have been evident to a close observer that, when a proper knowledge of his own powers, joined to a further acquaintance with the world, should enable him to cast off the boyish assumption of pedantry, a man of a keen, ready intellect and considerable penetration would remain.