to his doom perpetrated a crime against humanity, but more especially against his fellow countrymen settled in this Dominion, when he shed the blood of Thomas D'Arcy McGee. [Illustration: THOMAS DARCY McGEE, signed as T. D. McGEE] He was, of course, reared in the faith of his ancestors, and was throughout his life a zealous adherent of the Roman Catholic Church. He was christened, in honour of his godfather, Mr. Thomas D'Arcy, a gentleman who resided in the neighbourhood of Carlingford, and who was a personal friend of the family. His mother, who was possessed of a good education, took a pride in directing his infant studies, and by her he was taught to read and write. He seems to have been her favourite son, and he returned her affection with all the enthusiasm of an ardent and poetic nature. She was a melodious singer, and delighted to hold her little boy on her knee while she sang to him those heart-stirring old ballads which stir the blood like the blast of a trumpet. Sometime in 1833, when he was eight years of age, his father was promoted to a more lucrative office than he had previously held. This promotion necessitated the removal of the family to the historic old town of Wexford, where the subject of this sketch began to attend a day-school. We have no accurate information as to the course of study pursued by him, but as this establishment afforded the only scholastic training which he ever received, it is tolerably certain that he must have made good use of his time, for in after years he gave evidence of possessing a fair share of that peculiar knowledge which is seldom, if ever, acquired outside the walls of the schoolroom. The family had not long been settled at Wexford when it was deprived of its maternal head. The memory of his dead mother was ever afterwards cherished by young McGee with a hallowed fondness which found frequent expression. "Through all the changeful years of his after life," says Mrs. Sadlier, "her gentle memory shone like a star through the clouds and mists that never fail to gather round the path of advancing life."[11]