“'Well, Mr. Johnston,' said Mick, 'I b'lieve you'll never have a good opinion of them, at any rate.' “'Ay, when the sky falls,' replied Vengeance; 'but you're now on your death bed, and why don't you pitch them to ould Nick, and get a Bible? Get a Bible, man; there's a pair of them in my house, that's never used at all--except my mother's, and she's at it night and day. I'll send one of them down to you: turn yourself to God--to your Redeemer, that died on the mount of Jehosha-phat, or somewhere about Jerusalem, for your sins--and don't go out of the world from the hand of a rascally priest, with a band about your eyes, as if you were at blind-man's-buff, for, by the light of day, you're as blind as a bat in a religious way.' “'There's no use in sending me a Bible,' replied the invalid, 'for I can't read it: but, whatever you may think, I'm very willing to lave my salvation with my priest.' “'Why, man,' observed Vengeance, 'I thought you were going to have sense at last, and that you sent for me to give you some spiritual consolation.' “'No, sir,' replied Mick; 'I have two or three words to spake to you.' “'Come, come, Mick, now that we're on a spiritual subject, I'll hear nothing from you till I try whether it's possible to give you a trute insight into religion. Stop, now, and let us lay our heads together, that we may make out something of a dacenter creed for you to believe in than the one you profess. Tell me the truth, do you believe in the priests?' “'How?' replied Mick; 'I believe that they're holy men--but I know they can't save me widout the Redeemer and His blessed mother,' “'By the light above us, you're shuffling, Mick--I say you do believe in them--now, don't tell me to the contrary--I say you're shuffling as fast as possible.' “'I tould you truth, sir,' replied Mick; 'and if you don't believe me, I can't help it.' “'Don't trust in the priests, Mick; that's the main point to secure your salvation.' “Mick, who knew his prejudices against the priests, smiled faintly, and replied-- “'Why, sir, I trust in them as bein' able to make inthercession wid God for me, that's all' “'They make intercession! By the stool I'm sitting on, a single word from one of them would ruin you. They, a set of ribles, to make interest for you in heaven! Didn't they rise the rebellion in Ireland?--answer me that.' “'This is a subject, sir, we would never agree on,' replied Mick. “'Have you the Ten Commandments?' inquired Vesey. “'I doubt my mimory's not clear enough to have them in my mind,' said the lad, feeling keenly the imputation of ignorance, which he apprehended from Vesey's blunt observations. “Vesey, however, had penetration enough to perceive his feelings, and, with more delicacy than could be expected from him, immediately moved the question.