Suffer me to put my hand on your
head, sir; I'd like to bless you before I die, for I can't forget what
you undertook to do for your parents."
The priest sat near him; but finding he was scarcely able to raise his
hand to his head, he knelt down, and the farmer, before he communicated
the blessing inquired--
"Musha, sir, may I ax, wor you able to do anything to help your family
as you expected?"
"God," said the priest, "made me the instrument of raising them from
their poverty; they are now comfortable and happy."
"Ay! Well I knew at the time, an' I said it, that a blessin' would
attind your endayvors. An' now resave my blessin'. May you never depart
from the right way! May the blessin' of God rest upon you for
ever--Amin! Childhre, I'm gettin' wake; come near me, till, till I bless
you, too, for the last time! They were good childhre, sir--they were
ever an' always good to me, an' to their poor mother, your Reverence;
an'--God forgive me if it's a sin!--but I feel a great dale o' my heart
an' my love fixed upon them. But sure I'm their father, an' God, I hope,
will look over it! Now, darlins, afore I bless yez, I ax your
forgiveness if ever I was harsher to yez than I ought!"
The children with a simultaneous movement encircled his bed, and could
not reply for some minutes.
"Never, father darlin'! Oh, never did you offind us! Don't speak in that
way, or you'll break our hearts; but forgive us, father asthore! Oh,
forgive an' bless us, an' don't remimber against us, our folly an'
disobedience, for it's only now that we see we warn't towards you as we
ought to be.
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