numbers rose rapidly year by year, after the arrival of the nuns, and at present the average daily attendance is just 400.  It would be very much higher, were it not for the steady decrease in the population, caused by emigration.  The emigration would have been very much greater, had not the parish priest given employment to a considerable number of men, by building a new church, convent, and convent schools.  The poorest of the children, and, in Ireland, none but the very poorest will accept such alms, get a breakfast of Indian meal and milk all the year round.  The comfort of this hot meal to them, when they come in half-clad and starving of a winter morning, can only be estimated by those who have seen the children partake of it, and heard the cries of delight of the babies of a year old, and the quiet expression of thankfulness of the elder children.  Before they go home they get a piece of dry bread, and this is their dinner—­a dinner the poorest English child would almost refuse.  The number of meals given at present is 350 per diem.  The totals of meals given per annum since 1862 are as follows:—­

During the year 1862 ...... 36,400
"     "       1863 ...... 45,800
"     "       1864 ...... 46,700
"     "       1865 ...... 49,000
"     "       1866 ...... 70,000
"     "       1867 ...... 73,000
_______

Making a total of 320,900

There were also 1,035 suits of clothing given.

The Industrial School was established in 1863.  It has been principally supported by English ladies and Protestants.  The little town where the convent is situated, is visited by tourists during the summer months; and many who have visited the convent have been so much struck by the good they saw done there, that they have actually devoted themselves to selling work amongst their English friends for the poor children.

The returns of work sold in the Industrial School are as follows:—­

L  s. d. 
Work sold in 1863 .....  70  3  6-1/2
"     "     1864 ..... 109 18  5
"     "     1805 ..... 276  1  3-1/2
"     "     1866 ..... 421 16  3
"     "     1867 ..... 350  2  4-1/2
______________

Making a total of L1,228 1 10-1/2

The falling off in 1867 has been accounted for partly from the Fenian panic, which prevented tourists visiting Ireland as numerously as in other years, and partly from the attraction of the French Exhibition having drawn tourists in that direction.  I have been exact in giving these details, because they form an important subject for consideration in regard to the present history of Ireland.  They show at once the poverty of the people, their love of industry, and their eagerness to do work when they can get it.  In this, and in other convent schools throughout Ireland, the youngest children are trained to habits of industry.  They are paid even for their first imperfect attempts, to encourage them to go on; and they treasure up the few weekly pence they earn as a lady would her jewels.  One child had in this way nearly saved up enough to buy herself a pair of shoes—­a luxury she had not as yet possessed; but before the whole amount was procured she went to her eternal home, where there is no want, and her last words were a message of love and gratitude to the nuns who had taught her.