No sooner had Father Finnerty received the colt, and pledged himself that Denny should have the place at Maynooth that was then vacant, than a tumultuous expression of delight burst from his family and relations, business was then thrown aside for the day; the house was scoured and set in order, as if it were for a festival; their best apparel was put on; every eye was bright, every heart throbbed with a delightful impulse, whilst kindness and hilarity beamed from their faces.  In a short time they all separated themselves among their neighbors to communicate the agreeable tidings; and the latter, with an honest participation in their happiness, instantly laid aside their avocations, and flocked to Denis O’Shaughnessy’s, that they might congratulate him and his friends upon what was considered the completion of their hopes.  When the day was more advanced, several of Denny’s brothers and sisters returned, and the house was nearly filled with their acquaintances and relations.  Ere one o’clock had passed they wore all assembled, except old Denis, of whom, no person could give any intelligence.  Talk, loud laughter, pure poteen, and good-humor, all circulated freely? the friendly neighbor unshaved, and with his Sunday coat thrown hastily over his work-day apparel, drank to Denny’s health, and wished that he might “bate all Maynewth out of the face; an’ sure there’s no doubt of that, any how—­doesn’t myself remimber him puttin’ the explanations to Pasthorini before he was the bulk o’ my fist?” His brothers and sisters now adopted with enthusiasm the terms of respect which he had prescribed for them through his father; he was Sirred and Misthered, and all but Reverenced, with a glow of affectionate triumph which they strove not to conceal.  He was also overwhelmed with compliments of all hues and complexions:  one reminded him of the victory he obtained over a hedge-schoolmaster who came one Sunday a distance of fifteen miles to sack him in English Grammar on the chapel-green; but as the man was no classical scholar, “Sure,” observed his neighbor, “I remember well that he couldn’t get a word out of Misther Denis’s head there but Latin; so that the poor crathur, afther travellin’ fifteen long miles, had to go home agin, the show o’ the world, widout undherstandin’ a sintence of the larnin’ that was put an him; an’ so here’s wishin’ you health, Misther Dinis, agra, an’ no fear in life but you’ll be the jewel at the prachin,’ sir, plase Goodness!”

Another reminded him of “how often he proved Phaidrick Murray to be an ass, and showed him how he couldn’t make out the differ atween black an’ white.”

“Sure, an’ he did,” said Phadrick, scratching his head, for he was one of the first at the house; “an’ no wondher, wid his long-headed screwtations from the books.  Throth, his own father was the best match, barrin’ Father Lawdher that was broke of his bread, he ever met wid, till he got too many for him by the Latin an’ Greek.”