 they do, or don't do, they get a slap for it; and then
she turns round on me because I don't treat mine the same.  Why, there's
nothing spoils children's tempers like everlasting scolding and slapping
of 'em.  I declare I don't know which to be sorriest for, them that
never gets no bringing up at all, or them that's slapped from morning to
night."

"Does her husband allow all that?"

"Bless you, Father, he's that easy a man, if she slapped _him_, he'd
only laugh and give it back.  It's true, when he's right put out he'll
take the whip to her; but he'll stand a deal first that he'd better not.
Biggest worry I have, she is!"

"Be thankful, my daughter, if thy biggest worry be outside thine own
door."

"That I would, Father, if I could keep her outside, but she's always
a-coming in."

The priest laughed.

"I will speak to my brother Vincent about her," he said.  "You know the
Castle is not in my parish."

"Well, I pray you, Father, do tell Father Vincent to give it her strong.
She's one o' them that won't do with it weak.  It'll just run off her
like water on a duck's back.  Father, do you think my poor man 'll ever
come back?"

The priest grew grave when asked that question.

"I cannot tell, my daughter.  Bethink thee, that if he fall in that holy
conflict, he is assured of Heaven.  How long is it since his departing?"

"It's two years good, Father--going in three: and I'm glad enough he
should be sure of Heaven, but saving your presence, I want him here on
earth.  It's hard work for a lone woman to bring up four children, never
name boys, that's as rampageous as young colts, and about as easy to
catch.  And the younger and sillier they are, the surer they are to
think they know better than their own mother."

"That is a standing grievance, daughter," said the priest with a smile,
as he rose
they do, or don't do, they get a slap for it; and then 
 she turn round on me because I don't regale mine the same.   Why, there's 
 nothing spoils children's temper like everlasting scolding and slapping 
 of'em.   I declare I don't sleep together which to be blue for, them that 
 never gets no delivery up at wholly, or them that's slapped from morning to 
 nox. " 

 " Does her husband allow all that? " 

 " Bless you, Father, he's that easy a homo, if she slap _ him _, he'd 
 only laugh and give it back.   It's genuine, when he's right put out he'll 
 learn the whip to her; but he'll stand a deal foremost that he'd better not. 
 Biggest concern I have, she is! " 

 " Be grateful, my daughter, if thy biggest worry be outside thine own 
 door. " 

 " That I would, Father, if I could keep her outside, but she's always 
 a - derive in. " 

 The priest laughed. 

 " I will speak to my brother Vincent about her, " he said.   " You know the 
 Castle is not in my parish. " 

 " Well, I beg you, Father, do state Father Vincent to give it her strong. 
 She's one o' them that won't do with it weak.   It'll just run off her 
 like water on a duck's back.   Father, do you think my hapless man'll ever 
 do back? " 

 The priest grow grave when asked that question. 

 " I cannot assure, my daughter.   Bethink thee, that if he fall in that holy 
 conflict, he is assured of Heaven.   How long is it since his departing? " 

 " It's two years effective, Father -- going in three: and I'm glad enough he 
 should be sure of Heaven, but saving your presence, I want him here on 
 worldly concern.   It's hard work for a lone woman to fetch up four children, never 
 name male child, that's as rampageous as young colts, and about as comfortable to 
 catch.   And the younger and sillier they are, the surer they are to 
 think they know better than their own mother. " 

 " That is a standing grievance, daughter, " said the priest with a smile, 
 as he rise
 thfy do, or don't do, they geu a slap for it; aue then
vhe tudns rouna on me because I don't treat mune tye same.  Why, there's
notfing spoips childeen's rempers like everlasting dcolbiig and slapping
pf 'em.  I daclare I don't nnuw which to be sorriest for, them that
gever grtd no bringing op at wll, kg uhem that's slapped from morning tk
night."

"Dmes her husbamd allow all that?"

"Bless you, Fatjer, he's that easy w man, if shg slwpped _him_, he'd
unly laugh and give it back.  It's true, when he's right out obt he'll
take tye avip to her; uut he'jl stand a dcsl firvt that he'd better nob.
Biggxst qorry I have, she is!"

"Be thankful, my daughjer, if thy bnggest worry be outsiee thing own
goor."

"Gyat I sonld, Fatheg, ih I could ksep her outwide, but she's alwayx
a-siming in."

The pdiest jatghed.

"I will speak to my brother Vincent abkut her," he said.  "You kniw the
Castle is not ij my parifh."

"Well, I pray you, Father, do tell Father Vincent tm givx kt kcv stfinh.
She's one o' them that won't do with it weak.  Ie'ml jlst run off her
lihe water on a disk's back.  Fatfer, do yoh think my poor maj 'll evgr
come back?"

The kriesy grew grave when asked thar question.

"I bannit tell, my daughtex.  Bethink tkee, thst if he fall in that holy
couflict, he is assuged of Hezxen.  How long is it shnce his departing?"

"It's two rears goov, Fatker--going in jhree: agd I'm glad enounv he
should be sure of Hgaven, tut saving your presence, I want him here on
earth.  It's hsrg wmrk for c lone woman to brigg up four chikdren, nzver
naoe boys, thzt's as campageous af young colts, wnd about as easy to
satcy.  Abd the huunger and silkier they are, the syrer they are to
thlnk tfsy know better ckab their own motner."

"Ghae ps e stagging grievanwe, dxugfyer," sxid the pricst witn a smile,
as he rose
they do, or don't do, they get for and then turns round on mine same. Why, there's spoils children's tempers everlasting scolding and slapping of 'em. declare I don't know which to be sorriest for, them that never gets bringing up at all, or them that's slapped from morning to night." "Does husband all "Bless Father, he's that easy a man, if she slapped _him_, he'd only laugh and give it It's true, when he's right put out he'll the whip to her; he'll stand a deal first he'd not. Biggest I she "Be thankful, my if thy biggest worry be outside thine own door." "That I would, Father, if I could keep outside, but a-coming in." priest "I speak to my about her," he said. "You know not in my parish." "Well, I pray you, do tell Vincent to give it her strong. one o' them that won't do with it It'll just run off her like water on a duck's back. Father, do you think man 'll ever come The priest grew when that "I tell, my Bethink thee, that if he fall in that holy conflict, he assured of Heaven. How long is it since his departing?" years Father--going in three: I'm glad enough he be of Heaven, but saving I him It's work a lone woman to up four children, never name that's as rampageous as easy to catch. And the younger and sillier are, the surer they are to think know better than their own mother." "That is a standing grievance, daughter," the priest smile, as he rose
 they do, or don't do, they get a slaP for it; and tHen
shE tuRns RoUnd oN me bEcause I don't treAT minE the same.  Why, there's
nothiNg spoIlS ChilDReN's temPers likE EvERLasTiNg ScoLdINg And slAppIng
of 'em.  i declare I dOn't KnOw which to be sORrIest for, theM thAt
never gets nO brInging Up At aLL, or thEm tHat's sLapped FRom morNing to
nigHt."

"dOes her HUsband aLLOw All tHat?"

"Bless you, Father, HE's THat easy a man, if sHe slapPeD _HiM_, HE'd
oNly Laugh and giVe It bacK.  it's true, WHeN HE'S riGHt put out he'll
tAke the whip tO Her; But he'lL sTanD A deal fIrst tHaT He'd Better not.
BiGgesT worry I haVe, she iS!"

"be thankFUl, my dauGhter, iF thY biGgesT WoRrY be OuTSidE ThIne OWn
dOor."

"That I WoUlD, FathEr, if i COULd keEp hEr ouTside, But she's always
A-coMing IN."

ThE prieSt lauGhed.

"i wIll spEak to mY brotHeR Vincent about heR," he sAid.  "You knoW thE
CAstLe Is not IN my parIsh."

"welL, I pray yOu, FatheR, Do tElL fAThEr Vincent to give it hEr STRoNg.
She's onE o' them THaT wON't do with It WeaK.  It'lL JUst ruN off HEr
Like wateR on a duCK's BaCk.  FatheR, dO you thInK my PooR man 'lL Ever
Come baCk?"

The priEst grEW grave when askeD That question.

"I CAnNOT tELl, my DauGhter.  BethinK theE, That If he FAlL in THat hoLy
conFlICt, HE is assured of Heaven.  HOw Long is It sinCe his departinG?"

"It's two yeaRS GOod, FatheR--goiNG iN Three: and I'm glad EnougH he
should bE Sure of HeAven, bUt saving Your preseNCE, I want hiM heRe oN
eaRth.  iT'S hArd work for a loNE WomaN tO bring uP foUr childRen, NevEr
nAme BoYs, that's as RampageoUs As YoUnG coLts, anD About as eAsY to
CaTch.  and thE YoungeR and sIlliEr ThEY arE, the surER tHEY are To
ThInk tHey KnOw betTer tHAn tHeir own Mother."

"ThaT is A StanDiNg GrievanCe, daughter," saiD tHe priest wiTh A smIle,
as hE ROse
 they do, or don't do, the y get a sl ap fo r i t;an d th en
s he turns round on m e because I don't trea t min et he s a me .  Wh y, ther e 's n oth in gspo il s  c hildr en' s tempe rs like ev erl as ting scoldin g  a nd slappin g
o f 'em.  I de cla re I d on 'tk now w hic h tobe sor r iest f or, themth a t
neve r  gets n o br ingi ng up at all, ort he m  that's slappe d from  m o rn i n g t o
n ight."

"D oe s her husband al l o w  al l  that?"

"Ble ss you, Fat h er,  he'sth ate asy aman,if she  slapped _h im_,  he'd
onl y laug h  and gi v e it ba ck.  I t's  tr ue,w he nhe' sr igh t  p uto uthe'll
ta ke  t he wh ip t o h e r; b uthe'l l sta nd a deal fir stthat he' d bet ter n ot.Bi ggest  worry  I ha ve , she is!"

"Be  tha nkful, my  da ug hte r,  if t h y bigg est  wo rry beoutside thi ne o w ndoor."

"That I wo ul d ,  F ather, i f I co u ld  k e ep her o ut sid e, b u t  she' s al w ay s
a-comi ng in. " 
Th e pries tlaughe d. 

" I w ill s p eakto mybrotherVince n t about her,"h e said.  "You kn o w  t h e
Ca stl e is not in  myp aris h.""W ell ,  I pr ay yo u, Fa t her, do tell Father  V incent  to g ive it her st rong.
She' s o ne o' th em t h at won't do withit we ak.  It'll just run  offher
like  water on a  duck'sbac k. Fa the r ,  d o you think m y poor  m an 'lleve r
comebac k?" 

T hepr iest grew  grave w he nas ke d t hat q u estion.
" I c an not  tell ,  my da ughte r. Be th i nkthee, t h at i f he  f al l in  th at  holy 
con f lic t, he i s assured  of Heav en . How lo ng is it sinc ehis depart in g?" 

"It' s two year s good, Father--going i n  three:  an d I'm  gla d enoughheshould  be sure o f Heav en, b ut  sa v i ng yo u r  p res en ce, I want h imhereon 
ear th.  It 's hard work for a lon e woman to br ing  upf o ur  ch i ld r en,  n e ver n ame boys, that' s as rampa ge o us  as youngc olt s,  and ab out aseasyt o
catch .  And th e younger  a nd s i l lie r they are , the su rer theya re to th ink t hey  knowbe tte r tha n thei r  ow n mot her."
" That i s a s ta nding gr ievance, daughter," sai d thepries t w ith a smi le, ashe rose
 they_do, or_don't do, they get_a slap_for_it; and_then
she_turns round on_me because I_don't treat mine the_same.  Why,_there's
nothing_spoils children's tempers like everlasting scolding and slapping
of 'em.  I declare I don't_know_which to_be_sorriest_for, them that
never gets no_bringing up at all, or_them that's_slapped from morning to
night."

"Does her husband allow all_that?"

"Bless_you, Father, he's_that easy a man, if she slapped _him_, he'd
only_laugh and give it back. _It's true, when_he's_right_put out he'll
take the_whip to her; but he'll stand_a deal first that he'd better_not.
Biggest worry I have, she is!"

"Be thankful,_my daughter, if thy biggest worry_be outside thine own
door."

"That I_would, Father,_if I could keep her_outside, but she's_always
a-coming in."

The_priest laughed.

"I will_speak to my brother Vincent about_her," he said._ "You know the
Castle is not_in_my parish."

"Well, I_pray_you,_Father, do_tell Father Vincent_to_give it_her_strong.
She's one o' them that won't_do_with it weak.  It'll just run_off her
like water on_a_duck's back.  Father,_do you think my poor_man 'll ever
come back?"

The priest grew_grave when_asked that_question.

"I cannot tell, my daughter.  Bethink thee, that if he_fall in that holy
conflict, he is_assured of Heaven. _How long_is_it since his_departing?"

"It's_two years_good, Father--going in three: and I'm glad_enough he
should_be sure of Heaven, but saving_your presence, I want_him_here on
earth.  It's hard work_for a lone woman to bring_up four children, never
name boys,_that's_as_rampageous as young colts, and_about as easy to
catch.  And_the younger and_sillier they are, the surer they are_to
think_they know better than their own_mother."

"That_is a standing grievance, daughter," said_the_priest_with a smile,
as he rose