The Cross and the Shamrock | Page 4

you are come. The Lord never deserts his own,
praise be to his holy name."
"Is she very ill?" said Father O'Shane; for thus was named the sole
pastor of the city of T---- in those days.
"That she is, your reverence, and callin' for the priest this three days;
but as we heard your reverence say that you would be in the country till
this day, we thought it no use to give in the sick call sooner. I myself
gave it in this morning afore my poor, sick old man got up."

"God help the poor!" muttered the tender-hearted priest, as he ascended
to the third floor, where the dying woman lay.
"Amen!" answered Mrs. Doherty, aloud. "You would pity her, your
reverence, if you seen the misery they are in this two months; and it is
easily telling they saw better days in the ould country. It is easily
knowing that, by the dacent, mannerly children she has around her,
God help 'em."
"Pax huic domui, et omnibus habitantibus in ea"--"Peace to this house,
and all that dwell therein," uttered the priest of God, as he opened the
latchless door of the room on the third story of the old "Oil Mill
House," where the patient was extended on her "pallet of straw." For a
moment he stood on the threshold, for within an unusual and solemn
sight presented itself to his view. A woman of fair and comely features,
between about thirty and forty years of age, lay as described on the
floor, with four children kneeling around her. The eldest, a lad of about
fifteen years, read aloud the litanies and prayers of the church for the
dying, while the three younger children repeated the responses in
fervent but trembling accents.
"Lord, have mercy on her," cried Paul, the eldest boy.
"Christ, have mercy on her," answered the younger children.
"Holy Mary." _R._ "Pray for her."
"All ye holy angels and archangels." _R._ "Pray for her."
"All ye choirs of the just." _R._ "Pray for her."
"All ye saints of God." _R._ "Make intercession for her."
"From thy anger, from an unhappy death, from the pains of hell." _R._
"Deliver her, O Lord."
"By thy cross and passion, by thy death and burial, by thy glorious
resurrection, in the day of judgment." _R._ "Deliver her, O Lord."

"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant from all danger of hell, and
from all pain and tribulation." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Enoch and
Elias from the common death of the world." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Noah
from the flood." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Abraham
from the midst of the Chaldeans." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Job from
all his afflictions." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Isaac from
being sacrificed by his father." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Lot from
Sodom and the flames of fire." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Moses
from the hands of Pharaoh, King of Egypt." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Daniel
from the lions' den." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst the three
children from the fiery furnace and from the hands of an unmerciful
king." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Susanna
from her false accusers." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst David
from the hands of Goliah and Saul." _R._ "Amen."
"Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Peter and
Paul out of prison." _R._ "Amen."

"And as thou deliveredst that blessed virgin and martyr, St. Thecla,
from most cruel torments, so vouchsafe, O Lord, to deliver the soul of
this thy servant, and bring it to the participation of thy heavenly joys."
_R._ "Amen."
"Depart, Christian soul, out of this world, in the name of God, the
Father Almighty, who created thee; in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of
the living God, who suffered for thee; in the name of the Holy Ghost,
who sanctified thee; in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones and
dominations, cherubims and seraphims; in the name of the patriarchs
and prophets, of the holy martyrs and confessors, of the holy monks
and hermits, of the holy virgins, and of all the saints of God. Let thy
place be this day in peace, and thy abode in Sion, through Christ, our
Lord." R. "Amen."