Lord Ashbourne's Act carries in its principle the death-warrant of the 'National League.'" Some excellent stories were told in the picturesque smoking-room after dinner, one of a clever and humorous, sensible and non-political priest, who, being taken to task by some of his brethren for giving the cold shoulder to the Nationalist movement, excused himself by saying, "I should like to be a patriot; but I can't be.

It's all along of the rheumatism which prevents me from lying out at nights in a ditch with a rifle." The same priest being reproached by others of the cloth with a fondness for the company of some of the resident landlords in his neighbourhood, replied, "It's in the blood, you see.

My poor mother, God rest her soul! she always had a liking for the quality.

As for my dear father, he was just a blundering peasant like the rest of ye!" GWEEDORE, _Saturday, 4th Feb._--A good day's work to-day! We left our hospitable friends at Sion House early in the morning.

The sun was shining brightly; the air so soft and bland that the thrushes were singing like mad creatures in the trees and the shrubbery; and the sky was more blue than Italy.