"O'Connell was a grand man, and whatever cause he took in hand, it was
as good as won. But what wonder? He was the gift of God. His father was
a rich man, and one day he was out walking he took notice of a house
that was being built. Well, a week later he passed by the same place,
and he saw the walls of the house were no higher than before. So he
asked the reason, and he was told it was a priest that was building it,
and he hadn't the money to go on with. So a few days after he went to
the priest's house and he asked was that true, and the priest said it
was. 'Would you pay back the money to the man that would lend it to
you?' says O'Connell. 'I would,' says the priest. So with that O'Connell
gave him the money that was wanting--£50--for it was a very grand house.
Well, after some time the priest came to O'Connell's house, and he found
only the wife at home, so says he, 'I have some money that himself lent
me.' But he had never told the wife of what he had done, so she knew
nothing about it, and says she, 'Don't be troubling yourself about it,
he'll bestow it on you.' 'Well,' says the priest, I'll go away now and
I'll come back again.' So when O'Connell came, the wife told him all
that had happened, and how a priest had come saying he owed him money,
and how she had said he would bestow it on him. 'Well,' says O'Connell,
'if you said I would bestow it, I will bestow it.' And so he did. Then
the priest said, 'Have you any children?' 'Ne'er a child,' said
O'Connell. 'Well you will have one,' said he. And that day nine months
their young son was born. So what wonder if he was inspired, being, as
he was, the Gift of God."
[Illustration: O'CONNELL]