EXTRAORDINARY FACTS.

The following circumstances, as recorded in a highly respectable journal, deserve the serious consideration of all classes :

• To many of our fellow-countrymen, it may not be known how it is, on viewing the erection of so many Popish mass-houses throughout the land, that the money is raised for such purposes. It naturally strikes one, that, in the main, the supporters of the Romish faith in this country are composed of the destitute Irish, and therefore from them the means cannot come. In Halifax we have a striking proof of this. The great majority of the number composing the congregation at the Old Assembly-room is formed of the poor Irish; and yet in this town we have an edifice in course of erection for the celebration of the mass. At times the work is at a stand-still for want of money, the contractor being paid as he proceeds with the building. After short intervals he resumes the work, the means having been raised from some quarter or other. From whence, then, are the funds raised? We answer-The money is extorted from Protestants in the most tyrannical manner. The priest writes to the illegally-styled bishop-the "bishop" communicates with his Great-Toe-ship, alias the “pope," who issues his mandate or “bull” to the foreign traders with England, that they deal with none who will not contribute liberally towards the erection of the Popish chapels in those cities or towns where their commodities are manufactured.

This is at present the case in Halifax. Letters have been received by many of our manufacturers, commanding them to contribute towards the completion of the Popish chapel in this town now erecting, on pain of the forfeiture of their custom. This, we are sorry to say, has had the desired effect on several of our townsmen; but we have heard of some noble exceptions of some who scorned to sell their birthright for a mess of pottage. "You may take your trade," has been the noble and undaunted reply. The Popish chapel at Huddersfield was built with Protestant money, through the same system of intimidation; and thus it is, throughout the country, that so many mass-houses have been erected, to blot the fair face of Protestant England.

"Woe to England if her cupidity in this respect is to be the downfall of her Protestant character! As an exhibition of Popish grasping, and of the designs of the Apostolic church, this affords a striking proof. Popery is moving heaven and earth to compass the destruction of Protestantism; and with the cunning which has ever characterized its policy, where it has not the power, it seeks to bribe Protestantism to commit suicide. What can be thought of such principles, as characterizing the policy of a church which professes to be the only true one? The tyranny which Popery thus exercises over the purses of our fellowcountrymen ought to be received by them as an admonitory warning of the tyranny it would exercise over their minds and bodies, if once possessed of the power. Our forefathers bled to free us from the Papal yoke, and their degenerate sons trample on their blood and sufferings, and sell themselves to their old and deadly enemy!'

THE RACE AFTER JOHNNY.

DEAR MADAM,

I BELIEVE that the accompanying paper will bring its own recommendation to your Irish feelings, and will interest your readers, in presenting a genuine specimen of native feeling from the sister country. The account was given by Peggy' herself, to a dear friend of mine, who wrote it down afterwards, as nearly as could be remembered, in her own words; and as my friend is a true Irish-woman herself, I believe that to Peggy's eloquence full justice has been done. Johnny' was a scholar at one of the national schools (the mother is a Roman Catholic), and I am empowered to add, that his studies there materially contributed to the exploit which gave rise to 'THE RACE AFTER JOHNNY.'

'Well, to make a long story short-from the time my poor child run away, I could not keep my heart from fluttering like a bird, till you might hear it. Every stone I'd see in the dark, I'd think was poor Johnny. When I'd wake, or when I'd sleep-'twas all one-I'd be still after Johnny. What's the use of striving against oneself, if a thing lies heavy upon one's heart? It is not eating, nor drinking, nor the best of fine clothes, that can put it away; besides, I was kilt by the neighbours to go after him. May be I wouldn't be said by my best friends to let him go

to the ships-and what would ail him to get a good berth as well as another? but, as I said, who could hinder a mother running the world through after her own child-and he only thirteen years the end of the summer, without a shoe to his foot, or a hat on his head, all to a fur cap he had. I didn't want for money--my own lady gave me a shilling, and I had two besides her's; and she wrote two sealed letters for me, to tell every one in Cork to help me. Well, on a Wednesday, at two o'clock, I didn't wait for the little shawl on my neck to get dry after washing it, when I set out, and you'd think I'd never stop running. I had two or three messages from the ladies to the house in and the mistress herself came out to the kitchen to me. I told her all was on my heart, and you'd think that she pitied me, for she turned her back and went out at once't; but she soon out again, bringing the two dear childer- Don't ye cry, Peggy,' says they, and every one of them holding out a sixpence to me, between the little finger and thumb: my blessing be on her and them. Well, away I runned again, and when I couldn't run for the weakness that came over me, I'd think to see my poor child drown'd in one of them big ships-and sure I wouldn't feel the ground under my feet running to save him. The evening was just going into the night, when I heard a horse after me. I didn't stop to look behind or before till the horse came up to me, and sure 'twas poor Jerry, my daughter Kitty's husband, following me all the ways to Cork. He found me when I was little able to walk, and he never left me till he brought me back to my own door-my blessing on poor Jerry. I'll ever think as bad of him as if he was my own flesh and blood, and worse too!

for who belonging to me now would do the like? Well, we didn't stop all night-the dark was all one as the light to me, for the trouble was on my heart— for all it gave me great courage to have Jerry before me, so that nothing could take a start out of me. The night and the morning were just for parting the one from the other when we came into Cork. Jerry, says I, I knows what belongs to ladies, and I knows 'tis too soon to go see Miss G― with my letter; and as forating, I could'nt see the bit I'd put between my lips, till I saw them quays where the big ships lie-for I ever was jealous of Johnny's threat to be after the ships: so down we went, but with all the things I saw, I did'nt see my poor child. I took one of my letters to Mr. who was in a big room down stairs in the ground, calling to his men rolling big barrels, for their lives, to do as he bid them. He read my letter, and then smiled at me-'tis like there was such a fine account of me in the letter. ‘Peggy,' says he, if the chap is in all Cork we'll have him for you.' Strait I went from him to Miss GThe man that stands at the door took up my letterand down run my dear lady herself, and she took me by the two hands, and, 'Oh Peggy,' says she, 'how is Miss Harriet, and how is the old master? and how is the ladies and 'she coul'nt say a word, the poor thing, for she was so much in joy to see me and she took me up stairs to shew me her aunt, and the fine picture was over the fire, and the big windees-and I was'nt tired of looking at her, for all I was longing to be gone-but she gave me my 'nough of tea and white bread and butter-and 'Oh, Peggy,' says she, come back again.'

6

'That same day was a sorrowful day to me