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Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...

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THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 103<br />

of the Sa<strong>in</strong>ts \ a < Bible Hist<strong>or</strong>y ' an' such th<strong>in</strong>gs as them<br />

that Father Fitzherbert gives us ; an' then, f Gob<strong>in</strong>et's<br />

Instructions '—the w<strong>or</strong>st of all, f<strong>or</strong> its only fit to make<br />

one dull and down-hearted".<br />

" Well but, Peter", said his brother, " isn't that the<br />

k<strong>in</strong>d of read<strong>in</strong>' we want? f<strong>or</strong> it teaches us how to save<br />

our souls, and, besides, how to live <strong>in</strong> this w<strong>or</strong>ld. An',<br />

then, I 'm sure, if you want st<strong>or</strong>ies, the 6 Lives of the<br />

Sa<strong>in</strong>ts' and the c Hist<strong>or</strong>y of the Bible' are full of them ;<br />

an' they 're not like the st<strong>or</strong>ies that 's made up to amuse<br />

young people, f<strong>or</strong> we know they 're all true. Don't we<br />

read jist as wonderful th<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> them books, that happened<br />

to God's holy servants, as we can f<strong>in</strong>d anywhere<br />

at all ? F<strong>or</strong> my part, I 'd rather read them than all the<br />

fairy tales and ghost st<strong>or</strong>ies that ever were put <strong>in</strong> books".<br />

" You can read them yourself, then, <strong>Willy</strong>", was the<br />

rejo<strong>in</strong>der ; " f<strong>or</strong> I '11 not go any m<strong>or</strong>e to Father Fitz-<br />

herbert's. I 'd rather have one leaf <strong>in</strong> that old book that<br />

Johnny O'Grady lent me—the f <strong>Irish</strong> Rogues an' Rapparees'—than<br />

all the big books <strong>in</strong> the library ; so I '11 not<br />

go any m<strong>or</strong>e—that 's all about it !"<br />

" Well, Peter, I 'm heart s<strong>or</strong>ry to hear you say so",<br />

said <strong>Willy</strong> ;<br />

may never have aga<strong>in</strong>".<br />

" f<strong>or</strong> I know you 're los<strong>in</strong>' a chance that you<br />

fc<br />

* That 's my own concern, and not yours ; so I don't<br />

want to hear any m<strong>or</strong>e about it", was Peter's reply, and<br />

<strong>Willy</strong> said no m<strong>or</strong>e. But he had soon a m<strong>or</strong>e severe trial<br />

to meet ; f<strong>or</strong> it appeared that <strong>in</strong> Peter's case, as it gene-<br />

rally happens, the wilful rejection of any positive grace <strong>or</strong><br />

Div<strong>in</strong>e favour was quickly followed by a grievous temptation<br />

which he had not strength to resist. One even<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

<strong>in</strong> the course of the week follow<strong>in</strong>g the conversation just

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