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

112 WILLY BURKE; OR,
might be expected, but with a fulness of satisfaction that
surprised Mr. Talbot at least. No remark was made, however,
and Willy retired with his prize. Next day he went
and took his sisters, with Mrs. Williams's permission, to
see some of the rare sights everywhere to be seen. They
called at Mr. Watkins's for Peter ; but Peter had gone
out, and was not expected back till evening. Brother
and sisters were disappointed on hearing this, and their
affectionate hearts were pained by Peter's neglect of them
all. Mrs. Williams had given each of the little girls a
quarter of a dollar for pocket money, but Willy would not
permit them to spend any of it. Neither did he break in
on his own two dollars, but contented himself with laying
out a ten cent piece which he had in his pocket, and that
solely for cakes and candies for the girls.
" Now it isn't that I 'd grudge", said he, " to lay out
every penny of the two dollars I got for pocket money ;
but I '11 just tell you, girls, that I 'm keepin' them for
something else, an' you wouldn't guess what it is ?"
One guessed a new cap—another a pair of shoes ;
another would wager it was to buy books. " No, then,
you 're both out this time", said Willy, and then he
added in a low voice, " I 'm keepin' my two dollars till I
put some more to it from my wages, to
headstone over my poor mother
put a cross or a
!"
On hearing this each little girl pulled out her bright,
shining quarter dollar, and handed it to her brother,
eagerly saying, though in a low whisper, for crowds were
hurrying on all around, " Ah, then, Willy dear ! won't you
let us put our money in too ? Sure we J
d rather give it
for that than anything else in the world. Here, Willy,
here 's mine !" " Ay, and mine too", said little Alice ;