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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 115
" That 's true enough", was the confused reply ; " but
I went out with some other boys on Friday, an' somehow
or other I got through every penny of what I had, an'
borrowed half a dollar besides of Harry Lambert. I 'm
sure, if I thought about this affair, I wouidn 't have spent
the money as I did ".
" You know we had agreed", said Willy, in a sorrowful
accent, " that we were to do it as soon as we could
raise the money between us, an' when I got that two
dollars I was sure we had enough ; so I went an' spoke
to a man that Mrs. Williams directed me to, an' he was
to make the cross this week. But there 's no use in
talkin' about it now ;
I can tell him not to mind doin ?
for the present, that 's all".
" But can't either you or I get a couple of dollars in
advance ?" asked Peter.
" No, indeed", rejoined his brother, "it ?
s far better to
wait a few weeks longer than to be askin' money before
it 's earned. I '11 not do that at all. When we havn't
the money we must only wait. Come away an' see Biddy
an' Ally".
When, in the course of the afternoon, the brothers and
sisters were again together and ready for a walk, they
agreed to go after vespers and see Mrs. O'Grady, whom
they had not seen for several weeks. They went accordingly,
and were grieved to find that times were sadly
altered with that worthy woman and her family. Her
husband had fallen into bad health, and had been some
time out of employment, while her son—-the main hope of
the household— had been induced to go to sea. They were
now all depending on what Mrs, O'Grady and her oldest
daughter could earn by washing and going out charing.
it