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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 121
" Not I", was the answer.
" Well, then, I 'm not so", said Willy, as, quitting the
churchyard, they walked away together ; " but I '11 say
nothing about it till I see whether I 'm right or not".
CHAPTER VIII.
PERSECUTION.
HO is your brother's confessor now—or
has he any, do you know ?" inquired
Father Fitzherbert of Willy, when, on
the Saturday preceding the first Sunday
of August, he had been to his confession.
" Indeed, sir", said Willy, " I am
very much afeard he doesn't go to his
duty at all ; and I wanted this good while to speak to
your reverence about him. Every time I call for him,
when I 'm coming myself, he 's sure to have some excuse
—either he hasn't time or he isn't prepared to go. Its
no use my telling him that he ought always have time for
what concerns his soul ;
and that, as for preparing himself,
he can do that in a short time even in the church,
while he 's waiting, if he only asks God to give him the
proper dispositions. He '11 always put me off, and say,
1 Well, I '11 be sure to be ready the next time' ; but its
the same every time I go, so I don't know what 's going
to come of him, sir".
" Alas !" said the priest, and he sighed as he spoke •
" this is just what I foresaw and dreaded. Throwing
himself, as he has done, exclusively among Protestants,