Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...
Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...
Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...
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THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 9<br />
low<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>or</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g, their beds were all packed up ; and<br />
though they had been solicited, with genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Irish</strong><br />
warmth, to bestow themselves f<strong>or</strong> the night on various of<br />
the neighbours, yet they decl<strong>in</strong>ed, th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g it useless to<br />
seek repose which must have been so very sh<strong>or</strong>t. It was,<br />
however, arranged that the younger children should sleep<br />
<strong>in</strong> the next house, and acc<strong>or</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gly they were sent early<br />
to bed— not, however, bef<strong>or</strong>e the priest had given his<br />
bless<strong>in</strong>g to the whole family. About n<strong>in</strong>e o'clock Father<br />
Maloney took an affectionate leave of those whom, as he<br />
said, he was <strong>in</strong> all probability to meet no m<strong>or</strong>e on this<br />
side the grave ; and it was observed that as he raised his<br />
hand over the head of each <strong>in</strong>dividual, and breathed an<br />
<strong>in</strong>ward prayer, only perceptible by the motion of his lips,<br />
that his aged eyes, when he raised them to heaven, were<br />
dim with tears. When he turned to go away he found<br />
that all present were kneel<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong> expectation of his<br />
bless<strong>in</strong>g, and as he passed along he made the sign of the<br />
cross, <strong>in</strong>vok<strong>in</strong>g the Div<strong>in</strong>e benediction on these humble,<br />
faithful Christians— so sublime <strong>in</strong> the trust<strong>in</strong>g earnestness<br />
of their devotion. He had almost reached the do<strong>or</strong><br />
when Andy <strong>Burke</strong>'s second son, a boy of eleven <strong>or</strong> twelve<br />
years old, was cl<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g to his coat.<br />
" I want you to bless me aga<strong>in</strong>, Father Maloney", and<br />
the tears were chas<strong>in</strong>g each other over the child's rosy<br />
cheeks.<br />
" An' I hope you '11 pray f<strong>or</strong> me, and daddy, and<br />
mammy, and all of us", he added, " when we 're far away<br />
from you".<br />
u God bless you, my boy ! God bless you, and mark you<br />
with grace ! You<br />
have always been a good, dutiful child,<br />
and may you cont<strong>in</strong>ue to be a consolation to your po<strong>or</strong><br />
parents <strong>in</strong> the strange land whither they and you are