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

132 WILLY BUEKE; OR,
to have hopes of you, my dear boy !" said the lady on one
of these occasions ; "and I have no doubt but you will
soon get over these silly prejudices ; then, and then only,
you will become a truly rational being, and fit to make
your way in the world. If you could once bring yourself
to tell this brother of yours that you will not be hoodwinked
by the priests any longer ; until you can do that,
he will be always teasing you about these foolish cere*
monies and practices of superstition".
On another occasion, she told him, " What do you
think that elegant Mr. Mortimer said of you last evening ?"
(Now, this Mr. Mortimer was a ranting Methodist
preacher).
*' I 'm sure I don't know, ma'am", said Peter, raising
his large eyes to the lady's face with a look of intense
curiosity ; "I hope it wasn't anything bad, for he 's a
very nice man altogether, and speaks so beautifully".
" Bad !" repeated Mrs. Watkins, emphatically ; " no,
indeed, Peter ; no such thing. He said you were born for
a shining light, and that he was sure you would one day
make a stir in the world ; he could not help expressing
his wonder— dear, good man !—that such a boy as you,
so clear-sighted and acute in your penetration, could have
been kept so long in the trammels of Popery !"
Peter listened with a glowing cheek and a kindling eye
his heart throbbed wildly against his sides, and the unholy
thrill of gratified vanity ran like fire through his
veins. " Well, ma'am", he said, " I can only say that its
very good of Mr. Mortimer to speak kindly of me, and
I 'm sure I '11 do all I can to deserve his good opinion,
and yours, too, ma'am 1" So he hastily left the room, to
indulge his pleasurable emotion in private. Mrs. Watkins
;