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. 159<br />
look of gratified malice. " God f<strong>or</strong>give yon, Mr. Wil-<br />
son", he said, with a quiver<strong>in</strong>g lip and a tremulous voice.<br />
" I don't know why it is that you all seem to hate me as<br />
you do, f<strong>or</strong> I 'm sure I never did n<strong>or</strong> said you wrong.<br />
God grant that you don 't draw down punishment on<br />
yourselves".<br />
It was <strong>in</strong> the midst of a general burst of laughter, that<br />
Dawson, who had taken no part <strong>in</strong> the conversation,<br />
stepped f<strong>or</strong>ward and took <strong>Willy</strong> by the hand, say<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
a k<strong>in</strong>d tone— " I hope, <strong>Willy</strong>, that you '11 not set me<br />
down as one of your t<strong>or</strong>ment<strong>or</strong>s, f<strong>or</strong> I do assure you that<br />
I 'm s<strong>or</strong>ry to see you receive such treatment. Believe<br />
me, I can and do sympathise with you as regards your<br />
brother's apostacy, if the news be true, as we are assured<br />
it is, f<strong>or</strong> I know and respect your ardent love of religion.<br />
Your example goes far to conv<strong>in</strong>ce me that yours is the<br />
true faith, and, with God's help, I will, from this night<br />
f<strong>or</strong>ward, set about seek<strong>in</strong>g the truth".<br />
Hav<strong>in</strong>g thus openly expressed his op<strong>in</strong>ion, Dawson<br />
turned and bade a cold " good-night" to the other young<br />
men, who were struck dumb, it would appear, by this unexpected<br />
<strong>in</strong>cident, and he left the room with <strong>Willy</strong>.<br />
<strong>The</strong> latter almost f<strong>or</strong>got his own s<strong>or</strong>row <strong>in</strong> his joy to<br />
hear such sentiments from one whom he had so long considered<br />
as bl<strong>in</strong>dly prejudiced aga<strong>in</strong>st the Church. Greater<br />
still was his surprise when Dawson, bef<strong>or</strong>e they separated<br />
f<strong>or</strong> the night, asked him to procure f<strong>or</strong> him some books<br />
which might <strong>in</strong>struct him on the doctr<strong>in</strong>es of the Catholic<br />
Church—a request with which he will<strong>in</strong>gly promised to<br />
comply, as may well be believed.
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