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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 197
myself ; and when I talked to Mr. Talbot or his wife
about it, I said it was about de priest ; dat was only an
excuse dat de devil put in my mout : for I know very
well now dat God left the priests power to forgive sin in
his name. But now, all the bad, old pride is gone, 'cause
my life is near done, and I want to confess my sins, and
get de water of baptism, and be a Cat'lic before I die, for
fear God would ask me why I did not ' hear de Church',
as he tells us all to do ;
and when I could not answer, he
surely would send me with de bad people who rebelled
against him".
" How admirable are the ways of the Lord !" exclaimed
the priest again, and he raised his eyes to heaven.
" Truly has this awful accident been sent as the means of
leading you into the true Church, by putting an end to
your irresolution. All praise for every to his holy name !"
Mr. Talbot then beckoned all to follow him from the
room, leaving the good father alone with his penitent.
Mrs. Talbot then took the opportunity to prepare some
suitable draught for the patient, and before she had returned
from the kitchen, Father O'Hara entered the
room. Before he had spoken a word to any one, he approached
Willy Burke, and, laying his hand upon his
shoulder, he said—
" Rejoice and be glad, my child ! for God has given
you the special grace of aiding and assisting in the execution
of his merciful designs on this man. Under God
he attributes his conversion—and a truly marvellous conversion
it is —to your excellent example. So true it is,
that the silent influence of example is more efficacious
than precept. But let not this tempt, you to think better
of yourself, Willy ; for the greater the favour is that you