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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 199
our salvation". Turning then to Willy, he said with a
paternal smile— " Why, my young friend, you are a little
apostle in your own circle ; take care that you lose none
of the many graces God hath given you".
" Indeed, Father O'Hara!" said Willy, his face betraying
all the confusion which he really felt, " its enough
to make any one ashamed to hear himself so praised up
but then, again, when I come to think of it, sure I
needn't be ashamed, for its all the work of God himself,
and for his greater honour and glory".
Here Mr. Talbot was summoned to the bedside of Mr.
Weimar, who extended his hand as he entered, and with
a happy smile— " So now I 'm a Cat'lic at last—God be
praised ; what you tink, Talbot, its much happiness to
humble one's self before the good God dat one has so
much offended, and confess deir fault, and ask his pardon,
and den to hear his minister give de pardon in his name.
When I feel so glad now, because I hope dat God will
forgive me, or has forgiven me my sins—bad and many
as dey were— I can't tink dat I 'm de same Weimar dat
used to make laugh at confession. Oh ! but God is good,
very, very good, to have mercy on a poor sinful man like
me!"
" I give you joy, my dear friend, from my heart I do !"
said Talbot, with unfeigned satisfaction— " and I would
recommend to you to supplicate the intercession of the
Blessed Mother of our Redeemer ; it is scarcely to be
expected that you could at this moment collect your
thoughts sufficiently to make a review of so many years
in fact, it could not be expected that you would : your
confession, then, must be more or less imperfect ; and
before the priest comes again in the morning, your soul
;