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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 19
ing spectators joining in the performance of that sacred
duty.
Daring the day and night that poor Andy Burke was
waked, if sympathy could have alleviated the sorrow of
those whom his death made desolate, it surely was not
wanting ; for those who had never seen one of the family
till they met on board the vessel, were drawn to them by
so great a calamity, and did all that the place and circumstances
permitted to testify their deep and heartfelt sympathy.
But though the poor widow was sincerely grateful
for so much spontaneous kindness, yet it could not
draw her from her lethargy of woe. Hour after hour she
sat by the bed- head, rocking to and fro with that pecu-
liar motion so expressive of hopeless grief, only seen, I
believe, amongst our more humble countrywomen—her
clasped hands resting on her knees, and ber tearless eyes
iixed on the rigid features of the dead. All the elder
children seemed nearly as much afflicted as their mother;
but, however touching was the silent sorrow of the group,
it was not half so much so as the all but unconsciousness
of the two youngest, who, though somewhat subdued by
the sight of so much grief, yet ran about as usual, and
ate whatever was offered them with just as good a relish.
At times they would peep in between the others, where
they sat around the bed, and for the moment would seem
sensible that their father was indeed dead, but once out
of sight of that mournful spectacle, the impression was
speedily effaced.
That long, melancholy night was at length past, and
the hour arrived when the mortal remains of poor Andy
Burke were to be committed to the deep. Weak and worn
as Biddy was, she could not be persuaded from helping