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

30 WILLY BUKKE; OK,
person attired in a travelling dress, she being about to
set out on a party of pleasure to the country seat of one
of her fiiends. At a neighbouring window stood her
husband, also equipped for the road, and apparently looking
anxiously out for the appearance of the
the horses.
servant with
" Why, Mrs. Burke, what have you got there ?" demanded
the lady, as she raised herself languidly from her
recumbent posture.
carry
" Is not that a lot of books I see you
?"
" Yis, ma'am", replied Mrs. Burke, " they're the books
you were so good as to give Willy when he was goin' to
school".
" Well, and is he not using them now ? Surely he re-
quires them still".
" He 's not goin' back to that school any more, ma'am",
was the quiet answer.
" Not going back to school!" exclaimed Mrs. Watkins,
in surprise; ''do you mean to say, good woman, that you
do not choose to send him?"
" I can't send him there, ma'am ; an' I '11 tell you the
reason, if you '11 plase to listen for one minit".
" Well, I declare", said the lady, " this impudence is
beyond everything. It is true, I had often heard that you
Irish are too lazy and indolent to apply yourselves to
learn anything, and that the trouble of keeping your children
in proper order for going to school was more than
enough for you— so I find it is just the same with you
all".
" I beg your pardon, ma'am", said the poor woman,
trying to keep in her tears, " it wasn't the throuble at all,
for God knows I 'd be glad to sit up all night, afther my