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

34 WILLY BURKE; OK,
hoodwink me into lettin' you go to the school, an' then,
when they found it wouldn't do, they paid me off. an' said
I wasn't to have any more work there ; an' that 's not all,
Willy", she added taking off her bonnet and sitting down
by the fire, " for I 'm to take back the clothes unless you
go to their school again".
" Well then, mother, they can have them this minit",
said the high spirited boy, " for now that we know what
they 're about, an' that it 's thryin' to make me a turncoat
they are, I wouldn't wear their clothes. So don't fret
about tbat, mother dear ! for I 'd sooner go in rags than
keep them, when that 's the way. But what throubles me
is, that you have lost a good friend through my means ;
for Mrs. Watkins always paid you well !" And the tears
which his own disappointment could not draw forth, now
burst from his eyes, as he thought of his mother's loss—a
loss so very serious in its probable consequences.
" Never mind, Willy, never mind !" was the widow's-
pious answer. " God is more powerful than all the world,
an' if it be His holy will, He can an' will make up this loss ;
an' if He doesn't, why, blessed be His holy name, we 'II
not murmur, for we couldn't do otherwise than we did,
unless we wanted to sell ourselves for the poor, paltry
comforts of this world".
In the evening when Peter came home, as he always
did on Saturday night, he gave his little savings as usual
to his mother ; and taking his place by the clean, cheerful-looking
hearth, he looked round for Willy. " Why,
what in the world 's the matter with you, Willy ?" he said,
seeing that his brother looked dejected : " why, man, your
face is as long as my arm".
" Indeed, Pether", said his mother, " there 's enough