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

36 WILLY BURKE; OR,
rented her two rooms) was heard calling out from the
bottom of the stairs : " Open the door, Mrs. Burke ;
here 's a lady to see you".
Hastening to the door with the candle in her hand,
Biddy was just in time to receive Mrs. Watkins. " You
see I have found you out", said the lady, unceremoniously
entering the room, and smiling at the widow's look of
astonishment. " The truth is, I cannot give Willy up so
easily, and I have come here on purpose (though scarcely
an hour returned from the country) to try and prevail on
you to send him to me on Monday morning. What say
you, Willy ?" she added, going over and stroking down
his fair hair.
" Whatever my mother thinks right for me to do,
ma'am", said Willy, standing up and making a respectful
how ;
" she knows best".
" Well, Mrs. Burke, how is it to be ? Remember all I
promised to do for your son, and do not lightly cast away
his good fortune. I have no children of my own, and
there is no saying what he may come to, should we find
him trustworthy and obedient J
\
" I allow, ma'am, that your offer is a good one", said
the widow in a firm tone ; " but let the temptation be
ever so great, I 'm not at liberty to accept it, except you
could promise to bring him up in the holy Catholic
Church, an' that 's what you couldn't do, I know well,
when everything about him 'id be Protestant, an' him
always listenin' to sich talk about our religion as I hard
myself this mornin' ! Oh, no, ma'am dear, don't ask
me ! I 'm willin' to slave and toil for my child, an' I can
bear to see him poor an' naked, too, if that 's the will of
God ; but it 'id break my heart to see him in danger of