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

38 WILLY BURKE; OR,
sionate burst of tears, " don't say that, achorra! or you '11
break your mother's heart, bekase you 're jist goin' headlong
into temptation".
" I don't care, mother. I 'm old enough and wise
enough to take care o' myself, an' you '11 see I can keep
to my religion as well as yourself or Willy either, for all
that I '11 be catchin' the larnin' when I can get it".
" Well, then, on Monday I '11 expect you", said Mrs.
Watkins, " and I hope, Peter, you will not listen to anything
your mother can say against your coming ; for,
though she is a good, well-meaning woman, she has no
knowledge of the world".
" Never fear, ma'am", was Peter's reply ;
you
" if I'm livin'
'11 see me early a Monday mornin' ".
So with a cold " Good night, Mrs. Burke : I hope
you '11 soon come to a better understanding", good Mrs.
Watkins retired, little caring for the heavy load of misery
she had cast on the already afflicted widow, and heedless
of the fearful seeds of dissension so recklessly sown in
that hitherto united and affectionate family.
CHAPTER III.
HONESTY THE BEST POLICY.
'N Monday morning, according to promise,
Peter Burke repaired to the house of
. Mrs.
Watkins ; and as his clothes were
in tolerably good condition, he was sent
off at once to school, loaded with his brother's
rejected books. The boy's heart
was naturally good, though even then
less or more tainted by the companionship of the ungodly