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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 39
with whom he had been brought into contact. He was
deeply touched by the sight of his mother's tears, when
she saw him leave home on what she deemed a perilous
errand, and the rising demon of ambition within his soul
had to fight a hard battle for his prey.
" God's blessin' be about you, Pether", said his mother,
" an' I 'm in dread, poor fellow, that
in a choking voice ;
you 're puttin' yourself in the way of losin' it altogether,
for it 's a bad beginnin' for man or woman to slight the
advice of their parents. An' another thing, it 's a bad
sign to see any one so proud out o' their own strength.
But I see there 's no use talkin' to you, poor foolish boy
so I can only pray that God may save you from the danger
that you 're plungin' yourself into".
" Do, then, mother dear, pray to God for me, though
I 'm sure there 's no such danger as you think, for I hope
I 'm too steadfast in my religion to let anything draw me
away from it. Bat it grieves me sorely, mother, that I '11
not be earnin' anything for you now, an' you wan tin' it
so badly—indeed it does, mother ;
an' only I 'm in hopes
that I '11 soon be able to do betther for you, I wouldn't
go at all, that 's as thrue as I 'm standin' here".
" Oh, as to that, Pether", replied his mother, still
weeping bitterly, " it doesn't cost me a thought ; for sure
God is a rich provider, an' He '11 send me an' mine enough
to live on. An' who knows but you '11 be turned again
them people and their temptations, the same as Willy
was, so I '11 not fret so much about it till I see". This
new ray of hope dried up the widow's tears, and gave her
a degree of strength and courage in the presence of this
new affliction.
" Mother, do you know what I 'm thinkin' ?" said Willy,
a little while after his brother's departure.