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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 49
u Yes, and I would willingly have done as much for
you, had you not chosen to act the fool".
" I only obeyed my mother, ma'am", returned Willy
firmly, though respectfully ; " an' I 'm sure that 's what I
was bound to do".
" I do not know as to that", said Mrs. Watkins, in a
dogmatical tone. " There are limits even to our filial
submission ; and seeing that your mother's opposition
was purely the effect of her bigotry and extreme ignorance,
I think, and so must all rational people, that you
did wrong in obeying her".
To this Willy listened without attempting any reply
for he had sense enough to know that it did not become
one of his age and station to bandy words with a lady ; but
when he saw that she had come to a pause, he ventured
to say to his brother, " Pether ! my mother wonders very
much that you 're not comin' home at all these days, an'
sent me to tell you that she 'd be glad if you could get
leave to come over either the night or the morrow night,
if its only for an hour or two".
" Well, if Mrs. Watkins will be good enough to let me
go, I '11 go back with you now, Willy ; an' indeed, only I
was so busy ever since I came here, I would'nt have been
without goin' to see my mother".
To Willy it was very plain that this proposal was by
no means pleasing to Mrs. Watkins, between whom and
her husband he saw a significant look exchanged, notwithstanding
that the gentleman had apparently resumed
his study of the book before him. " Well, really, Peter",
said the lady, in her bland, soft accents, " I know not
how you can go this evening, or even to-morrow evening ;
you have such long lessons to prepare, that they occupy >
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