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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 51
and everything else must, of course, give way. Oh!
certainly, Peter, my good boy, you must go to confession
and when you are about it, you will, of course, tell the
priest of that grievous sin of having gone for some days
to a school from which Papist books are excluded. Now,
Mr. Watkins", she added, turning to that gentleman, "is
not this the darkest invention of the Evil One ? Only
see how these poor, ignorant people are kept in thrall".
Willy had listened to this exordium with no small indignation
; and when it was concluded, he advanced a
step towards his brother, while his cheek glowed and his
eye flashed.
" Are you comin', Pether", he said, "or are you not ?
What am I to tell my mother ?'
Alas ! the poison was already eating into the soul of
the elder brother ; and though his cheek, too, wore a
crimson flush, it was one of shame—not resentment. He
was angry with his brother, too, for having spoken as he
did. " Jist tell her, that I 'in old enough to mind my
own affairs-—and see that you don't come here on any
more such errands, or you '11 not be thankful to yourself.
I '11 go to see my mother when it answers me ; so walk
now".
" You just serve him right, Peter", said Mrs. Watkins,
extending her hand to the boy as she spoke, with a smile
of approbation. " I would have you treat your mother
respectfully, of course, but do not suffer her to carry your
reason captive. Learn to think for yourself where your
immortal welfare—and temporal, too—is at stake".
i " So you '11 not come—and that 's the message I 'm to
give my poor mother", said Willy, still addressing his
brother. "Then may God look down on you, Pether