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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 53
into some house, poor fellow, till the shower 'id be over,
and you knowin' that your clothes were so thin an' light ?"
" To tell you the truth, mother'', said Willy, " I didn't
think about the rain at all".
His mother had been till now busily engaged making
up a good fire, and it was only the tone in which her son
spoke that drew her eyes to his face. " Why, then, God
bless us, Willy darlin', what 's the matther with you at
all ? You look as if something had happened you. Did
you see Pether ? But, then, before you tell me anything
you must peel off every tack till I dhry them here at the
fire. An' as you have no other clothes to put on, I think
it 's betther for you go to bed till they 're dhry. But no",
she said, suddenly changing her mind, " I '11 put that big
coat o' your poor father's about you, an' you can sit down
here in the corner. Go into the room there, dear, an'
take off your things ; the coat 's hangin' up, you know,
at the foot o' the bed, an' come out when you have it on.
I '11 have a bit o' supper warm for you when you comeback".
The boy obeyed in silence, but his mother heard him sigh
heavily when he was alone. "God help you, poor child!"
was the prayer of her loving, sorrowful heart, as she went
on with the preparation of their humble meal.
" An' now, what about Pether, acushla?" said Mrs.
Burke, when her son, rolled up in his dead father's overcoat,
took his place at the little table, a chair having been
placed for him by his little sisters in the warmest corner.
" Indeed, mother dear, I don't like to tell you what I
seen an' hard since I left you ; but there 's no use tryin'
to hide it, for the sooner you know it it 's all the better".
The poor mother sat down on the opposite side of the
fire, pale and trembling, for these words seemed to herald