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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 57
He may have a few more sins to confess, to be sure ;
but
then you know, it will be all the same to the priest—so
pray don't trouble yourself on that head. You can go
home now, and when Peter comes he shall make a con-
fession that will banish all your fears". And so saying,
she coolly opened the door—a significant hint that she
desired no farther conversation.
Mrs. Burke drew her old shawl closely around her,
being suddenly seized with a cold shivering—her pale,
thin face assumed a still more pallid hue, and her tongue
refused to articulate a word. She might have passed out
without being able to make any sort of reply, had not
Mrs. Watkins said, with a cold smile—
" I see you are at a loss for words to express your
anger ; but pray do not curse me, heretic as I am. Your
priest might readily excuse the sin, and even consider it
as none ; but God, my good woman, will not view the
matter as your father confessor does, nor forgive you sa
readily".
The poor woman felt at the moment a choking sensation
in her throat, which, for a second or two, she could
not overcome, and she stood gasping as though for
breath, with her eyes fixed on the lady. The latter,
somewhat alarmed, extended her hand, as though to support
her ; but at the moment it seemed as though
strength from above were given to the sufferer, and
moving a pace nearer the door, she made an effort to say
— " No, thank you, ma'am, I 'm betther now : it was
only a little wakeness I took. I 'm goin' now, ma'am,
an' God knows whether we '11 ever meet again ; but I
want to tell you before I go that you know little of our
holy religion, or you wouldn't spake of it as you do. No,