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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 79
gake. I don't care, Father Fitzherbert, how hard any o*
them has to work, for no Christian 'ill put them to what 's
beyant their strength, so as they 're with them that 'ill
give them good example, an' bring them up in the love
an' fear o' God. Oh, your reverence, if I could only know
that they 'd all be under the care of good, pious Catholics,
and that they 'd persevere to the end of their lives in the
old faith that all their generations before them lived an*
died in!"
" I am truly rejoiced, my dear child", said the priest,
" that it is in my power to make your mind at ease on that
head. I have been speaking with a worthy woman, who
carries on the straw-bonnet business pretty extensively,
and she has voluntarily proposed to take your dear little
girls and bring them up to her own business, while, at
the same time, she will see that their education—and,
above all, their religious education—be not neglected*
She has no children of her own, and willingly undertakes
to bring up your girls for the pure love of God, being
herself a true and sincere Christian. As to Willy—
have arranged with a very respectable house to receive
him as messenger in their store; and if he is found
trustworthy (as I hope he will), they have promised to
promote him. Meanwhile, he is to attend an evening
school, and he can have at all times free access to my
library, so as to employ his leisure hours in useful
reading".
Mrs. Burke raised her hands and eyes to heaven—her
heart was too full for verbal utterance, but after a little,
she found voice to thank Father Fitzherbert for his truly
paternal care of her children. " Sure your reverence
has done for them what I couldn't do— a poor, lone