"His intintion," said they, "is to keep you at home to-night, in ordher
to get whatever money you have into his own hands, that he may keep it
safe for you; but if you give him a penny, you may bid farewell to it.
Put it in the curate's hands," added Thady, "or in my father's, an' thin
it'll be safe. At all evints, don't stay wid him this night. He'll take
your money and then turn you off in three or four weeks."
"I didn't intind to give him my money," replied Jemmy; "a schoolmaster I
met on my way here, bid me not to do it. I'll give it to the priest."
"Give it to the curate," said Thady--"wid him it'll be safe; for the
parish priest doesn't like to throuble himself wid anything of the
mind."
This was agreed upon; the boy was prepared against the designs of the
master, and a plan laid down for his future conduct. In the meantime,
the latter re-entered the school in a glow of indignation and
disappointment.
Thady, however, disregarded him; and as the master knew that the
influence of the boy's father could at any time remove him from the
parish, his anger subsided without any very violent consequences. The
parish priest was his avowed patron, it is true; but if the parish
priest knew that Mr. O'Rorke was dissatisfied with him, that moment
he would join Mr. O'Rorke in expelling him: from the neighborhood. Mr.
O'Rorke was a wealthy and a hospitable man, but the schoolmaster was
neither the one nor the other.
During school-hours that day, many a warm-hearted urchin entered into
conversation with the poor scholar; some moved by curiosity to hear his
brief and simple history; others anxious to offer him a temporary asylum
in their father's houses; and several to know if he had the requisite
books, assuring him if he had not they would lend, them to him.
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