Smyrna times., 1876-04-12
Martha's Waiting,

America year, and had worked hard and
steadily, had saved from her wages. and
sent money over the sea to her old homo
for her widowed mother and the cb;1dro,
But she used to think, at odd times. this
Martha. Sometimes, with her arms in tbo
suds, little remembrance of home worId
come to her, and a salt tear would tricl1lo
down and mix with the soapy water; or
She would be sweeping a room. and .
Ihought OF those far, far away would steal
softly into her heart, and she won1d s+o,,
work Tor few minutes, quite unmindfnl
OF anything about her. All! this thinlino
Is wonderfully sad feeling, and even cruei
TOO, Tor it is very strong. and wa oro CO
weak that we never know when to expect
its advent.
Now, she had not much time to bcysolf
but her heart was a great biz world in
which she was silently living the old time.
ana nothing that was new. She made few
friends here, because she felt that nobody
quite understood her, when she smoke If
the old place; and there was Pat, over
there, and you know she had wonderful
leellng for him. Said he, when she was
just leaving the old for the new country.
Martha, it's little ye can take wild We TO
remind We of me-"
oh no, Pat, it's much that have :, said
she. '''''N' '"i'
" Faith, and what's that?"
Me heart, Pat, for ye're in there. sire
enough"
Then he laughed at her, and told her 70
cheer up, for in little while he was com.
ing over too, and be sure then evervtbinr
would be all right.
All, well, here she was, working awov for
dear lite-and waiting.
Sorrowiul? Not at all. Kind to those
around her; faithful and true.
Martha, why don't you go out more ?:'
asked her mistress
lfit please ye, ma'am, I'd rather stav
oy mesel, and then don't know MANY
places to go to-"
So she stayed at home. Often of nloa-
ant evenings, when work was done. and
he had breathing spell, she used to sit
Io"h' with her rough, red hands in her
ap, and think of the old home and Pat.
0he wondered what he was doing inst
neh II he was thinking of her; or may be '
e was sitting smoking his pipe at her mo-
hefS little cottage, and talking about her {
maybe he was joking with the children
he hoped he was well and cheerful and
ore up under the loss of her-weI. not
% well; she would rather that he'd feel q
tile lonely at times, just for the sake of
le love she bore him. :
She could not write, you see, or mavbe
le would have sent him a letter; but then G
lere would have been small use in that t
20, seeing that. he could not read.
She got to know the places where the s
migrant ships came in; and one dav she S
]" many poor homeless ones land, with. h
1t friends on this side, and with little or F
money, wandering about till the cars
ould take them to the Eldorodo Of tho
West. '
Martha bought cakes and candies and ',
we them to the poor forlorn children +
er broad, honest face did good to the C.
'k-hearted women, and they looked up !"
Tn little glad look in their eyes at the
ght OF one Of their own countrywomen. a
q" Are any of ye from Donegal?" asked p
c OF one of the women.
" Bless ye, darlint, that l am" responed
g woman. IN
" And do ye know the Widow McCoy?"
:" Iroth and do, and all the family" ,,.
. I'm Martha Mccoy" y"
What! ye're Martha, as yer own mo. no
9r talks so much about! May the bless fo
Virgin hould ye but yer mother loves
Yes, know" said Martha, tear in aw
eye; "and do ye know Pat Caregan p, 81
Aye and do. He's a well-doin' bow. me
he's comm over here next wear" ha
God bless ye for that same news, said we
rtha, as she helped the woman to the
S. wh
he stood watching the train as it rolled he
~, 10th to leave any one who had seen the
and all that was dear to her later than bes
had. liv,
Inc day, while working in the kitchen. S
rtha heard handorgan in front of the wo
Use playing "Donnybrook Fair" She sun
'ped her work, ran to the street, and she
e money to the man. "Will We play of
over again ?" said she, "for Pat used pla
ing it to me-"
he fell to thinking. To be sure, if he Ma
e, he would have no place to go; she b'
It try to save money to give him, so "
he might not feel poor until he got swe
ething to do; but then he too would 90 call
st. Well, in that case, she would 90 Il
+; she was strong and hearty, she could "Ol
work anywhere, and then with Pat she dea
ldn't mind how hard she had it. ="
ow she had sent money home through per-
priest; and he said to her when next On