Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-09-05
"What is vour name1''

"What is vour name,n
Bridget, sur. "
"Bridect what.
"BTidge; Mulligan sur" :
'Where did YOU live
In kildormey, sur"
"Where did You get your tickcts1n
'From Mr. OIrady, sur
Now | knew Kildormey- as well as
know this ship, and | knew O'Gra,}v was
our agent there. would have given a
good deal at <(hat moment for q few
words with him. But l knew Of no
Nulligans there, although, Of course,
there might be. was born myself only
few miles from klldormey Now, thinks
! 70 myself, If these two children can
batfic.a rureer that been twenty wears
on the Atlantic when they say they
came from his own town almost, by the
ro"ers they deserve their passage over
the ocean. had often seen grown peo-
pie try 10 cheat their way across, and
may say none Of them succeeded on my
ships.
"Wherc's your father and mothcr!'
Both dead, sur.
"Who was your fatherl'
He was pinshoncr, sur"
"Nhcre did he draw his pcnsion7
II donno, sur"
Where did you get the money to buy
your tckcts?"
"Thc neighbors, sur, and Mr.. O'Grady
helped, sur"
'What ncighbors? Name them
She unhcsitatingIy named number,
many Of whom | knew, and as that had
frequently been done before | saw no
reason to doubt the girls word
"Now," l said, II want to speak with
your sister. You may GO"
The little one held on to her sisters
hand and cried bitterly.
When the other was gone, | drew the
child toward me and questioned her
but could not get Il word in reply.
I For the next day or two was bothered
Somewhat by big Irishn an named
pDonncll, who was a tirebrand among
the stcerage passengers. AS we had
many English and German passengers,
as we'll as many peaccablc Irishmen, who
complained of the constant ructions
O'Donncll was kicking up, was forced
to ask him to keep quiet He became
very abusive one day and tried to strike
me, had him locked up until he came
to his senses.
While | was in my room, after this
little excitement, Mrs. O'Donnell came
to and pleaded for her rascallv husband.
| had noticed her before She was a
poor, weak, brok en- hearted woman
whom her husband made slave of, and
! have no doubt beat her when he had
the chance. She was evidently mortally
afraid of him, and a look from him
seemed enough to take the life out of
her.
We'll Mrs. .o'Dsnnell,' I said, 'rll
let your husband 60, but he will have to
keep civi! tongue in his head and keep
his hands off people. I've seen men
for less pat in irons during voyage
and handed over to the authorities
when they landed. And now | want
YOU to do me a favor. There are two
children on board without tickets. |
don't believe they ever had tickets. and
| want to find out. You're kind hearted
woman, Mrs. O'Donnell, and perhaps the
children will. answer YOU.
| had the two called IN, and they came
hand in hand rs usual Th elder looked
at me as if She couldn't take her eyes off
my face
Look at this woman" | said to her
! "shc wants TO speak to you. Ask her
some questions about herself, | whis-
pcred TO Mrs. oDonnell
"Acushla, said Mrs O'Aonnell with
Infinite tenderness, taking the di>engaoed
hand of the elder girl Tell me-, dar-
lint, where yee are from
suppose had spoken rather harsh
ly 10 them before, although | had not
intended 70 do so. but however that may
be at the first word OF kindness from
the lips of their countrywoman both
girls broke down aud cried as if their
hearts would break The poor woman
drew them toward her, and stroking the
fair hair of the elder girl, tried to com
fort her while the tears streamed down
her own cheeks. Hush. acushla, hush,
dorlints, shure the gentlemin's not goin'
10 be hard Wild TWO poor childher going
to q strange country
OF course 1t would never do 10 adni
that the company could carry en- grants
free through anV matter of syrlDa+h hv