Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-01
ANNIE O'BRIEN.

The Connaught Castle had arrived in
New York. The cabin passengers had
gone ashore. The steerage people were
being carried away by their friends Oh
by the boarding house keepers who al
ways lie in wait for them. Those YET
uncalled for sat about the decks. Wist-
full eyes turned shoreward, anxious tc
see familiar face and form among all
those strange ones.
Pat Nolan had come aboard in all his
bravery new blue coat flung open,
that it might not conceal the shining
watch chain dangling from his vest
pocket, his hat tipped to one side in true
Connaught fashion, with mighty show
of white collar and cuffs and blue neck
tie, and his boots for once polished by
an "Eyetalian." He threw his shoulders
back and looked his best, for "didn't he
come aboard to bring his sweetheart,
Annie O'Brien, home, and wasn't she
the purtiest girl in ten counties, and
hadn't she crossed the ocean for his
sake?"
dG ltlU DIS ever Ouc VIII saw
him must know his business there.
Standing still he looked about him, ex-
pecting to see his little Annie somewhere
not far.
''Sure, an wouldn't she be as anxious
to mate him as he would be to mate
herr" But strange to say he could not
see her.
He was little late, for there had been
delay of the train in which he came
down from the place where he was work
ing as coachman and gardener But
surely Annie would never have gone
ashore without him. He walked about
for full ten minutes, looking everywhere,
but still missing the face he wanted.
Every now and then a gay ribbon or a
bright coil of hair would make his heart
dance, but it was never Annies hair or
Annies bonnet. AT last he made up his
mind that she had gone ashore; but in
that case she had left word for him, of
course-word where she had betaken
herself.
81 beg pardon, sir" he said, stepping
up to man who wore gold band upon
his cap, and was presumably an officer
81 beg pardon, sir, but I'm Pat Nolan
Is there a bit of message left for me,
do you know, sir?"
''Not that / am aware" the officer re-
piled.
"It was Annie O'Brien," said Pat. "She
came over on this steamer; she expected
me to mate her. We're to be married.
you know, sir, and she'd lave word
where she is gone-Annie O'Brien."
The officer turned curious, startled
gaze upon him.
"Annie O'Brien," he repeated. ga
steerage passenger"
"In coorse, SIR" said Pat. "She's
comm over to marry me, and she's
workin' girl. We're nayther iv us rich"
The officer looked at him again.
81 know the name," he said.
"You couldn't help noticing the girl"
said Pat. "She's a purity crayther, is
Annie, wild eyes like the sky and goolden
hair, and waist ye could span wild yer
two hands-barrin' she wouldn't permit
ye to do it-and a foot light as birds
upon the floor. A little jewel is my An
ME. You'd not fail to notice her."
''Sit down moment, Mr.. Nolan,
said the officer. ~ will make some in
quiries. Wait here for me-"
ga mighty polite gentleman, though
he's as solemn as a funeral" said Pat to
himself. 81 hope he'll not delay long.
I'm wild to see Annie. Oh, the divil fly
away wild the cars that kept me from
her! wonder is she cryin' her eyes out
for not seein' me? 1t was what she had
a right to expect-the first one aboord."
The officer was returning.
He looked more serious than ever
"Mr. Nolan" he said gravely, 1.-The
captain would like to speak to you.
will take you to him. We have had a
very stormy voyage, as winter voyages
often are"
"But you've come into port on as
pleasant day as there is in the calen-
dar," Pat said cheerfully. ga Christ
mas couldn't be brighter"
''But we have had very unpleasant
voyage" said the officer gravely.
He opened the door of the captains
cabin. Pat entered with his hat in his
hand.
The captain, grave, bronzed man,
with iron gray hair, sat at a table before
an open book, on which his hand lay
'Sit down." he said.
"Thank you, sir. It's as easy stand
ing" said Pat, with a bow.
'You had better sit down." said the
captain. 81 may have to talk to you for
some minutes. l have something very
particular to say if you are the right
man. Your name isl
'Pat Nolan said Pat, beginning to
feel astonished, but then perhaps the
captain, knowing that he was to be mar
ried that evening, wanted to congratu-
late him, to offer him glass of some
thing, or perhaps it was the way of the
captains of ocean steamers to be slow
and solemn, not thinking how he kept
people from their sweethearts So Pat
sat down, put his hat on the floor, and
not knowing just what to do cracked all
his knuckles one after the other as he
waited.
"Your name is Patrick Nolan" said
the captain again, ''and you came on
board to find young woman-a friend
of yours?"
"My sweetheart promised to me. We
are to be married today" said Pat.
eff God wills it," said the captain
"Ay, sir; we can do nothing widout