The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-04-08
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 or
by the boarding house keepers who al
ways lie in wait for them. Those yet
uncalled for sat about the decks. Wist-
fal eyes turned shoreward, anxious to
see a familiar face and form among all
those strange ones.
Pat Nolan had come aboard in all his
hravery-a 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
4Connaught 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
hack 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
sale?'
Pat felt as though every one who saw
him must know his business there.
Standing still he looked about him, ex-
pecting to see his little Annie somewhere
not far.
4-Sure, an wouldn't she be as anxious
10 mate him as he would be to mate
AerY' But strange to say he could not
nee her.
He was little late, for there had been
adelay 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
aahore without him. He walked about
for full ten minutes, looking everywhere.
bat still missing the face he wanted.
Every now and then gay ribbon or Il
kright coil of hair would make his heart
dance, but it was never Annie's hair or
Annie's bonnet. At last he made up his
Rind that she had gone ashore; but in
that case she had left word for him, of
course-word where she had betaken
herself.
al beg pardon, sir" he said, stepping
up to man who wore. a gold band upon
mis- cap, and was presumably an officer
'1I beg pardon, sir, but I'm Pat Nolan.
In there bit of message left for me,
do you know, sirT'
Mot that l am aware" the officer re-
piled.
'.It was Annie OBrien," said Pat. .sShe
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 a curious, startled
gaze upon him.
'Annie O'Brien," he repeated. "a
steerage passenger
''In coorse. SIR" said Pat. ''She's
comm over to marry me, and she's a
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, -
sad Pat. shes 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 foot light as birds
upon the floor. A little jewel is my An
ME- You'd not fail to notice her."
'-Sit down a moment, Mr.. Nolan, -
said the officer. "I will make some in
quiries. Wait here for me-"
"a mighty polite gentleman, though
he's as solemn as a funeral" said Pat to
himself. ST hope he'll not delay long.
Fm wild to see Annie. Oh, the divil fly
away wild the cars that kept me from
her! l wonder is she cryin' her eyes out
for not seein' me? 1t was what she had
Alright to expect-the first one aboord."
The officer was returning.
He looked more serious than ever
''Mr. Nolan" he said gravely, ..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 a 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 saifthe officer gravely.
He opened the door of the captains
cabin. Pat entered with his hat in his
hand.
The captain, a 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 bow.
''You had better sit down." said the
saptain. ''I may have to talk to you fol
some minutes. / have something very
particular to say if you are the right
man. Your name is
s.Pat Nolan" said Pat, beginning tx
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 tn.
captains of ocean steamers to be slow
and solemn, not thinking how he KEEP
people from their sweethearts. So Pa
sat down, put his hat on the floor, ant
not knowing just what to do cracked al
his knuckles one after the other as h'
waited.
"Your name is Patrick Nolan" sait
the captain again. ssand YOU came OF