The Press., 1891-05-07
ANNIE VBRIEN.

ANNIE UBRIEN.
 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- full eyes turned shoreward, anxious to see familiar face and form among all those strange ones.
 Pat Nolan had come aboard in all his bravery-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 Connaught fashion, with a 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?'
 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.
 s'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 8 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 gay ribbon or q bright coil of hair would make his heart dance, but it was never Annie's 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.
 II beg pardon, sir" he said, stepping up to man who wore gold band upon his cap, and was presumably an officer II beg pardon, sir, but I'm Pat Nolan. Is there 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. "A steerage passenger
 "In coorse, sir," said Pat. She's comin' over to marry me, and she's a workin' girl We're nayther iv us rich. $
 The officer looked at him again.
 II know the name," he said.
 You couldn't help noticing the girl, ' said Pat. "She's purity crayther, is Annie, wid eyes like the sky and goolden hair, and a waist ye could span wid 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 nie. You'd not fail to notice her."
 '.Sit down a moment, MT. Nolan, said the officer. II will make some in. quiries. Wait here for me-"
 "A mighty polite gentleman, though he's as solemn as funeral" said Pat to himself. II hope he'll not delay long. I'm wild to see Annie. Oh, the divil fly away wid the cars that kept me from her! wonder is she cryin' her eyes out for not seein' me? It was what she ha6 8 right to expect-the first one aboord. |"
 The officer was returning.
 He looked more serious than ever.
 MT. Nolan," he said gravely, 'tht captain would like to speak to you. will take you to him. We have had $ very stormy voyage, as winter voyages often are."
 But you've come into port on at pleasant day as there is in the calen dar," Pat said cheerfully. "A 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 hii hand.
 The captain, a grave, hronzed man with iron gray hair, sat at 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 captain. "I may have to talk to you fol some minutes. I have something very particular to say if you are the right man. Your name is"-
 "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 ou UO8S0 tO AAN O yONAAS woAAASSA@ AAA~AAN of yourss"
 "My sweetheart promised to me. We are to be married today" said Pat,
 If God wills it," said the captain.
 "Ay, sir; we can do nothing widoui that. well know" said Pat. "The good Lord above and Father Dunn will hell me; but I'll do the best can to f1rder il myself"
 The captain looked down upon ths pages of the book before him.
 "And the name of the young girl you are asking forT he said. ..-
 'Annie O'Brien," said Pat, beginning to think the captain very stupid-"Annie O'Brien. She's the Widdy O'Brien's daughters dacent woman is the widdyt and well respected. They are neighbour there at home in the ould counthry."
 The captain ran his finger down 8 long column of. names, and stopped at last and looked at Pat again. ......-....
 sWe had very unpleasant voyage, hs