Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-01

Annie. "Bad weather must be threat
on the say" he said, in order to be polite.
"And wild all thin passengers to be
watchin' and carin' fer-worse than
stableful of bastes!"
EYES," said the captain, 1--WE try tc
care for our passengers, but the steerage
is little crowded. They are often very
sick"
eyes, sir I was that sick myself
thought be dyin'," said Pat.
'Some are severely ILL.,, said the cap
tain.
This time Pat made no answer, but
stared at him with hot flush rising to
his face.
Sometimes they are so very i'll that
they die," the captain went on. ''Deli-
cate women, you know-little children
and delicate women"
| Pat still looked at him in silence.
"When said that we had very un-
pleasant voyage meant" said the cap
tain, "that we had serious illness-that
we had death on board. Two steerage
passengers died. One was William
O'Rourke, an old man coming over to
live with his son."
"God rest his soul!' said Pat, crossing
his forehead.
"The other, who was very i'll, was a
woman" said the captain, "a young
woman, and very pretty. Mr.. Nolan,
we have to prepare for storms in this
life-we have to brace up and bear them
as we'll as we can. They are very hard
to bear. l have had great many my
self. At my age that goes without say
ing; but you are young and full of hope.
am very sorry to say that | am afraid
you are about to suffer terrible shock.
1t is painful task to tell you. Brace
up, my lad. The other passenger was
young woman, and her name, as we have
it written here, was Annie OBrien."
All the color had gone out of Pats face
by this time. 1t was white, lips and all.
He dropped his arms ON the table and
hid his face on them, and great sobs
shook his frame.
The captain wiped the tears from his
own eyes.
"Talk does no good" he said. "Tlme
only can comfort you"
sit seems as if could not believe it,
captain" Pat cried, lifting his tear swol-
len face. "Annie-my little Annie!
Are We sure it was Annie?"
"There was but one Annie O'Brien on
our list" said the captain. ''She gave
her name just before she breathed her
last. The only steerage passenger of the
name of O'Brien died on the voyage of
fever. The doctor cared for her as
we'll as he knew how. The women
nursed her kindly. We buried her at
sea- and the burial service was said by a
Catholic clergyman who was on board.
You might like to know that, so tell
you"
"My Annie-my Annie at the bottom
of the say!" moaned poor Nolan. can
III niver see her again; niver kiss her
red lips; niver feel her two arms about
me neck! Ah. Annie, I won't live after
you'll won't live after you'll Life is too
hard to bear wild that to think of. It's
turned me to a woman. sir, I'm thinkin';
but it's the worst blow l iver had in me
loife."
There was knock at the door just
then. Pat hid his tear stained face
again.
mo admittance just now," cried the
captain.
II didn't name to come in, plase, sir"
said a sweet voice, "but I'd like to spake
to ye, captain, af yell let me. I'm
waitin' this long time till me frind comes
aboord to bring me home, and I'm get
tin anxious, fearin' something has hap
pened him. What will 1 do, sir?
know no one in Americay. Perhaps he
might be on boord and me not know it,
He'd be askin' for Annie O'Brien, and
he'd be Pat Nolan, that I'm promised to-
Would ye"--
But the captain had flung wide the
door, and Pat was on his feet, and with
roar like that of q buffalo had flung
his arms about her.
"Glory be TO God and all the saints!"
he cried. you're not dead at all!
You're alive! I've got you safe and
sound! They've been tellin' me you
were dead. God help the man that put
the thrick on me, for I'll lave but the
bones av him!'
"Quiet, there!" shouted the captain.
"Down with your fists, or I'll put you in
irons! What did you mean by asking
for Annie O'Brien, steerage passenger
when you wanted Annie Bailey, a first
cabin passenger? That is the girl that
stands there. That is the name she gave
us-Annie Bailey"
Captain, DEAR" cried Annie, clutch
ing her Pat by the coat tails, ''captain,
darlin, Pat niver knew-he did not.
Since writin' him, my mother-a wildly
married again wild Mr.. Peter Bailey,
that llapes foine tavern in our town.
So long as was goin' from her, and he
proposin' to her, why wouldn't she? And
he, havin' money to spare, said 1 should
come like a lady, and paid me passage
in the foinest place; and out iv compli-
ment to him-being my mothers hus-
band and SO generous to mel sailed as
Annie Bailey. That is the way it was,
captain; and indade all the throuble
arose from it-for I wanted Pat to find
me sated in the illigant saloon, and re-
mained there waitin' for him."
You'll excuse me, SIR" said Pat, bow
ing low, ION account of what I've been
through"
"All right, my man." the captain an
swered; and then Pat threw his arm
about his Annie and led her away, the
fa11oxxy o1ivo Mo,1, Jy,-lo n,1