The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-21
EM|GRANTS TAKE LEAVE
Scenes at the Dock ss Irish PEOPLE
Embark for tho Other
Side.
Heroic Struggles In Tearing Away
From Things Dear to
the Heart
"Convoyine" tho Departing Ones Graph-
icaIly Observation-Disclosures Pictures
From Irish Highway and Cabin.

S"y
From IRISH Highway aud Cabin.
Special Correspondence of The Independent
LONDON, May Sit may VOL be imagined
that whom from 100 to 200 souls lsnvo Ire
land for foreign shores every working day
In the year, there are heart and hand wiring
tngs innumerabls. and dolorous mists from
the region of tears. Few families are for.
tunnte enough to act ava altogether. II
help has come from America or the COLO
mics; II the passage money has been
snved in secret through years Of
deprivation by . single person.; II an
Irish family has after every n Of
sacriHce provided for one who 10 to 20 TO
blessed foreign lands that the remainder
may, ono BY one. eventually follow; how
sver ths going OF all these people may have
come about; in every instance them 10 A
struggle in tearing away from the things to
winch the heart 10 rooted which w OF bet
ter fortune and conditions literally know
nothing.
so many of these scenes have ! Witnessed
that I havs perhaps some little conception
OF the real bravery Of this act of illiterate,
unframed men and women pushing boldly
across oceans into untried. unknown walks
and ways. with a love. hope and deter
minRtion for ones own at the bottom of il
oil that have more real heroism In them
than the average American Ia ever called
upon to exercise throughout his entire life.
However lowly, poor and desperately
eood-for. naaght the prospective em:Rrant
may have all his life been regarded among
his fellows. the great and generous heart in
those around him melts into surprising in
tsrest and tenderness whel be comes to
leave his neighborhood, and those whom
he has nevor been so little a part of through
the bitter days that have encompassed all.
For every departure reawakens the heart
aching memories OF other departures; and
In every Irish homo / ever shared there is
An empty chair whose former occupant il
somewhere beyond the sea.
II 1t be a family which ia to 90, or some
elderly man or woman. for days previous TO
the departure the whole countryside awafms
TO the cabin; and every man, women or
has to come to mourn at the leaving and
bid God-speed Mt the going. If il be a
youth Or lass, or young man or woman. az
it oftener is, for few but the very cid and
very young are left, then, on the evening
previous to the departure every companion.
VI ONAu0AAuaAOO 10 kedliA y y uDU6Afs
and the whole night is passed in what ID
called "risinQ the heart" of the departing
one.
The custom springs from the Same kindly
quality Of extending cheer to those who
mourn, that originally established the Gus.
tom of the Irish wake" which many good
people choose to persistently misnnder-
stand and condemn. At this gathering for
.risinR the heart" of the omigrant the
irish peasants character is in a most ten.
- INT kSV nk~Ar E~ -A-1
one arrives in a hushed. embarrassed mood:
and every ono brings some little token OF
affection and regard. The poverty of these
folk alone prevents outlnndishg generosity. !
One stealthily appears with yards Of
seed cake; many with thimblestul of tea:
the cont tail pockots of another will bulge
with heartsome potatoes; housewives ar
rive with great methers of milk, Others
With schowders. or oaten cakes, crisp and
toothsome. still others with sohrahaas OF
shilk. a hearty mixture of potatoes. beans
and butter. and some with apronsful of
peat; for the slender resources of the tam
iy must never under these trying oircum.
stances DO drained. And the lads and
lasses who came with pressed Irish flowers
punches of the dear shamrock; with gifts
of ribbons and bits Of this or that priced
possession are not to be counted at all.
So. too, come those with looks of tri-
umph and secretad bottles Of poteen, that
never got a touch" that il, are a%uiltless
"grief is ever droothy" surely. Then the
night 10 passed in eating, faastino and
drinking. Loads of humble fare are there;
oceans OF ten: and timely drops Of the "rale
mountain g Tales arc told; songs are
sung; sometimes they dance to the music OF
an old tramp fiddler who has besn inn
pressed into service. But tho chords OF
mi.th are minor enough the night long;
and smiles, laughter and brave prophecies
are all touched ana ohastened by honest
Irish tears.
When morning comes, and those whoss
imperative duties call them to their homes
have said goodbye with almost the same
dread. reverence and pathetic forlornness
as when lowering the dead into tho grave.
soe rustic srh, ceremony OF Conveying" is be-
comes for the oncc, IL for only this onoe in
q lifetime. the hero or heroine of the hour.
The chests. or plethorio bags, or whatever
constitutes the luggage OF the emiQrant 10
sent on ahead in some neighbours proffered
cart. friendly riots for the honor OF the
mournful privilege often occurring. or are
slun0 over the backs Of shaggy donkeys, q
score more than necessary always being in
readiness for the friendly mission.
II q whole family are to go. the farewells
20 the wIetched old hut VIII CHI has housed
them is something pitiable beyond descrip-
ton. II 1t be but n single member Of tho
household, the .eood-byes to the old. old
FOLK too feeble for the journey of convoy"
are more pitiable still. These separation
are often too great a load for snoh, and
many a withered branch of the impoyer-
ished family tree breaks and falls into the
earth from the keen, sharp sorrow. But if
girsha or bouohal. the pride Of tho loved
home. are departing. the maelstrom of
emotion as the convoy or accompanying
procession. sets forth, is be ond the power
of man to rsveal. ~
On many occasions during nv wander
inRs afoot in Ireland, l have come upon
these excited crowds. as they were s%tArtino
from the homo; as they struggled down
mountain boreen; ne they Jagged and vniled
Along the great stone highway; or ar th.y
noared some railway station whenos the
emiRrant must depart to the seaport citv.
and making myself one OF the motlev
'convoysrs," have thus tramped with them
miles upon their sorrowful way.
sometimes the Rrewsome PROFESSIONS will
come from q point a score of miles away in
the mountains. or remote valley districts.
and though no one has ever seemed to thtnE
these touching and cha acteristic scenes
worth a place in Irish literature, thev are
common enOuUh from NIL poiptu u,J -, III