Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-20
wAKEMAN's WANDERINGs.

of Irish Emigrants-
Heroic Struggles of simple Folk in
Tearing Away From tho Things to
Which the Heart is ROoted-ssCon.
voyiAg,s the Departing Ones Graph
ically Described-Pathetic Pictures
From Irish Highway and Cabin.
LONDON, May 8.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
1t may we'll be imagined that when from
one to two hundred souls leave Ireland for
foreign shores every working-dsy in che
year, there are heart and hand wringings
innumerable, and dolorous mists from the
region of tears. Few families are fortu-
nate enough to get away altogether. If
help has come from America or the colo
MES; If the passage money has been saved
in secret through years of deprivation by
q single person; if an Irish family has af-
ter every manner of sacrifice provided for
one who is to go to blessed foreign lands
that the remainder may, one by one, even
tually follow; however the going of all
these people may have come about; in eve
~ instance there is struggle In tearing
away from the things to which the heart
is rooted, which we of better fortune and
conditions literally know nothing.
So many of these scenes have I wit
messed that I have perhaps some little con-
ception of the real bravery of this act of
illiterate, unframed men and women push
ing boldly across oceans into untried, un-
known walks and ways, with love, hope
and determination for ones own at the
bottom of it all that have more real hero
ism in them than the average American is
ever called upon to exercise throughout
his entire life.
However lowly, poor and desperately
good for-naught the prospective emi9rsnt
may have all his life been regarded among
his fellows, the great and generous heart
| in those around him melts into SURPRISING
leave his neighborhood, and those whom
he has been never 80 little part of through
the bitter days that have encompassed all
For every departure reawakens the heart
aching memories of other departures; sad
In every Irish home ever shared there ID
an empty chair whose former occupant II
somewhere beyond the sea.
If 1t be family which Is to 60, or som,
elderly man or woman, for days previeu
to the departure the whole countrysid'
swarms to the cabin; and every man. wo
man or child of the townland at SOM
time or another has come to mourn at tn
leaving and bid God-speed at the going
If IL be . youth or lass, or young man o
woman, as 1t oftener is, for few but tn
very old and very young are left, then, ol
| the evening previous to the departure eve
~ companion, friend or acquaintance
certain to appear; and the whole night !
passed in what Is called "rising the heart
of the departing one.
The custom springs from the same kind
ly quality of extending cheer to those VIII
mourn. that originally established the cul
tom of the Irish 'fwake," which man
good people choose to persistently misur
derstand and condemn. At this gatherin
for s'rising the heart" of the emigrant th
Irish PEASANTS character Ia in q most ter
derly Interesting state for study. Ever
one arrives In q hushed, embarrasse
mood; and every one brings some Httl
token of affection and regard. The povel
ty of these folk alone prevents outlandis
generosity.
One stsalthily appears with yards {
seed cake; many with thimblesful of tel
some with gew-gaws and trifles of jewelr.
the cost-tail pockets of another will bulf
with hesrtsome potatoes; housewives a
rive with great methers Of milk, othel
/ with schowders, or oaten- cakes, crisp ar
, toothsome, still others With schrahags
/ shilk, hearty mixture of potatoes, bea,
, and butter, and some with spronsful
, | peat; for the slender resources of the far