The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-10-26
How Pat Was Working
When Eileen Arrived
a Labor Day Story
By NORA c. MCCARTHY
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciatiOn 1911.

fghtin', and Dim skeert ov yer gittin
kilt"
"Niver moind, sweetheart. Oill take
good care o. meself ag'in yer comm
over to jine me and We'll be married
and live in a nice little shanty and
have a pig and a goat and live loike
gintle folk
But they say, Pat, that in America
they don't have pigs. Anyway. they
don't keep EN- in the house Oi've
heard that the pigs is all KEEP together
and killed together-sometoime a
mather of tin or a dozen at one KILN"
THAT won't mather to us. Wen
have one just to remind us Of home.
And We'll have the shanty Ohm tellin
ye about wild the ladder goin' up to
the second story
Och. Pat, they don't have ladders in
America. they have stairs
"Well. We'll have a ladder in our
shanty just as We'll have the pig And
by that same token We'll have a coo
for milk"
But Oi'm told people don't keep
COOS of their own in that country. All
the milk is put in a big tub and it's
peddled out in wagons"
But We'll have the coo for the
same raison We'll have the pig and
the ladder, to remoind us of our beau
tiful islant and the home one couldn't
have in it. because we're too poor.
But in America Oil git together the
money for the shanty and the pig and
the ladder and the coo. and Wen live
like fightin' cocks
So Pat folded the poor girl in his
! arms, the tears streaming down her
cheeks at parting with him.
whats the mather darlin'?" he
said, patting her fondly. Don't be
cryin'. It'll not be long before l sind
We the money to come over to me,
and be the tonne We git there DIN
have the shanty ready. so yell think
ye're right here in ould Oirland"
ooh, Pat, Dim feared We won't sue
ceedv
And so they parted. Pat with no
more money in his pocket than to
take him in the steerage across the
ocean. The pair were too simple and
uneducated to have formed any idea
of America Their dream of a home
there was such as they might have at
home had they the means to eSta bliSh
1t, where the pig and the COW and
themselves might all live together in
domestic harmony.
Since Pat could not write his let
tiers from the new country; written by
a friend. were of the simplest charac
ter. He realized that even if he could
write his own letters be would never
be able to convey to Eieen'S simple
mind the real America. He was too
wise to attempt it. At first his letters
began in the usual way with his class:
I take my pen in hand to write you
few lines to say that I'm in good health,
THANKS be to Cod hoping that you are
the same at the present time.
Then followed hopes that the crops
would be abundant and that different
members of the family were well.
One poor speler who indited a letter
for Pat wrote, This letter comes
hopping that you are well as l am,
thanks be to GOd!'
"What's that?" said Eileen ''It
comes hoppin? Oh thacht it come by
a Ship
Pat remained several years in Amer
lea before he sent for Eileen. When
he got start he wrote. "Darlint,
Dim buildin' the shanty." When he,
made some money he wrote, "Oi've
bought the pig" Then the cow fol-
lowed. his Shanty was ready and Pat
was ready to send the passage money
that was to bring his sweetheart to
him in America.
Before starting Eileen wrote that
she wished he could bring the shanty
and the pig and the COW to Ireland,
but she supposed that if be could he
wouldn't be able to make the money
necessary to keep up the establish
ment. So she made her preparation to
join him.
Pat knew the day she sailed and the
day the steamer was due in New York.
He wrote her that she would arrive
on holiday they kent in America call
ed Labor day. He would be busy on
that day. and he would send his friend,
Mike Fogarty, to the steamer to meet
her and bring her to where he was
working Eileen thought Pat must be
very Industrious to work on holiday.
and she was glad and proud of him.
When the ship came up to the dock
Eileen saw a man on it looking as IF
be might be Fogarty, and he was.
pat tould me- he said Ito take We
where he's workin', and | will" He
led Eileen to street where great
crowds were waiting for something to
happen. Then came band of music
and men with sashes and scarfs on
caracoling horses. Among these men
in black clawhammer coat and silk
hat she saw her Pat
Pat caught sight of her and, dis
mounting, joined her.
''ls this the way yere workin'?' she
asked, astOnished.
Take her to the shanty," said Pat