The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-04-16
Married on St.
Pat1ick's Day
B, LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

There is no calling that would seem
to cause so much suffering from SYM
patty as a person employed In q man
ufactory or on a railroad to break the
news to an operatives family that he.
has been killed. Where there are q
large number Of employees there is
usually such a person, for there Is q
certain percentage Of workmen killed
every year.
Kathleen O'Rourke and Patrick Co.
CLAN met at a ball on the evening OF
st. Patrick's day, and Pat had asked
her to dance with him many times.
Afterward he invited her to go to q
moving picture show with him. From
that time forward they were together
when not at work, and it was evident
they were about to make a match.
But Pat had q mother to support,
and Kathleen, who was an orphan,
was a mother to a little brother and
a sister. So they couldn't marry until
they had laid up something. They
both worked in the same factory, and
each lived in a house built on the
premises by the company to be used
for homes for its employees. So they
saw q great deal Of each other.
They agreed that when their wedding
occurred 1t should take place on the an
niversary Of their meeting, which was
the evening before st. Patrick's day.
When this first anniversary came
around Pat had saved $500, and Kath-
leen had saved $500, and they decided
that II they did as well the next year
they would be married the evening
before st. Patrick's day.
On the first Of the year they counted
up their savings and interest and con-
cluded that with their nest egg they
might be married and have enough for
themselves and those dependent upon
them. Kathleen bought what clothes
she would need to last a year after her
marriage, and in due time the banns
were published In church. Finding 1t
inconvenient to be married on the very
day they had planned. March 16. they
set their wedding day for the 18th.
This was partly because Pat was one
of the committee Of arrangements for
the st. Patrick's day parade and was to
lead his society on that occasion.
When the hour came for the we'd
ding Pat did not appear. Kathleen,
dressed in her bridal apparel, waited
for him with a wildly beating heart
lest something had happened to him.
She went to the door a dozen times to
look for him and finally stationed her
self at q window where she could look
up the street on which the :workmen's
cottages were built. -
Presently she saw Owen MacTavish
coming. MacTavish. was known to
every one connected with. the plant as
the company's bad news breaker, and
many a woman's heart beat quick
when she saw. him approaching her
house. Kathleen no sooner saw him
coming than she fancied he would stop
at her home to tell her that Pat had
been killed. Before he: reached the
door she had fallen In a swoon
Now, MacTavish did not stop at the
O'Rourke cottage and was unconscious
that he had frightened a girl there into
a swoon. Kathleen was picked up by
her friends, who had gathered to at
tend her to the church for the wed
ding. When she came to herself she
looked about, dreading to e the bad
news breaker. but he al not there.
"Is he gomez" she asked.
"Who gomez"
''MacTavish."
HE hasn't been here" FL.
"And Pat isn't dead2".s sg
"Nobody's heard of his being dead"
Thanks be to God"
But Pat did not appear. and no n
seemed to have any news Of him.
| Word was sent to the company's Office
to inquire for him, but no information
was ELECTED. 90
Kathleen for awhile gave herself up
to grief. She was uncertain whether
Pat had met with foul play o wheth-
er he had deserted her. 1t would have
been easier for the poor girl If she had
known which Of the two suggestions
was correct, for 1t would have relieved
her somewhat OF suspense.
When st. Patrtck's day In the morn
ing came round Kathleen made up her
mind that her lover had deserted her
and with true Irish grit declared that
there were as good fish in the sea as
ever were caught. Then the children
asked her to take them to see the
parade. and she consented-not that she
wished to do SO. but that she did not
care to disappoint them.
They were all standing on a stoop
where they could see the parade over
the heads Of others, and the societies
were moving past when who should
appear marching at the head Of one Of
them but Pat. He saw Kathleenp but
she gave him a whitening look and
turned her back to him. Relinquishing
tho command to another, he left the
ranks and Joined her:
This wal Pats explanation Of Ms
conduct: An accident he'd occurred at
q mine owned by the company some
miles away, and a rescue party wa6
leaving on a train. Pat was ordered
/ AHan.S 81 R-~A.-A- A-a--E----a.HA