Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying And I am dead, as dead I well may be You'll come and find the place where I am lying And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
My father was an Irish man at heart, he went to church every Sunday, and drank his whiskey straight. He was a good man, he raised his three daughters right, and we loved him with all of our hearts, but somethings, we could not control. All the years of drinking caused liver troubles, and he loved a good fight. But it was his liver that really got him down eventually, and then, he was just gone, but he influence us for years to come.
Moma had died quite a few years earlier. I never really got to know her like my sisters had. I remember how she looked, she was beautiful, most girls just say that about their mum, but she really was georgous. I got my flaming red hair from her, and my soft locks. Her almond shaped brown eyes seemed to sparkle when it hit them right. Everyone knew why our father loved her, she was poised and kind. She was not the smallest woman with her wide hips, and thick legs, I inherited that also.
I remember one night, when both of my sisters were sound asleep, I waited up late for my papa to come home. He was working at the local factory in town(the first, with few more to come). When he came home he picked my up and spun me around. He asked me if I it would please me to go on a short walk, I loved walks, he knew that. He checked on my sisters, and then we tip-toed out the back door. It was a cool breezy summers night, the wind was rushing through my toes, I loved to walk barefoot, it made me feel free. He stopped by the stream awhile away from our homestead, and looked at me like only a father could. He said to me, "Sive, do you know what your name means?"
I just looked at him with pure love and replied enthusiastically, "No, do you know what your name means?" He chuckled and then looked back at me.
"It means sweet, your know that moma named you so, because the first time she saw you, you looked into her soft eyes, and you stopped crying, and stared at her for awhile. She said you were beautiful like an angel, but sweet like apple pie. She was a very smart woman to name you such."
"Daddy.."
"Yes, Sive"
"You miss moma dont you?"
"Oh yes darlin, I miss her so. I loved your moma very much, but Im a lucky man, and she made me 3 gorgous daughters."
I just smiled for awhile. Then I turned to daddy, and in my sweetest voice, I said "Daddy, how did she make us? Did she make us like we make bread, or like we grow potatos?" Once again he laughted a full laugh, and we walked on.
He was a great man, and I will miss him until my dying day. But thats not what this story is about. Once our father was gone, Breanna, Erin, and I went to the care of an estranged uncle, and his wife. I adored my aunt Gretchen, she was not Irish, but she made amazing potato stew, and knew how to care for children. Although she was unable to bare any children of her own, our Aunt Gretchen was not bitter towards us, and I loved her.
One day, Breanna, who was then 15 ran into our room, sobbing and it looked like she was bruised. She told me to get all my stuff together, and the same to Erin. We ran far away that night, and never saw our Uncle Bran, or our dear Aunt Gretchen again.
As I understood, our father had left Breanna a considerable amount of money and we spent the next month journeying across Ireland to the ports of the Atlantic Ocean, and were on a ship to America, as soon as my sister wished it so.
If anyone ever tells you how America is a land full of opporunities, they are liars. The first time off our boat, I cried. What happed to Breanna that was so bad, we had to leave Ireland where we were born and lived with Daddy and Moma? America is a scary place, with its tall buildings, and cruel strangers.
After months of searching for a decent job, and with almost all of Pa's money gone, we had almost lost hope. It happened on my birthday, I remember it distincly. My 10th birthday was the turn around, and I think that was moma's and pa's doin, from up in heaven. That day, my sister had us wash up, as nicely as we could, which is not easy when your living on the streets. She was going to finally give up and work in a factory. None of us girls liked the idea, but with under a dollar left, she had no choice, a dollar can only stretch so far. I guess we looked pretty okay that day, because some boy mistaked us for people with a penny to spare.
"Heya miss, buy a pape?" he opened his trap, and he was clearly not just a boy, "I got teberculosis, and I aint gonna live much longer" he ended his performance with a fake cough.
"If you had teberculosis, you wouldnt be on the dirty streets of New York selling Newpapers, now would you? What are you doing out here, anyways" reacted Breanna.
"Makin a livin, and how bout you, that aint no way a nice lady should be dressin."
"We dont come from much wealth, excuse me young man, my name is Erin" my sister held out her hand, "My sisters and I were just on our way to make a livin ourselves, you dont know where a couple of peace lovin irish ladies could find a job, without resortin to the factories, do ya?" Erin knew what she was doing, she knew what this boy was, and she knew that she could get him to let a us girls find a job. Erin had told me about the Newsboys once or twice, she was always fantasied by them, they were so crude and loud, drinking and smoking at ages as young as 8.
"Listen lady, if you want to be a newsy-"
"Why what a lovely idea! What do you say?" I batted my eyelashes a little and held out my hand.
"Well, I dont know, Id have to talk to some people. It aint that common to see a couple of ladies sellin papes. I mean maybe, 100 goils in New York are selling papes, and NYC is a big place"
"Well wait just a minute!" exclaimed Breanna, "I want to be a Newsy. Sign us up!" Breanna was such a strong willed girl, always had been, she wanted what she wanted, and she wouldnt stop until she got it.
"Aahahaha, ladie, you dont sign up to be a Newsy. It aint a steady job, its tough"
"And Im a tough girl" said Breanna.
"Alright, but watch out for the boys, they get a little excited 'round pretty goils" the boy turned and motioned us to follow him. He was a fast walker. My 10 year old feet could hardly keep up.
"Excuse me, but, you didnt tell us your name" asked Erin.
"Snipeshooter, but the boys call me Snipes"
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying And I am dead, as dead I well may be You'll come and find the place where I am lying And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
My father was an Irish man at heart, he went to church every Sunday, and drank his whiskey straight. He was a good man, he raised his three daughters right, and we loved him with all of our hearts, but somethings, we could not control. All the years of drinking caused liver troubles, and he loved a good fight. But it was his liver that really got him down eventually, and then, he was just gone, but he influence us for years to come.
Moma had died quite a few years earlier. I never really got to know her like my sisters had. I remember how she looked, she was beautiful, most girls just say that about their mum, but she really was georgous. I got my flaming red hair from her, and my soft locks. Her almond shaped brown eyes seemed to sparkle when it hit them right. Everyone knew why our father loved her, she was poised and kind. She was not the smallest woman with her wide hips, and thick legs, I inherited that also.
I remember one night, when both of my sisters were sound asleep, I waited up late for my papa to come home. He was working at the local factory in town(the first, with few more to come). When he came home he picked my up and spun me around. He asked me if I it would please me to go on a short walk, I loved walks, he knew that. He checked on my sisters, and then we tip-toed out the back door. It was a cool breezy summers night, the wind was rushing through my toes, I loved to walk barefoot, it made me feel free. He stopped by the stream awhile away from our homestead, and looked at me like only a father could. He said to me, "Sive, do you know what your name means?"
I just looked at him with pure love and replied enthusiastically, "No, do you know what your name means?" He chuckled and then looked back at me.
"It means sweet, your know that moma named you so, because the first time she saw you, you looked into her soft eyes, and you stopped crying, and stared at her for awhile. She said you were beautiful like an angel, but sweet like apple pie. She was a very smart woman to name you such."
"Daddy.."
"Yes, Sive"
"You miss moma dont you?"
"Oh yes darlin, I miss her so. I loved your moma very much, but Im a lucky man, and she made me 3 gorgous daughters."
I just smiled for awhile. Then I turned to daddy, and in my sweetest voice, I said "Daddy, how did she make us? Did she make us like we make bread, or like we grow potatos?" Once again he laughted a full laugh, and we walked on.
He was a great man, and I will miss him until my dying day. But thats not what this story is about. Once our father was gone, Breanna, Erin, and I went to the care of an estranged uncle, and his wife. I adored my aunt Gretchen, she was not Irish, but she made amazing potato stew, and knew how to care for children. Although she was unable to bare any children of her own, our Aunt Gretchen was not bitter towards us, and I loved her.
One day, Breanna, who was then 15 ran into our room, sobbing and it looked like she was bruised. She told me to get all my stuff together, and the same to Erin. We ran far away that night, and never saw our Uncle Bran, or our dear Aunt Gretchen again.
As I understood, our father had left Breanna a considerable amount of money and we spent the next month journeying across Ireland to the ports of the Atlantic Ocean, and were on a ship to America, as soon as my sister wished it so.
If anyone ever tells you how America is a land full of opporunities, they are liars. The first time off our boat, I cried. What happed to Breanna that was so bad, we had to leave Ireland where we were born and lived with Daddy and Moma? America is a scary place, with its tall buildings, and cruel strangers.
After months of searching for a decent job, and with almost all of Pa's money gone, we had almost lost hope. It happened on my birthday, I remember it distincly. My 10th birthday was the turn around, and I think that was moma's and pa's doin, from up in heaven. That day, my sister had us wash up, as nicely as we could, which is not easy when your living on the streets. She was going to finally give up and work in a factory. None of us girls liked the idea, but with under a dollar left, she had no choice, a dollar can only stretch so far. I guess we looked pretty okay that day, because some boy mistaked us for people with a penny to spare.
"Heya miss, buy a pape?" he opened his trap, and he was clearly not just a boy, "I got teberculosis, and I aint gonna live much longer" he ended his performance with a fake cough.
"If you had teberculosis, you wouldnt be on the dirty streets of New York selling Newpapers, now would you? What are you doing out here, anyways" reacted Breanna.
"Makin a livin, and how bout you, that aint no way a nice lady should be dressin."
"We dont come from much wealth, excuse me young man, my name is Erin" my sister held out her hand, "My sisters and I were just on our way to make a livin ourselves, you dont know where a couple of peace lovin irish ladies could find a job, without resortin to the factories, do ya?" Erin knew what she was doing, she knew what this boy was, and she knew that she could get him to let a us girls find a job. Erin had told me about the Newsboys once or twice, she was always fantasied by them, they were so crude and loud, drinking and smoking at ages as young as 8.
"Listen lady, if you want to be a newsy-"
"Why what a lovely idea! What do you say?" I batted my eyelashes a little and held out my hand.
"Well, I dont know, Id have to talk to some people. It aint that common to see a couple of ladies sellin papes. I mean maybe, 100 goils in New York are selling papes, and NYC is a big place"
"Well wait just a minute!" exclaimed Breanna, "I want to be a Newsy. Sign us up!" Breanna was such a strong willed girl, always had been, she wanted what she wanted, and she wouldnt stop until she got it.
"Aahahaha, ladie, you dont sign up to be a Newsy. It aint a steady job, its tough"
"And Im a tough girl" said Breanna.
"Alright, but watch out for the boys, they get a little excited 'round pretty goils" the boy turned and motioned us to follow him. He was a fast walker. My 10 year old feet could hardly keep up.
"Excuse me, but, you didnt tell us your name" asked Erin.
"Snipeshooter, but the boys call me Snipes"