Saiorse Callan ran as quickly as her skirts would allow her, it was just be her luck if by waking up late she missed her trolley. The trolley would be her only hope of getting to Manhattan without having to walk the entire way. Her hand touched the pole just as the trolley began moving and Saiorse pulled herself up onto the stair as the contraption pulled away from its previous resting place.

"Just made it in time miss. That will be a nickel." The driver said as Saiorse began digging around in her bag for the fare. She handed him of her hard earned pennies and pushed her way to a spot a safe distance from the open door. As the trolley bumped and clattered its way out of Harlem she wondered yet again if this was really a good idea. Not just spending the last of her savings to save a couple of hours but her entire endeavor.

She had only taken the newspaper from her employer, Mr. Davidson, after he had finished reading it. She had merely been glancing through the want ads when it had caught her eye, the advertisement for a wife. She had written to Jack Francis on a whim. She hadn't been expecting any answer at all. So when the letter arrived at her boarding house she had almost burned it.

But something had held her back, the letter itself was brief, its only meaningful content being the Manhattan address of one Brian Denton. It was this Denton fellow who Saiorse had been told to contact if her choice was to come to this Texas. Saiorse had wasted no time in going to the nearest bookseller and finding an atlas of the United States, she wanted to make sure she knew where this Bloomington, Texas was. Her shock was evident when she had almost lost hold of the book before slamming it shut, earning a glare from the bookshop owner.

The journey to Texas would cover almost half of the distance to Ireland, and it would take as many days as her journey over. Of this Saiorse was quite sure. But the chance to escape this oppressive maze of steel, wood, and brick, that chance was what had driven Saiorse to take the trolley from Harlem to Manhattan. As the trolley moved on Saiorse was carefully watching the passing buildings. It had taken almost an hour before she saw the offices of the New York Sun. At the next stop Saiorse quickly made her way to the front of the trolley and disembarked.

She stepped clear of the other departing passengers and took a bracing sigh. "Well this is it. Going up those steps means it will all be real. I'll be getting married to a man I donae know. Mary mother of God give me strength." She whispered to herself before walking carefully up the stairs and into the lobby.

She approached the central desk in the middle of the lobby and waited patiently for the young man behind the desk to acknowledge her. "I'm sorry miss all the secretary positions have been filled. Have a good day."

"I am not here bout a secretary position. I am here to see Mr. Brian Denton." Saiorse said with some conviction.

The young man looked her up and down, "Oh you are one of those. Well Mr. Denton's office is on the third floor. Second door on the right you can't miss it."

"Thank ye." Saiorse said politely as she made her way to the stairs and began to ascend them. The trip to the third floor was a bit tiring. The stairs were not so much step as they were wide. Saiorse found that on she was unable to actually climb the stairs as she would have wanted, as they were more than a step apart but she finally figured out the stairs and on the landing for the third floor she couldn't help but be happy to be there.

She came to the door marked "Editor of Foreign News" she stepped through and was a shocked by the sudden silence that descended on the tiny office.

"Who are you?" A lanky boy with curly hair asked suddenly, and as if it was a signal the entire office was back to work.

"I am Saiorse Callan, I respond to an ad in the Sun and I was told to meet with a Brian Denton to receive my train fare." Saiorse said as she came to stand before the young man.

"You are another one aren't you. It just isn't fair all of you heading out there when I have been friends with them for such a long time. But no, no one would ask if David wants to go west. No I am stuck in the city with my brat brother and my stuck up sister. Slaving away in this tiny office trying to make a name for myself." A hand on his shoulder interrupted David's rant.

"That's enough David I'm sure this young lady has had enough, why don't you go get us all some lunch from the deli." Another man who Saiorse assumed was the Foreign News Editor said placing a couple of bills in the boy's hand.

"Fine I'll go get lunch. Why do I always have to get lunch? Why can't he go get lunch, no that wouldn't be right for the big editor of the paper." The boy said mumbling not so under his breath as he walked out the door.

"Sorry about that Miss Callan, is that right? David is just a bit stressed right now, he is starting university in a couple of days." Saiorse just nodded as the man continued. "Anyway I'm Brian Denton as I'm sure Jack told you about. What can I do for you today?"

"Well Mr. Denton I was hoping that you could provide me with the money for my train fare as Mr. Higgins told me you could."

"Oh yes I've got the money for you right here. I'll just make sure you get on your way before David returns." Denton excused himself with little preamble and was back just as quickly. "There you are Miss. Sorry again about David. Have a good trip and give the boys my best wishes." Denton left Saiorse standing at the door her mouth agape. She shook her head as if to clear it and moved back out the door. She shook her head to clear it before heading down the stairs. She found the trip out was went much faster than the trip up.

Before she knew it she was on the road that lead back toward her boarding house. She knew better than to attempt another trolley ride. Now that she had the money, it seemed silly that she would worry about a total nickel but she preferred to spend her time thinking about the finality of her decision.

It was final now all she had to do was to purchase a ticket and she would be on her way. Saiorse could barely believe it, she had over one-hundred dollars in her pocket. That was more money that anyone in her family had ever had at one time. This was a big moment for her and all she had to do was disappear. Denton had no idea who she was, and that David kid, well he may know her name but she had mumbled it. He would probably wonder if he had heard her right.

No she had to go through with it, she had made a promise, by taking the Higgins's money she had made a promise that she intended to keep. She would be on that train when it left for Texas. She would meet Anthony Higgins and she would marry him if she had to, every good Irish lass knows one doesn't just break a promise. Anyway it isn't every day that a man asks a girl to marry him over a batch of letters. Even if it was just a bit strange that he was looking for a wife by newspapers, and his solicitor was just a bit strange too. But then since coming to America a lot of things had been strange.