Spirit of the Titanic Read Online Free PDF

to family; we’ve two sisters and a brother already in America, and we’ve been wanting to join them for ages.”
    Kate butted in, wanting to supply all the important details. “Our da died a few years ago and, after having 13 kids, Mam is always sick, so our brother, who is the eldest, took charge of us all, but he’s much too strict and won’t let us go anywhere or do anything we fancy. He won’t even let us go to the local dances in the town.”
    Maggie nodded. “We just want a chance to live a little. I’ll write to Mam when we reach New York. She’ll understand. I know she will. And there’s plenty left at home for himself to boss around. We won’t be missed.”
    Isobel looked like she completely agreed with them. “Well, I think you’re both very brave and you’re doing the right thing.” Then it was her turn to look secretive. She leaned forward and lowered her voice, “The thing is, Jim and I are also making an escape of sorts from our home.”
    Naturally the girls were immediately intrigued, while Isobel checked that Jim was safely out of earshot. I also moved in closer, eager to hear what she had to say. As I hovered beside the sisters, Kate shivered slightly but was too focused on Isobel to question the sudden chill in the air around her.
    With a slightly guilty look in the direction of her husband, who was still busily coaching the amateur soccer players, Isobel felt that she had no choice now but to continue. Her listeners and I were waiting.
    â€œWe’re both from Belfast, Jim and me. But from different parts.”
    Here, she sat back again, obviously expecting her listeners to understand what she was telling them. Instead, the sisters waited politely, unsure of what they were supposed to say. Of course, I understood immediately, but even I realized that, for anyone who grew up elsewhere, a bit more information was needed.
    Isobel tried again. “Jim is from west Belfast, but I grew up in east Belfast.”
    Riotous clapping started in a group a few tables away. A red-faced man stood up to sing some sort of ballad that involved lots of winking and face-pulling.
    Still the two sisters looked blankly at one another, so that Isobel was obliged to throw Jim one last furtive look before blurting out as fast as she could, “He’s a Catholic and I’m a Protestant.”
    â€œOh, I see,” both sisters said simultaneously, causing the three of them to burst out laughing.
    I, for one, was slightly shocked. I didn’t think there were any Catholics in my neighbourhood, not that I had anything against them particularly. I just never knew much about them nor do I remember them ever being mentioned by my mother or father. There were some Catholics working at the shipyard, but I always assumed that they were nowhere near me.
    My uncle told me that they were usually very good at whatever trade they specialized in. “They have to be or they’d be sent packing long before lunch.”
    He also told me that they sometimes got a rough time from the others: “Ach, sure it’s bound to happen. Gangs of neighbours who have known each other for years, going to the same schools, churches, pubs, and then along comes a stranger, from a different part of town, with whom they have little or nothing in common.”
    When I asked Uncle Al why, he shrugged. “They’re just ‘different,’ that’s all. We’re proud to be part of the British Empire, while they prefer to follow the old pope in Rome. Doesn’t make sense, really. One thing is for sure, though, you can always spot them coming. There’s just something about them.”
    I certainly hadn’t suspected anything different about Jim; he looked no different from any other man I had ever met. Then again, maybe I was a bit soft about this sort of thing. Neither Ed nor Charlie had been friendly to Jim when he approached him that rainy