Catherinehistoryfic

She sat on the church pew, her head resting on her hands. Her dark hair was loose and matted, the dress she wore stained. Voices muttered around her, though there were very few people in the church.  "Miss Catherine?" A low voice called out, echoing throughout the building. The girl lifted her head slowly, as if the effort was nearly too much. Her hazel eyes looked for the source that had spoken her name, finally locking on a young man.  "Hello, William," she addressed him as she recognized the tall man. Feeling a tear escape her eye, she quickly wiped it away.  "Is anything wrong, if you don't mind me asking?" He questioned

Ireland, 1847. During a time when the country was mostly rural, with many relying solely on potato farming, the Great Famine, beginning late 1845, spawned devastation. When a black mark appeared on your crops, the inside would be rotten. This would spread throughout all crops, ruining your only method of livelihood. This would result in poverty and starvation, with disease ravaging through the already weakened community.  Emigration was becoming common. The New World of America was the last hope for many, a distant dream. The cost of a ticket for a ship could be almost a lifetime's wages. On these ships, death was common. Those who made