Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-05
THE FURLOUGH.-' IN IRISH ANECDOTE.
Time ,uos called BoxIlNA

! was standing ONE morning al the window
of mine inn,' when my attention was auract>
ed BY scene that took place beneath. The
Brlfas, coae h was standing at he door, and on
the roof in from, sat a solitary GU de passenger,
fne Young fellow in the uniform OF the Con-
naught Rangers. Below by The front wheel,
stood 40 old woman, seemingly his mother,
a Young man and younger woman, sister or
swee, hear; and they were all earnestly entreat-
ing The Young soldier 10 descend from his seat
on the coach.
Come down wild ye, Thsdy'-the speaker
was the old women Come down new 10 your
oud mother Sure its hog ye they will and
strip the Hesh Of ,hr oonesI give ye. Come
down Thady. darlin -
It's honour mother was the short reply
Of the soldier; and with oi-ne he'd hands aud
se' teeth he ,s"k SITTER posture on the coach.
Thady come down-eome down now ye
fool Of the world-come along own wild ye :!
The tone IF the present aapeai was more i'm
pa len, and pr."mpt"ry thar the last; ana the
ansS er was more promptly and sternly pro
nouncrd: IFS honor, bro,her' and the body
Of he speaker rose more rig,dly erect than ev-
er on he roof
% Thady, come down sure i,'s me, your
own Kathleen, tbst bids We. Come down, or
y-'h br-sk the her Of me, Thady, jewel; come
down then !! ihe poor girl wrung her hands
as she said it, aud cas-; a loo k upward, tina,
had visible ffe On the muscles OF the sol
dier's counienancr. There was more tender
ness in his tone, bu, it conveyed the same re-
so'u ion az 5eforr
81, honor, honor bright Kathleen y and,
as if to d, f,nd ri,nseli from another CLAN e, he
fix d his look s,rd'ss,h in front, While he re
neweG enuea,rs bors' forth from all three in
chorus, with the same answer
Come down. Thady, honey !-Thady, We
fool Came down 20 rhady, come down 10
me-!
It's honor, mother Tvs honor, brother! -
Honor wright, my own Kathleen!
Although the poor fellow was private, this
appeal was so public. that ] did MOI hest ale
to 60 down and inquire into the particulars
OF the distress Il appeared hal he had been
home on furlough. to WISH his family and
having exceeded, a. he thought, The term Of
his Ie,vr. he wss going to reioin his regiment,
.nd to undergo the penalty Of his neglect. I
asked him when the Through expired.
"The frs Of March, your honor-bad luck
10 j, Of all the black days in the world and
here il is, come sudden on me, like shot"
The frs, Of March!-why, my good fellow,
you have a Day to spare then the frs Of
March will not ne here ill Tomorrow. II is
leap year. and February has twenty nine days"
The soldier was ,hundrr.s,ruck.-" Twenty
nine days is i,!-You're sartin Of 'ha, same!-
On! mother, mother,-the devil ny away wild
we're ouid Aimansck-s base cratur Of book
to be deceIvin one, after living 80 long in the
family Of us!''
His f. impulse was to cut a caper on the
roof Of the coach, and throw up his cap with
loud hurrah!-His second, was to throw him
self into the arms Of his Kathleen, and the third
was TO wiring my hand off in acknowledgment.
o"I,'s happy man am, your honor, for my
words saved; and all bv your honor's mrans.
Long life to your honor for ,hr same! May ye
I've long handred-snd leap years every one
of hemp