The Dillon tribune., 1881-03-19
THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT
The Touching Little story Of Resl.
ment's PrOtege.

The child Of the Seventh regiment is
dead. This time the romance which Den.
ixetti's opera Ia. clothed in garh impcr.
ishablc melody has been re.enacted OH the
more prosaic stage OF real life III View
York. The death Of Mrs. de Witt Cow.
dry, in Passaic N. J., re-opens story fully
~ touching IS that immortalized on the
boards Of italian. CRAP, and appealing, per.
haps, even more forcibly to the heart.
The deceased lady's maiden name was
Mary Diver. Her father, Joseph A. Div.
yer, WAS an alderman in the Fourth ward,
and engaged in lucrative business. lie was
nj ardent and patriotic impulses, and took
much interest IN military matters. lie
was the adjutant Of the Seventh regiment,
ri which General 4. Duryea was the com.
wander for eleven years, When the Mex.
lean war broke out he was fired BY spirit
al patriotism, a,d accepted tn: commission
Ut first lieutenant in u company Of drayoons.
Upon the death Of the captain the com.
nand devoived upon Lieutenant Diver,
und he served under General Scott with
noted gaIlantrv, being under fire in every
battle between Vera Cruz cnA Mexico.
After the close Of the Mexican war he was
honorably discharged, and returning to
New York he ran for the colonclcy of the
Seventh, his old commander, General
Duryea, being his rival candidate. Gener.
a Duryea won the contest, and with that
brave and kindly spirit which distinguish.
cs him still, he Immediately conferred the
post Of adjutart upon his defeated antayon.
ist, whom ne had always held In great If
lection for his high soidierly and personal
qualities.
Soon after he died, and as he had endear.
cd himself to the ,lc,nbcrs OF the regiment
his death excited general sorrow. lie was
buried with all the military honors. II
was during this mournful ceremony that
the regiment, through its humane colonel,
came to adopt its daughter. During the
services slight, pretty, dark haired girl,
with intelligent features and expressive,
eyes, attracted every ones attention. She
tretnblingly approached the caskct and
gaxed with fearful eyes upon the dead face
finer father. The poor chiid-Divver's
only one--hsi already lost her mother.
She was now indeed alone and trieAdless
in the world, but help was nearer at hand
than she in her convulsive sobs dreamed
pt. The commander OF the Seventh had
watched her narrowly as he stood by the
corpse, ind he tende,!y took her b, the
hand and led her away to his carriage hav.
Ing already made up his mind il that mo.
,nent that this little one should not be for.
taken, hut should find father and protector
IL the entire regiment. He called meet.
ing Of the officers The proposal to adopt
the orphan as the child ot the regiment
was received Ivy them with delight and en-.
thusiasn,, and every man checrt,Aly re-.
sponded to the commanders call BY contri.
huting annually certain sum for her sup
port and education. This was not all. The
colonel OF the Seventh, took her into his
own home and into the very bosom ot hi.
family, OF which sine was made II loved and
p.ttei laasat:r. ro,ethr with General
Duryea's own daughters she was CAREFUL!
educated
A memorable scene. which Genera
Duryea still dcc,ibes with the most vivit
remembrance, took place ut the Git,
Arsenal, ON the a,d OF April, 1855, whc,
the regiment openly and formally ac
knowlcdged the orphan child us its daugh
ter. She was then only nine years old,
said he, and u lovely child. brought he
IN the evening ut about nine o'clock to Il,
exhibition gala drill which took place i,
the presence ct large and brilliant th'on;
III ladies, N,b'iy kn.w that she wa
coming. The exercises " ent on as usual
when I suddenly gave out the order
Parade restv While that command is i,
force the men must not move, even Ii I'll!
commander is away. There they all stood
rigid and apparently imnovable, like Twin;
statues while | retired. They did ne,
know what was coming, though | suppos.
every one thought that something was /,
the wind. In y few mnincnts | came bacl
leading BY the hand the regiments atorte,
child. She stepped forward with u briyh
smile, and It was indeed pleasure to all I,
look ut her. Naturally pretty and win
some, she looked on this occasion her yer,
best She was dressed In the prevailing
fashion Of the day, costume trimmed a Il
ss'hfa'yc III short, tight. fitting dark gree,
frock Of the shnpe Of riticn,an's coat, witt
black buttons and . high, standing collar
and she locked tho very picture III chilyiisl
beauty, added to which was a certain nix,
uancy Of military n0achalancc which wa
extremely fascinating. Her appearance WA
hailed with hearty pleasure. Introduce.
her In few words to her protectors VIII
had been 90 kind to her, and the chill
then. with the most graceful and engagin,
manner, passing down the line, ever,
member taking her cordially BY tn, han
and wishing her. in few simple word
health, long life and happiness. 1t was
great scene. ! shall never forget It Ger
eral Duryea's voice showed deep cmotio
Us he said this(- how the ladies could NJ
restrain their joyful tears Of womanl
sympathe, how the soldiers were delighte
on learning their novel, paternal relation I