Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-16
EEMIEISC aNOE OF A MARCH.

EEMIEISC1 NGR OF A MARCH.
Several yesra ago it fell to my lot TO be
on the march with subaltern of my regi.
neut ia Ireland. | was taking a detach-
ment IEJs remote part of the country,
where, believe, some disturbances were
appTeGenGed, and we had been started off
at pretty short notice. have even uoH q
lively recollection of long railway jour.
nay, the diHgy stations we passed, the tedi-
GUS stoypagga, occasional FLASHES of rain
against tie carriage windows, and our final
exit from the tram Ia dark, draughty shed
with sloppy platform. From here we had
good long march to cur halting place.
though = s4d-cOlored waste, past Lillsides
Of black bog, hAtdly fence worth calling
one TO be seen, now and then tumble
down hoyel by the roadside, and off and on
she rain psltsa down in the sort of search
ing cold showers one gets in bleak parts of
Ireland ii the autumn time. The town
where we were 70 stay that night was no
exception t. the general dlnginess. After
settlng the men Gown into their billets, we
prospected" tho princi pal inn in the
place, got 8 couple of very middling bed
rooms, and made up our minds to make the
best OF the situation. We had Invested
ourselves OF our wet uniform, entered our
Little sitting room with its welcome peat
piled fire, examined some hideous sacred
prints hung round the wslls-among them
1 remember one of ST. Veronica displaying
2 large handkerchief with the Saviors face
upon it-aud we're busy planning what to
associate with whisky and the jacketed po-
tato, when sroIe was brought in and handed
TO me, with 3 message that some one was
waiting for an answer. 1t was addressed
TO The officer commanding detachment,
- regiment ;" tut one saw at 3 glance it
was not an official communication, the en-
veiope being 9 dainty white one, and the
handwriting almost Enthusiastically that OF a
lady. 1t turned OUT 10 be q very courteous
invitation from Mr.. and Mrs. III, of
IUni9hderry Hill I'VE will call itl, who, hav-
ing heard tha5 some troops were passing
through MUyratown to-day, hoped for the
pleasure Of the officers company at dinner
shat evening. This was really a timely as
well as = hospitaols offer, so A, my
subaltern, and | at oECe agreed to accept it.
Fortunately, when evening came round,
and the EicAety looking car that was to
jolt US 30 our entertainers clattered up to
the inn door, the weather had cleared
little. Well do | remember the drive
the cold, keen air; a pale, half DON light.
ing up the sonber landscape dark islands
of box alternating with pools of simmer
ing water; bill slopes near but mysterious.
As far as | can remember, we entered the
grounds Of Inni5hderry Hall about q mile
and half from the town. Already the
country had begun to wear prettier
aspect; patches of wood appeared /; and
after passing the lodge gate we began to
descend va!!ey-broken, rocky ground,
with clumps OF spruce and larch on either
side-till suddenly emerging from this, the
drive swept round corner, arpl we were
in view OF the sea. a few minutes more
and We were looking down over charm
ing little bay shu5 In by cliffs, with boat
high and dry up the beach and from this
point till we sighted the lights of the house,
copse, park and neither, intermipgled one
with the other to our left, while on the
right great white lines of surf quiyered and
broke N the moonlight
1t was q besutiful scene as it presented
itself TO n in the obscurity of the night.
time. Possibly by day some OF its en-
cbantnent might have been missing, but
we did not see it in daylight. Slch as it
was, 1t probably impressed me and stamped
itself IN my memory, more on account of
the subsequent incidents which ensued than
anything else.
The honge, as we drew up to il, seemed
large and handsome one, It had great
many wIndows, q steep.hitched roof, and
was partly ivy.clad Two long ranges Of
outbuildIngs were attached to it, one at
either eu9, and from that nearest US as we
approached ran cut an old wall matted
with ivy-stsms, and forming an incloeure
screened OF q row Of thorn trees, behind
which one could just make out the ruined
gableend OF q small building. Oar driver,
who had been most uncommunicative all
she way cut as TO our host and hostess
condssceal5d to tell US this was a very
ancient chapel, which some ancestor Of the
family bad pulled down and Gismantled,
% bad luck 10 him p
The fine eutrance-hall-I can recall It
now--Warmed by an ample stove and well
lighted Up, with few dressed skins lying
about, and huge ebon cabinet over against
thu door, made CHEEKY contrast to the
outside Gs- and surroundings we had Just
LETT Round the walls were grouped 2
splendid pair of stsgs horns, fox's head
and bfusa, stuffed seal, and other trophies
Of sporting life; and black buffslo's
massive frOntlet surmountipg a sheaf of
asseCaIs, suggested at once what we after
ware learned to be the case, thas our host
had bean in South Africa. 81 wonder
what SORT of people they are, Msjor %
were As words TO me, soto uoce as be
gave his sleeves final jerk and glanced
down critically at his boots, while we fol-
lowed the butler to the drawing-room. A
moment more and We were lace to face
with orr new acquaintance.
| do not recoIlect anything very note
worthy about cur host. He was a tall and
rather handsome man, but of somewhat
faded sepect-quiet and genial in mis- man
ner. Il am an old soldier myself" was
his greeting 70 us, ''ard never like any
one IN tbs service 20 pass cur place on duty
without finding him out" Bat eur hos
tess As | shock hands with her she at
once eugJossed my attention. l am at q
loss now, as l was then, to define the ma.
ture or cause of the peculiar interest che
scanned az orce to excite In me. Certainly
she wss q remarkably handsome woman,
but my observation Of her at the moment
of introduction was quickly diverted by
the strange demeanor OF A. I had
tRrned around and was in the sot of pre-
senting him, WREN he suddenly started.
stopped, anJ, without attempting saluts
tion or advance of any kind, stared at her
For the instant the situation was emhar-
RAISING. Was the man going 10 faint, or
was he eff his heed, or what? There he
stood, stock still, facing Mrs M, tiIl
In 'evere tone | said 81, this is