The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-08-06
MARY'S ELOPEMENT.

The Old Serseant's Worst Wound.
New York Mercury.
Face to face we sat for some time,
IN the cars, speeding across the coun-
try through Ohio,
Old he was, but erect of figure, keen
and bright OF eye, ruddy of cheek. He
sat well forward on the seat as though
accoutrements still prevented any
louneing, and | noted him for an cold
sabre in q moment. He made the
hrst advance, with preliminary
"Hem!'' the passing OF his left palm
over the upper lip, where the mus
tache ought to have been, and with a
slight irish accent.
Beg pardon, sir; but think yer in
the sarvice."
Right you are" replied, "and if /
am not mistaken, you've been there,
toow
Then the right hand went to the
forehead in salute, and the body be-
come rigid.
"Thankee, sir! I'm proud to say
have and prouder to know | haven't
lost the setup' yet. Forty-two years,
eight months, five days, man and boy,
l served the county in the field. De-
lany's my name-Sergeant Delany,
/ --th cavalry--oncet-Dr
there's few officers or ould men OF the
ould army that don't know Sergeant
Delany an be willin' to speak q good
word for HIM"
Then we talked and talked, he most,
through the long day. In the spirit
begotten OF comradeship, in the pat
ronage the old blade felt for the young
soldier, he gave confidence no other
circumstances would have called
forth, and taking the cream Of his
story, the sum total was this:
"lou could not have served SO long
and escaped wounds" said, to lead
him on
'To be sure, no! But I haven't
kept count. I've me head on me
shoulders an a full complemint OF legs
and arms, an anything short of the
loss ofthem dom count. Sure, we take
them in the line OF duty-the way they
come.
II was, if do say it meself, as
tight a lad as ever straddled pigskin
and wore blade, cooked me hat, car
ried a can, slapped me leg an
winked at the girls. But l was caught
early and fast. Pm OF Irish blood, ye
see, though | was brought over here
while a bit OF a boy But it's Irish l
am, an SO tightin' and love-makin's )
small credit to me; it's natheral as
breathin'.
'Id just got me corporars stripes
and were stuck up with em like | was
a major gineral when the ould - Dra-
goons were quartered at, and there
| met as nate an Irish lass as ever
wore leather, and in u week | was a
married man, and a betther enlistment
paper never signed. Ialways needed
strict discipline; then had it at home
and while on duty, and it was the
savin' OF me.
"Faith, it didn't seem longer than
from reville to retreat afore a year
slipped around and | was a sergeant
and the father OF daughter. Mary
we called her, after the mother Iloved
we'll but was q troublin' son to; and
can say it bouldly, no purifier crea-
ture ever came On earth; and the man
ners OF her, as she gpowed, were that
astonishin that though her mother
were well-mannered, brisk, modest
woman always, and l were ever a
prompt, disciplined soldier, yet where
! Mary got the high h-breedin' ways were
continual the worst OF puzzle to me.
/ "There may have been and be men
who love their little ones well as l.,
but ther' were never a man loved
daughter betther since God gave daugh-
ters to men. When she first came l
were some put out, because she weren't
boy; but had no thought OF that
when l found the tenderness of her
baby heart. But l taught her all q
/ boy should know. She could shwim,
ride, shoot skate afore she were seven,
and whistle like a acanary. Its many's
the time I'd laugh when they'd tell
me the ould sayin' about "whistlin"
girls and I'd always the notion OF
music, thou mighty little talent, but
be hard work, afther nearly driven
me wife and all the garrison crazy
with me practicin, learned to make
a fair fist, or mouth, with the fife,
and could give Yankee Doodle, Garry
owen and slch to the satisfaction OF
me friends and meseH and to every
one but the regular Numbers OF the
band. Well, she, Mary, could bate
me hollow on that fife in no time, and
proud to the very height of pride Twas
OF her.
''We lived well and happy, when we
weren't fighting, till she were sixteen
years ould. You see, SIR, YOU talkin'
OF wounds set in me on tins trail and
III tell you how q man can get a
worse wound from friend than ever
the bullet or sabre OF an enemy can
/ give him, and how he can wound him
self worse nor all.
'thhe were sixteen, as I said and
we'll educated for her place in life.
We were in garrison then, and to fit
her tor tal>in' care of herself we let her
go into the town to learn the dress
makin'-and never girl had the good
taste in dress like her.
"Well, ther' were young leftenant
came to our troop, then. a gay, hand
some, brave young chap as ever you
seen, Barton be name. I respected
him as an officer and l loved him as q
son.
sit was some tea months after he
come, when one night l went to my
quarters at the barricks and Mary
wasn't there to sit at the table with
] me. That night, before wentin in, LEI
tenant Barton came to mo with his
bright smile and friendly way, holdin'
out his hand, Good by, sergeant
says he, I'm off tonight of where.
sir?' says I. 4 resigned two weeks ago
and my papers has just come in, says
he.'
That unsettled me- Pm hasty
tempered at times, and when l went