Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-09

u .. J
'spose she's KEEP late. Ate your stew,
man, and don't be cursin' me, for I won't
take 1t off you nor no man.
"I'm fond of Irish stew, sir, and no
woman makes it better nor Mrs. Delany.
but with this and that I were so put out 1
never enjoyed bite less.
Eight o'cloch came and was wouried
more and more, Then the wife came out
from the room where Mary slept with
bit of a note in her hand. read it: Dear
father and mother, I have gone with my
Barton, that I love with all my heart
II was struck cold, sir; saw it all. Afore
1 could catch my breathe there were foot
steps running up the barracks stairs, and
Mary burst in, all in silks and satins and
velvet.
"Oh, father! daddy! Oh, mothern she
SEEM your Her mother would have rush
ed to her girl, but I stepped between
them.
You're no daughter of miner says I.
Mrs. Delany, don't touch her! Girl, 90!
I'll hear no word from her mouth. Go!
before / disgrace me uniform by strikin'
you, before | break my heart with cursin'
you!
''She looked at me; she knew what my
temper was when it was up, and she turned
and went"
"Ah, sorrow like that Is hard to bear.
It's the broken heart I cried in my breast
them days, and long after. Men tried to
speak to me of her and him, but [ swore
I'd kill the first man named her name and
I'd have done it. I could not face the
men and officers who'd known me so long.
l had the right to ask me discharge after
that length of service, and | did it and
got it, and went where I'd never see face
that knew me.
"The wife never troubled me about
the hardness, but knew no other trade
but the soldering, and things didn't GO
well with US.
''Mary kept, somehow, knowledge of all
our changes and every month would come
letter with $50 in notes to me. No
wOrd-no way could tell from where it
came. Christmas times the notes would
be for 500, so I knew she was not in
want
'The Bartons were rich and a high
family. Often [ swore to go to them
with the story of the ruin of my girl; but
the love Estell had for her and my own
pride held me back from exposin' the
trouble. I never played the fife, never
thought of the old thing after, and it's a
hard life had with me tempers, but she
bore it well.
''The wound me daughter, me officer
and meself had given me were KILN me
with anger and despair. That wound
hurt me longer, hurt me sorer and hurt
me worse to the life core than any I ever
got from Mexicans, In uns or rebels, and
l got them from all.
* = 4
''Well, sir, it was just five years from
the time I got that deadly hurt, and was
Twin in --, with hard scratchin' to get
along on me pension and what l made
labOrin', for I was gettin' old. I'm past |
70 now.
f came rather late one night and the !
wife says You're wanted immediate to |
the Union hotel says she; you've been
sent for twice. who is it?' says I. I |
don't know says she; but brush your
self up and go at once says she, and I |
will have nice stew for you when you
came back. Maybe its good luck comm
$50 I trimmed up for inspection and |
review. I'd been tryin' to get a watch
mans place on a railroad, and thought |
maybe some of the masters were waitin'
to see me bout that.
y
Delany, says I to the clerk. He taps the |
bell and says to the black man, show the |
gentleman up to par lor B. says he.
"'Gentleman thinks 1, 'Parlor B. thinks |
I, It's risin' in the world I am. Maybe |
they'll be maxim a superintendent of an
old soldier, thinks [, and [ followed the |
blackie, all in blind of wonder.
Its fine room I were shown into, and |
nobody in it. The servant left and I was
smoothin' my hair before a big lookin' |
glass that were there, when I heard
swish like dress aside me. [ turned and |
there was Mary-my Mary!-so beautiful
SO like queen, with her darlin' eyes look
in so wistful at me.
sob daddy" she cried, koldin' out her
two hands and calm me by the name she
called me when she were my own inno-
cent little baby. ooh, daddy, listen to
me now"
''The anger rose up hot in me though
me heart were beatin' like t'would burs
me breast and lump in me throat were
chokin' me.
''Not a word" says I, mot word with
deserters, and traitors, and worse! You're
dead to me! You were no more Mary
Delaney from the night you left your
parents!'
"No! says deep, clear voice, "but
she's Mary Barton, and has been from
that same night" and out of room door
leadin' into the farlor steps my old lef-
tenant and puts his arm around her so
bold and lookin' so handsome, that I was
speeches. and moveless.
II struck the tears from my eyes, and
heard a little voice say 'Drandad!' an I
looked down, and there was my little Mary,
three years ould lookin' up at me, an
holdin' in her hands that ould fife.
l looked from the child to the mother,
to the father, and I saw what an Ould
brute and fool I'd been. No need to
tell me a word more.
'@Tis me, drandad!'' says the little one
and gathered her up, and I, that had
never shed a tear for sorrow Or pain,
run the eyes out of me cryin' for JOY.
We talked and we talked. They told
me how they had been to England and
France for Marys education; how the lef-
tenants people had joined them in Paris
the year before and how they all loved
and thought there was nobody like the
ould Sergeant's Mary, the sons wife.
And all this time, God forgive me for be-
in selfish, were forgettin' che poor ould