Wichita eagle., 1886-09-03
9ail9 eagle
MARY'S ELOPEMENT.

Face to face we sat for some time in the
cars, speeding across the country 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 lounging, and noted him
for an "old sabre" in moment. He made
the first advance, with preliminary "Hem!"
the passing of his left palm over the upper
lip, where the mustache ought to have been,
and with a slight Irish accent.
"Beg pardon, sir, but I think yer in the sar-
vice.
Fright you are" replied, land if I'm not
mistaken you've been there, too!'
Then the right hand went to the forehead
in salute and the body became rigid.
"Thankee, sir. I'm proud to say | have,
and prouder to know l haven't lost the set
up yet. Forty-two years, eight months, live
days, man and boy, l served the country in
the field. Delanys my name-Sergeant De
lany, til cavalry-oncet - dragons = an
there's few officers or ould men of the ould
army that don't know Sergeant Delany an
be willin' to speak good word for him"
Then we talked and talked, he most,
through the long day. In the spirit begotten
of comradeslrip, in the patronage the old
blade felt fer the young soldier, he gave con-
fidences no other circumstances would have
called forth, and, taking the cream of his
story, the sum total was this:
"You could not have served SO long and
escaped wounds" said, to lead him on.
"To be sure. no! But haven't kept count
I've me head on me shoulders, an full COM
plemint Of legs and arms, an anything short
of the loss of them don't count. Sure, we
take them in the line of duty-the way they
come.
II was, if ! do say it meself, as tight lad
as ever straddled pigslin and wore blade,
cooked me hat, CARRIED can, slapped me
leg an winked at the girls But was caught
early and fast. I'm of Irish blood, We see,
though was brought over here while a bit
of boy But it's Irish am, and so fightin
and love-makin's small credit to me; it's
natheral as breathin'
"rd just got me corporals stripes, and
were stuck up with 'em like I was a major
gineral, when the ould - dragons were
quartered at -, and there met as nate an
Irish lass as ever wore leather, and in a
week was married man, and betther
enlistment paper l never signed. l always
needed strict discipline; then had it a. home
sAilu "ulic oH uuty diIu IL "dS tuc HSAsH
of me.
"Faith, it didn't seem longer than from
reveille to retreat afore year slipped around
and was a sergeant and the father Of
daughter. Mary we called her, after the
mother 1 loved well but was troublin' son
to; and l can say it boldly, no purifier
creature ever came on earth; and tho man.
ners of her as she growed, were that astonish-
in that though her mother were well
hammered, brisk, modest woman always and
were ever prompt, disciplined soldier, yet
where Mary got the high 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 daughters to men. When she first
came were some put out because she weren't
a boy, but had no thought of that when l
found the tenderness of her baby heart But
l taught her all a boy should know. She
could shwim, ride, shoot, skate afOre she was
Z, and whistle like a canary. It's 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, though mighty
little talent, but be hard work, afther nearly
drivin' mo wife and all the garrison crazy
with me practicin' learned to make fair
fist, or mouth, with the fife, and could give
yankee Doodle" "Garryowen" and sich TO
the satisfaction of me frinds and meself, 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 was of her.
ave lived well and happy, when we weren't
fighting, till she were IL years ould You
see, sir, you talsin' of wounds set re on
this trail, and I'll tell you how man can get
a worse wound from a friend than ever the
bullet or sabre of an enemy can give him,
and how he can wound himself worse nor all
'sShe was 16, as | said, and well edu-
Gated for her place in life. We We're in
garrison then, and to fit her for takin' care of
herself we let her go into the town to learn
the dressmakin'-and neser girl had the
good taste in dress like her.
"Weil, ther' were young leftenant came
to our troop, then a gay, handsome, brave
young chap as ever you see. Barton be
name l respected him as an officer and l
loved him as son.
at were some ten months after he come,
when one night l went to my quarters at the
barracks and Mary wasn't there to sit at the
table with ME. That night before 1 went in
Leftenant Barton came to me with his bright
smile and friendly way, holdin' out his hand
'Good-by, sergeant, says he, I'm off tonight
of where, sir? says |. L resigned two
weeks ago, and my papers has just come in
says he.
THAT unsettled me- I'm hasty tempered
ut times, and when went home the wife says,
says she, You're late, but there's the illigant
stew for you.
a'The devil fly away with your stew, Mrs
Delany,' says l. where's my daughterr
"''Taint one of me knows says she, 4
'spose she's KEEP late. Ate your stew, man,
and don't he cu,sin' me, for won't take it 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 l were so put out l never en-
joyed a bite less
Eight o'clock came and l was worried
more and more. Then the wife came out
from the room where Mary slept with bit
of a 00te ia her hand. | read it: Dear
father and mother. | have gone with my
Barton, that love with all my heart
IL was struck cold, sir; l saw il all Afore
could catch my breath there Were footsteps
running up the barracks stairs. and Mary
burst in, all in silks and sa.ins and velvet.
"'Oh. father! daddy! Oh, motherr she
cried. Il couldn't SO, after all, without secin'
your Her mother would have rushed to her
girl, but stepped between them.
"'You're no daughter of miner says l.
Mrs. Delany, don't touch her! Girl, so! I'll
hear no word from her mouth. Col before I
disgrace me uniform by strikin' you, before l
break my heart with cursin' your
"She looked at me; she knew what my tenn
per was when it was UP, and she turned and
went.
"Ah, sorrow like that is hard to bear. It's