Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-07-30
MARY'S ELOPEMENT.

Face to face we sat for some time.
m the cars, speeding across the coun.
try through Ohio.
Old he was, but erect Of figure, keen
and bright OF eye, rudy of cheek. He
sat we'll forward on the seat as though
accoatrements still prevented any
lounging, and noted him for an "o]d
sabre in a moment. He made the
FIRST advance, with a 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 l think yer in
the sarvice."
Right you are" I replied, land if I
am not mistaken, you've been there.
too"
Then the rig hit hand went to the
forehead, in salute, and the body be-
come rigid.
"Thankee, sir! I'm proud to say I
have and prouder to know haven't
lost the set up yet. Forty-two years,
eight months, five days, man and boy,
served the county in the field. De-
lany's my name-Sergeant Delany,
TIL cavalry-oncet-Dra
there $ 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 comradeship, in the pat
yonage the old blade felt for the young
soldier, ne gave confidence 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" l said, to lead
him on.
ITO be sure, no! But l haven't
Kept count. I've me head on me
shoulders an a fullcomplemint OF legs
and arms, an anything short of the
loss ofthem don't count. Sure, we take
them in the line of duty-the way they
come.
II was, If I do say it meself, as
tight lad as ever straddled pigskin
and wore blade, cooked me hat, car
ried q can, slapped me leg an
winked at the girls. But was Caught
early and fast. Pm OF Irish blood, ye
See, though I was brought over here
while bit OF boy. But it's Irish l
am, an so fghtin' and love-makin's
small credit to me; it 's natheral as
breathin'.
'Td just got me corporaps stripes
and were stuck up with 'em like was
q ma! Tor gineral when the ould - ORA
goons were CHARTERED at --, and there
met as nate an Irish lass as ever
married man, and a betther enlistment
paper / never signed. always 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 year
slipped around and l was g. sergeant
and the father of daughter. Mary
we called her, after the mother lloved
we'll but was troublin' son to; and
can say it bouldly, no purifier crea-
ture ever came on earth; and the man.
ners OF her, as she growed, were that
astonishin' that though her mother
were well-mannered, brisk, modest
woman always, and / were ever a
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 we'll as I,
but Their were never man loved
daughter bother since God gave daugh-
ters to men. When she first came I
were some put out, because she weren't
a boy; but had no thought OF that
when found the tenderness OF her
baby heart. But taught her all
boy should know. She could shwim,
ride, shoot, skate afore she were seven,
and whistlelike canary. It'smany's
the time I'd laugh when they'd tell
me the Guild 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, I learned to make
fair fist, or mouth, with the fife,
and could give Yankee Doodle, Garry
owen and SIGH to the satisfaction OF
me friends 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 ofpride Twas
Of her. = %. 49, .<....'
ave lived well and happy, when we
weren't fighting, till she were sixteen
years ould. You see, sir, you talkin'