The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-08-07
MARY'S ELopEMENT.

ce 10 lace we sat for some time In
f||eRars, speeding across the country
thf4agh Ohio.
n he was, but erect of figure, keen
ans bright of eye. ruddy of cheek.
Hefat well forward on the seat as
though accoutrements still prevented
any lounging, and noted him for
an 'old sabre'' in a moment. He
made the firstSadvance with pre-
hmlnary Hem lrthe passing of his
leff palm over the upper lip. where
flse mustache ought to have been. and
With slight Irish acceHt.
Beg pardon. sir; but l think yer
in thelservice.
Right you are." replied, 'and if
! ana not mistaken. you've been
\ pte, too
Z ssReh the right hand went To the.
forehead, in salute, aud the body be-
come rigid.
"Thankee, sir Pm proud to say |
have, and Drouder to know l haven't
lost the set up yet. Forty-two years,
eight months, five days. man and
boy, l served the country in the
field. Delany's my name-Sergeant
Delany,-the cavalry--Oncet-D
goons-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 comradeship, in
the patronage the old blade felt for
the young soldier, he gave conf
dences 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.
ITO be sure, mol But 1 haven't
kept count. I've me hands on me
shoulders an full complement 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 1t myself, as
tight lad as ever straddled pigskin
and wore blade, cooked me hat, car
ried can, slapped me leg an winked
at the girls. But l was caught early
aud fast. Pm of Irish blood, ye see.
though / was brought over here while
bit of boy. But it's Irish am,
and so fightin' 9nd love-makin's
small credit to me it's natheral as
breathIn'.
"l'd just got me corporal's stripes
and were stuck up with 'em like /
was major gineral when the ould-
Dragons were quartered at -, and
there met as nate an Irish lass as
ever wore leather, and in week l
was married man, and better en-
listment paper l never signed.
always needed strict discipline; then
l had it at home and while on duty,
and it was the savin' of me.
Faith, it didn't seem longer than
from reyille to retreat afore a year
slipped around and | was sergeant
and the father Of a daughter. Mary
we called her, after the mother /
loved well but was tronblin' son to
and can say it bouldly. no purifier
creature ever came on earth and the
manners of her, as she grOwed, were
that astonishin' that though her
mother were well-mannered, brisk
modest woman always and l 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 |
but ther' were never man loved
daughter better since God gave daugh.
ters to men. When she first came
were some put out because she
weren't boy but had no though,
of that when | found the tenderness
of her baby heart. But 1 taught hel
all boy should know. She could
swim, ride, shoot. skate afore she was
seven, and whistle like canary. IT.
maDy's the time I'd laugh when
they'd tell me the ould sayin' about
'whistlin' girls : and Pm always the
notion of music, thou mighty little
talent, but be hard work, after nearly
driviu' me wife and all the garrison
crazy with me practicin' l learned tc
make a fair fist, or mouth, with The
fife, and could give Yankee Doodle
GarryOwen and sich to the satisfac
tion of me friends and meself and tC
every one but the regular mimber'
of the band. Well, she, Mary, coulC
bate me hollow on that fife IN M
| tina and nrou1 tO the very hei0h