Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-12
He SAVED The STARS.
4 Story That Made Every Listener Start
His Feet.


Story That Made Every Listener Start to
His Feet.
81 was present not long ago." said
the Colonel, lat a banquet where an
old army officer of English antecedents
was on the programme to speak to the
sentiment, The Irish in the Union
army-cOurageous and loyal Ameri-
cans. they were as true as the truest,
as brave as the bravest' This puzzled
me greatly. Why should an American
of English descent be called upon to
compliment the Irish-Americans? l did
friend, one of the hard fighters of the
war, arose to speak. His speech was
simply little story, and yet it stirred
me as few speeches ever did My
friend of English antecedents sat near
the center of long table. Almost OPP
posite him sat a stoutly built man who
would have been handsome but for the
fact that his eyes were sightless- This
blind man received little attention ex-
cept from the men who sat on each side
of him. both of whom were Irishmen
and strangers to the majority of the
guests. When the toast was read.
speaking in such enthusiastic terms of
the Irish soldiers of the war, their
faces flushed. and they sat erect, look
ing straight across at the man who was
70 respond.
My first surprise was in the manner
Of the speaker. knew him to be one
men, but as he rose to his feet saw
that he was controlled by strong emo
lion. He stood for a minute look
ing down the line at the table, as
if studying the thoughts of every man
present Then he began in a quiet
tone, saying that when this toast was
assigned to him he was puzzled to know
why he should be selected above all
others to speak of Irish courage in the
Union army. He had said as much to
his wife, but as he said it there came to
his mind an incident of his army life
which made the whole matter clear to
him. Then he proceeded to relate the
story of his experience at the turning
point of one of the fiercest battles Of
the war. In the midst of a hand-to-
hand contest. when every thing de-
pended on every man doing his best.
he received a blow that sent him head
long TO the ground. When he regained
consciousness he realized that a terrible
struggle was being fought to the death
above him.
The first objects to catch his eye
were two sturdy legs in blue-the legs
of some one standing astride of him.
The owner of the legs seemed to be
bending this way and that to shield the
PROSTATE officer from blows that were
falling on his devoted head. The fight
was over the flag. which was torn in
fragments as the men struck and cut at
each other in the fury of their wild ex-
element, but, happen what might, the
one man standing astride the Captain
never moved his feet. The Captain did
not know who this stout defender was
until in answer to a demand to surren-
der there came in Irish brogue: To
hill wild your He realized then that
Pat Mcbride was fighting against odds
for the flag of his Captain. He real
lied, too, as blood came dropping
down in his face, that Pat was sorely
wounded. He knew this when in a
few minutes he was dragged out from
the heap of wounded and saw Pat fall
down from loss of blood. They found
wadded into Pats blouse that part of
the flag containing the stars, and
Pats only remark. as they strove to
stars'-stars. alas, that he could never
see again. This was in brief the story,
but it was told by man who felt every
word, and was told so dramatically,
that at its close nearly every man at
the table was standing on his feet. As
the speaker went on to pay his tribute
to the man who had saved his life. and
pictured him as the ideal of soldierly
courage ard loyalty, the blind man OPP
posite stood like one entranced, and as
the speaker closed. he plunged across
the table, reckless of glass and china,
and with a cry of exultation threw his
arms about the old Captain. The
scene which followed was simply indie
scribable. The story called out all the
demonstativeness of the Irish nature.
The speaker was overwhelmed with
congratulations and thanks. Listening
to what was said, to other stories that
this one called out. l understood why
the officer of English antecedents had
been selected to speak of the courage
and spirit of the men of Irish descent
in the Union army. "-Inter-Ocean-
A BRAVE CONFEDERATE.