Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-05-08
DARCY'S JEANNE.


We were speeding East from the frontier,
fast as the express train could rattle.
He was seated facing me. grizzled and
gray, old, but erect and hard fieshed. He
sat well forward, as though to make room
for accoutrements, the poise of his head and
his lean-shaven lip where the mustaehe
ought to have been, told me at once OF the
told saber."
Several times I caught his eye closely
scanning me: at last, with hand to fore
head, in quick salute, he spoke:
"Beg pardon, sir; but ar'nt you in the
service?"
l replied that had that honor, and fur
Their said that recognized the soldier in
him.
tProud to know that it amt rubbed off
vet, cir. l could tell you from your set w
the moment 1 clapped eyes on you"
Well, we talked aud talked, at least he
did and with the simple honesty Of the SOL
der; recognizing my interest, he told me
much of his life, and here's part of it:
81 listed when l was but boy, not
twelve nionths from the old sod, Sir, and
boy and man ate Unole Sans rations aud
burnt his powder for nigh forty year.
get shot or hack, but all that goes with
the fun you have; and sure it's part of the
trade, amt it? l was wild slip of boy
at first, but married young, as good luck
ID have it, and married well, a better sol
dier's wife never stepped than the girl
won. She kept me- up to the mark, sir. and
made all the man that was in me tell for all
it was worth, and it's me that's proud to
say that there are few ofi3ers, high or low,
of thu DID army, that amt glad to give the
good word and honest grip to First Ser
Geant Bstnard D Trey of the oud Dragons
why did l leave this service? Because
me heart was broke. and it broke again TO
carry the coat sleeve without the stripes.
BIZ TN tell you of it.
"It was Just after the war, in sixty six.
and we we're qnartered at - Barracks
The wife and Jesnn,e tina 5 our daughter
SIR, ban G me 10 JON the CT r,apd aZa,n;
they had left when ~e took he field, Jaan
ME was then just short fourreap; hnt nYl
when she came back, she was that Of >.
beauty and lady that, faithl sho took the
breath cut me mouth.
s'We had fiue Accommodations at the bar
rscks, for he wif' ann myself ~era favor
ties. and vet l ui-d0po'ed rs i, vas til
right . ACT f II -u7 5f-fr sad j y.'l se ..ae
orr. s s.3su AZ i1@.-pai,,e u. suicst
she won d go iH.5s be city - learn tha
dress-mskirg, l fnrced myself 70 give cpn
seat. But eff aad on, two OF three tirnes
~aek aud ai"sfs Of a Sunday, The drfl
{ ug was with US.
There Wa one Liitinint in our troop
that | had learned to love as a SOD; brave
and true lad be was as ever threw leg
over saddle. knew, or Thought l knew.
that he was all good, vet 7 cnnld not bar
worry wheu l found him making chances
and excuses to see our Jesunio, and watch
ed the face Of uny girl Hhen he came rear
her. His people we're millionaiIes and arts
tocra's, and what could be between the son
of such and an old sergeant's daughter?
"There came one day, in the evening
when l were looking about IN the stables,
and in not an over pleasant humor, when
up comes the Liftinint, holding out his
hand to me. Charles Foster his name was.
"'I must bid you goodbye in hurry,
Sergeant Darcy says he. want to catch
the train in the city
"'And where might ask would you be
going of the suddInt, sir?' said l, taken oil
aback.
"'Oh, I'm goipg-going away said he,
kind of confused like. 4 seut in my resig.
nation sometime ago, but we kept it quiet.
The acceptance and order has just come,
and now Pm off. Remember me always
and kindly, sergeant, and he was gone
'Well, that upset me entirely and went
TO my quarters, wondering how JEANNE
would like that news. for it was her regular
evening To cnme tn MS.
$50 when walked in and mined the
door, looked for her. but M JEANNE
there. where's the grip I sad to the
wife. 'How's tn know says she. shall
be here presently Pve no doubt There's
your supper says she, 4iver and onions
that ye re SO fond OF gormondizn'.'
"iDivil fly away with yer liver an
onions, Mrs. Darcy, says l; Il want nv
daughter or want to know where she is,
says I.
"sAte your supper, man, aud don't be
cursin' me, for won't stand it from you,
says the wife; she's proper hot temper Of
her own, sir. Sure JEANNE can't be al
ways on your coat tails, she'll be here be
fore your good humor comes back, I'm
thinkin',' says she,
swell, couldn't take no satisfaction out
of my supper, and better no man ever
had. l lit my pipe and stepped out to be
hind the stables. Soon l saw carriage
drive up, very quiet, and it was my Jean
ME, in silks aud satins, and with her was
LiftiDint Foster. stood pet fled to the
spot while see her slip out and make her
way to our door and open it.
"Then followed and found the child on
her knees before her crying mother Tn
q vile tempered man, and onrsisoLable t.
the last degree when once am off. step
ped between the wife aud our JEANNE
The poor little one tried to SPEAK to me
'GOl' ! sa d. go WITH tine mao who has de
ceivad me ard yau Il ! before | curse
you'll Gi before ge thai am a man,
g soldier, ard s'rke sou
s.Gnd knows | must have looked ss craz7
M I was at that rnomeut. The W fs was
frightened 70 death o. me AID tie child juss
gave me one long, lnvia9 lnnk, sighed cut
some little word I Gould not hetr-and
went aus. 8wsY from u, from he's boDe
and u4re,;ts, buf 80 rnt Of our sssrfs.
"'Twas a hard life led aud led orhars
them times 1 swore Id kill the frat mar
that mentioned my disgrace to me, and Pa
o done ii. l couldn't live with the remind
e-s r NJ me, and asked for my discharge
and got Il.
40 .,ud soldiers worth nothing ont of
the sarvice and without discipline. kept
the upper hand Of the wife then, and she
Was good as ever to me and far more than
patient, for we came to scaut living these
days in the city where hid my face and
shame On our birthdays aud on Christ.
mas used to come letters with money in
them, full thousand dollars each year in
all; they came from reign parts. I'd open
them, bank the money and burn letters.
without ever reading line of them; it d
mig kill me to do is, but were that stub,
born.
"Five years thus WEI or, aud as ACCT
ting po2r-r every day, when one evening