Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-13

| fit 10 burst, heard the noise av the men
an on my sowl, sorr, cud catch the voice
av Peg Barney, believing like bison wild
the bellyache. You remember Peg Barney
that was in D Comply red, hairy
| scraun, wild scar on his jaw? Peg Bar
ney that cleared out the Blue Lights
Jubilee meeting wild the cook room mop
last year?
"Thin, knew ut was a draf of the ould
rig mint, an was consumed wild sorrow
for the bhoy that was in charge. We was
hard scrapin's at any time Did liver
tell you how Horker Kelley went into
clink nakid as Phebus Apollonius, with
the shirts av the Corp'ril an file undher
his arrum? An he was mold man. But
I'm digreshin'. IT'S shame both to the
regiments and the army sendin' down lit
tie orfcer bhoys with draf' av strong men
mad wild liquor an the chanst av gettin'
shut av India, an niver a punishment
that's fit to be given right down an away
from cantonmints to the dock? IT'S this
nonsince. Whin am sarvin my time Pm
undher the Articles av War; an can be
whipped on the peg for thin. But whin
Fve served my time Pm Reserve man,
an the Articles az War haven't any hould
onme. An OFFICER can't do anythin' to a
time-expired savin' confnin' him to bar
ricks. IT'S wise rig lation, bekase time
expired does not have any barrlcks, bein
on the move all the time. It's a Solomon
aY rig'lation, is that. wud like to be
introduced to the man who secIeted ut.
It's easier to get colts from Kibbereen
horse fair into Galway than to take bad
draf over ten miles av country. Consi-
quintly that rig'lation-for fear that the
men wud be hurt by the little Off Ger bhoy.
No matter. The nearer my throlly came
to the rest camp the woilder was the shine
an the louder was the voice av Peg Bar
ney. Otis good am here thinks to
myself, for Peg alone is employment to
two or three He bein', | well knew, as
copied as dhrover.
Faith, that rest camp was sight! The
tent ropes was all skew-nosed, an the pegs
looked as dhrunk as the men-ffty av thin
the scourins an risin's an divil's
LAWNS av the ould reg'mint. | tell you,
sorr, they were dhrunker than any men
you've ever seen in your mortal life. How
does draf' get drunk? How does a frog
get fat? They suk ut in through their
shkins.
There was Peg Barney sittin' on the
ground in his shirt-wan shoe off an wan
shoe on-whackin' tent pin over the
head wild his boot an singin' fit to wake
the dead. Twas no clane song that he
sung, though. Twas the 'DiviPs Mass"
whats that?" l asked.
"Whin bag egg is shut av the army,
he sings the DiviPs Mass for a good rid
dance, an that names swearin at ivrything
from the Commandher-in-ch down to
the room Corp'ril, such as you niver in
your life heard Some men can swear so
as to make green turf crack. Have you
liver heard the curse in an Orange Ledger
The 'Divips Mass is ten times worse, an
Peg Barney was singin' ut, whackin' the
tent peg on the head wild his boot for
each man that he cursed. A powerful
voice had Peg Barney, an hard swearer
he was whin sober. | stood forninst him,
an twas not me OF alone that cud tell Peg
was dhrunk as coot.
"'Good mornin', Peg, seq |, when he
dhrew breath afther cursin' the Aditint-
General; I've put on my best coat to see
you, Peg Barney SEE [.
"'Thin take Ut off again. SEE Peg Bar
ney, latherin' away wild the boot; take ut
off an dance, We lousy civilianr
"Wid- that he begins cursin' ould
Dhrumshticks, being SO full he clean
misremimbers the Brigade Major an the
Judge Advokit Central.
"'Do you not know me, Peg 2 SEE /,
though me blood was hot in me wild being
called civilian"
"An' him a decent married man I"
walled Dinah Shadd
al do not, SEE Peg; but dhrunk or
sober I'll tear the hide off your back wild
a shovel whin Eve stopped singin'.'
essay you SO, Peg Barney?' SEE l. 'Tis
clear as mud you've forgotten me. Pll as
sist your autobiography Wild that 1
stretched Peg Barney, boot an all, an
whit into the camp An awful sight ut
was
Where's the officer in charge av the
detachment SEE | to Scrub Greene-the
manest little worm that ever walked.
There's no OFFICER, ye ould cook SEE
Scrub; we're bloomin' republic
care you that ? SEE /; thin Pm OCon-
nell the Dictator, and by this you will larn
to kape a civil tongue in your rag box
ovid that | stretched Scrub Greene an
whit to the officers tent Twas new lit
tie bhoy-not wan I'd liver seen before.
He was sittin' in his tent, purtendin' not
to ave ear av the racket.
81 saluted-but for the life av me l
mint to shake hands whin l went in.
Twas the sword hangin' on the tent pole
changed my will.
"'Can't l help, sorrp SEE L Otis strong
mans job they've given you, an you'll be
wantin' help by SHUTDOWN He was a
bhoy wild bowls, that child, an rale
gentleman.
"'Sit down. SEE he.
"'Not before my orf'cer,' SEE !; an /
tould him fwat my service was.
"'Pve heard av you,' SEE he. You tux
the town av Lungtungpen nakid.'
"'Faith,' thinks l, that's honor an
glory :, for twas Lift'nint Brazenose did
that job. Pm wild We, sorr,' sez l, IF
Pm av use They shud niver ha' sent you
down wild de draf Savin' your presence,
sorr,' l seq, It's only Liftnint Hackerstein
in the ould rig'ment can manage home
draf.'
"Tye niver had charge of men like
this BEFORE SEE he, playin' wild the pens
on the table; AN | see by the igla-
| tons
"'Shut your OF to the riglations, sorr,
l SEE, till the throoper's into blue wather
By the rig'lations you've got to tux them
up for the night, or they'll be runnin' foul
ay my coolies an maxim shiverarium
half through the country. Can you trust
your non-coms, sorrg
yes, SEE he.
"'Good,' seq l; 'there'll be throuble be-
fore the night. Are you marchin', sorr !?
"'To the next station SEE he.
"'Better STILL SEE 'there'll be big
trouble.
"sCan't be too hard on home draf
seq he; the great thing is to get thin in
ship"
"'Faith, you've larnt the half Nv youl
lesson, sorr,' SEE |, but av you shtick tc
the riglations you'll niver get thin in
ship at all. Or there won't be rag OF
| k;t hetune thin whin Won do