Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-06-29
TOLD AT THE MESS.

ality as it Is possible for an lrishman to be,
nnd that is not saying a little by any
means. He carried his patriotism so far
us to aver that not only were the Irish the
finest, the most courageous, the most gifted
of the four nationalities, but that nearly
all the really great Englishmen were really
arishmen. He justified this Hibernianism
by mode of reasoning which was highly
original, but not wholly convincing. 1t
would have provoked shouts of laughter
in the mess if it had proceeded from the
lips of a subaltern, but the colonel was an
altogether different person to deal with.
1t would be dangerous to quarrel with
him, and he was as peppery as a London
fog or an old maid who has been Tilted by
the curate 1t was considered far more
advisable ito give him his head" and let
him exhaust himself by the violence of his
own efforts.
When he launched out on his favorite
topic therefore, he was listened to in re-
spectful silence by his subordinates, but
in revenge it was the greatest delight of
the wags of the regiment to mimic his
voice and manner and to represent him as
uttering the most astounding Hibernian
falsehoods, garnished with numerous ex-
pressions Of a wholly profane character.
This was called doing old Pat" and was
very popular amusement in every mess
room where the colonel's personality was
known. His real name of course, as the
army list will tell you, was Colonel Dom
inick Sydney Power, but this is a compar-
ntively trifling detail. He had been nick
named ''Old Pat" at a very early stage of
his military career, and Old Pat, of the
Red Hussars, was almost as well known
throughout the service as Cox's bank or
the cold meat train to Woking.
Therefore, when the Red Hussars heard
that Sir James Macleod had been gazetted
from the Blues to their own regiment con-
lecture ran very rife among the officers
whether Sir John would contrive to hit it
off amicably with Old Pat. 1t was gen.
orally felt that the stranger would prob
ably prove Scotchman of the deepest dye,
with very large allotment of Scotch pride
and patriotism, while, no doubt, after his
experiences in the Blues, he would be in
clined to regard mere colonel in a Hussar
regiment with more compassion than
reverence Under these circumstances
there seemed to be every prospect of some
lively and exhilarating scenes when the
colonel should deem it fitting to take the
Scotch baronet into his confidence on the
important subject of national distinctions.
''It will be great fun if he goes for Old
Pat and gives it him hot, when he begins
the usual rot" said young Fanshawe, with
broad grin, and it was generally agreed
among the junior officers of the regiment
that it would be great fun indeed.
While his subordinates were coming to
this insubordinate decision, Colonel DOM
mick Power was engaged in reading long
.esoe. ..o,n an o.o ssnoi teeio" vi ms, anu
luinei ploone, oihoc, VI pr 'aines Mac
Ieoo, W "nom no iau wIi'Cen 10" oays
pei oor,cui - ~ ~ tha W aio sone inquiries
WIN ieeaiu W 'se new i1iPUr1a lnIo
.no rneesroolh VI .ne 0eo nussars' ana
Ihe parone's lno'i'es LUZ ehecIihg the
eAcnanse'
"A woman Is az the bottom OF 1t, as
usual" wrote captain Fletcher, OF the
blues. MACLEOD was very hard hit and
she threw MN over Tor no reason that any
pne can divine. Pure devlltry, that is all.
He knew that you were ordered abroad,
Hpd he wants to get out OF the country
withoYt appearing to run away. That's
the bait He Is capital fellow; no damned
nonsense about him in any way. is good
sportsman; Al shot and very popular in
Wv sCsaANcn' AAASAe tStonAS oAS Poino oAi
whica mao better caution you. Don't bet
with him. de Is very devil at BETS and
Always WINS.
is ne, lnoeedt" unused Colonel Power;
ano ne may De the very dlvii hlmseit for
all nell get out OF me. It's meself that
wouid hke TO see the colonel OF the regi-
ment betting with mere Whlppersnapper
Oh sdbaltern-newly Joined 100"
pr James Macleod proved 10 oe tail,
!alr young man, whose long features and
sn aa IneeA ApoHes 'es'ineu very cieariy that
III pc y. nis W In L"y Deyohu 1ne Aweeo:
= ie was noI ,s iemalAao,e goou looking, put
~ Saiiieu nns.n - VIII sucn an alr OIL ais-
a,,nn nUoon Fansho nav ~ setd seneu wonuerlui, as
YOUNG anen"me salu 'haI any woman
.ou'u .oua in INV I. os suCn uaSner, anu
sa., $500 n.e a .oS. IT, w ooo. Ilis hahher.
U"eas; s,, we" ns ;S - - VI. " .norough man oL
~ s;ua,,s4o. 49,, u - tI'". . e,Aaoie, ulaef
III. ~. ~ ~. ..o,,n ,s .n". nI soU VI az once
oor,non;ons 49, s Co. tha e,+,,r VIZ "'io W oe niS
NV p tbnnabt wn,, n.o,I'1 T., -, a
49, s'r,ou % y ga 49, @ E"naI, a. mI Gu y. y;
: day or % two dmr;,,. ,,,h5oh - f,;onash;, - q
.;uayod - ,rto 49, foo;1;a,;tr ..h,,t uo ~. n''u
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