Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-10-02
IRISH MARY

Il was the early days Of the sepoy
mutiny. and the rvolt had alrcsdy b.
gun.
At LATHE Futterhabad. . small gov
srnment depot occupied by companies OF
the Sixth. one of the lnvcrary rincs. and
n battalion of native foot. under Cap
tains Donaldson and Clarc. though but
80 miles from Delhi, were all unoon.
scious of any danger till. two days be.
fore, q messenger ON horseback arrived
at the cantonn,ent with note from the
officr In command Of the neighboring
town of susi. informing Captain Don.
aldson that some of the sepoys there had
raised cries Of disaffection. that large
body of mutincers were reported ~
marching GA the plaoe. and therefore the
officers of tho Sixth were implorcd to
start with all speed. and with whatever
force they could muster. ~ interccps
the-e latter, NJ. were they once 10 CO.
alcsce with the dissfYectcd within the
walls. the lives Of the English would In
all probability be the sacrifce No time
was Lot In complying with the appeal
contained In this dispatch. and the scn.
Tor captain Donaldson) thought himsslf
showing extraordinary prudence In de-
Gliding not 20 take the native battalion.
In which. however. he had full conf.
denca
The regiment marched out 20 futter'
hAbad an hour before sundown. leaving
behind IL, besides the soldiers wives
and children and tho civilians an Eng
lish sergeant and 10 men 30 overswe lh
the native troops; also the young wife OF
Captain Clare with her little baby. |?
weeks old
The overpowering heat, dust and
noise Of the dirty little town had 80 H'
fectcd Mrs Glare In her delicate state
of health that her husband had moved
her o. deserted mosque. about quar-.
tar Of a mile distant from the depot, and
which. standing in q garden thickly
overgrown with palm and tulip tree~
made pleasant sort Of improyised bun.
galOw Tor the invalid
The fierce day had faded into evening
at last, the evening Of the day after the
departure Of the troop~ and Mrs Claro
lay ON her couch. her Ayah squatied On
the ficor b,,idc her. with her infant In
her arms. and the punkah waving with
monotonous regularity o,or her head n
10 was pulled to and fro by servant
seated In the veranda outside Tho
croaking of the frog- could H. heard die.
tinctly from the pool In tho deserted
garden below. mingling with the sharp
''chcep chccp" of the lizards and an
occasional murinur from the canton
mcnt or the shrill tara" of the buglc
for supper. but IL was not 10 these Gus
tomary sounds that Mrs Glare was lis.
tening NJ she leaned rather forward on
her elbow.
what can 10 boi" shc said NJ last
Don't you hear IL, Zconai Can u h.
the Sixth rcturningi"
.The mem sahib IL fcvcrish Zcena
hear Messing at all. and the sahib Glare
and de Sixth not 20 10 come back till
tomorrow.
"Dut we were 90 have heard from
them today. and there has l-en no mes
sage Could anything have happened 10
himi oh. mo-. not that And yet 10 IL
strange, no one coming near me this
evening. not even MrS Smy,h. ~ she
promised. Or-therp ZconA you must
hear thatr'
THAT" was the audible enough In
deed. % cry from the cantonment. some.
thing b.twcsn q shrek and . shout, and
followed by u confused hum Of many
voices
Soldier got drunk - mad" said
Zcena larily. Sergeant put him In
black hole
at IL news 81 some sort from the reg
imcnt Zccna give me the baby and
run up ,o the cantonmcnt and see
what IL Il and AK Mrs smyth 10
come hack and stay tho night with me-
Make has,s-run. And as the lady
elapsed her hands impatienily Zccna
ro-c with the silent docility Of her clas-.
and only waiting to lay the infant by
it. mother and place tumblcr Of cool
Ing drink h.sidc her sped swiftly through
the low. arched doorway and DISAPPEARED
into the night
Left alone. Mrs Claro's anxiety in
creased The strange rolling sound was
now plainly distinguishablo for the
measured tramp of soldiers and that
some great excitement was going on at
the cantonmcnt was more and morc evil
dent Once u shrill cry rose family into
the air: then came the sharp clans Of q
bill as suddenly SUPPRESSED. and yet no
thought of danger there O. TO herself
crossed her.
A step aroused her. q quick. noisy
step coming nearer every moment Was
it her busband' No: that was no mill