Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-09-05
THE ADJUTANT'S GRAVE.
1t was at the taking of Ranroon

1t was at the taking of Rangoon,
From the Irrawaddi the crashing
batteries Of dozen steam frigates ha /
levelcd the stockades on the river side.
Black masses Of naked, smoke-staiaes.
Burmese, exposed al their guns OF. in
shallow trenches, when the teak walls
fell or were burned, were moved town
like grass by hailst0rm of grape.
Our artillery was lanling The
Eighteenth Royal Irish were already
in the breaches aud at the water gate,
The Burmese drop)cl their cumofous
shields and lances aud dhars and fled,
yelling, back toward the great pagola.
Those wild Irish, possessed Of the same
devil that dashed and slashcs and
stabbed and hacked and hurrahca in
the Ennlskilleners ut Waterloo, went
off in hot chase. Only one regineat.-
for they would not wait for the slow
boats that were bringing the guns,
and the Eightieth and the Sepoy
Rifles, but broke away in pursuit, in
spite OF the almost frantic officers,
who, weak and hoarsc with Intellectual
efforts to check their mad command,
were forcel to follow at last, Ill chas-
ing the bubble population together
one regiment, at the heels Of ten thou
sand panic-strickcn savages
One Of the glorious fellows Of the
crack Eighteenth IN this tcmpestuous
hurlcy-burlcy was lFallon, thea djutant
lie was The cquippa model Of gen
tleman and soldier, according to the
standard Of his proud regiment;
jovial boon companion, generous com
rade, fast friend, frank and fearless
enemy; in sport child, in taste
scholar, impetuous In fight, pitiful in
victory,
As his disordcred party charged,
shouting, up the broad Dagonroad, be.
tween the long lines of the inner stock
ade, over bamboo hr.dges thrown across
trenches, and past grim, gigantic idols
and ponghce houses Enthusiastically
carved, the adjutant who had fingered
behind the rest, striving to the last, in
his habitual devotion to discipline, to
restrain the men, happened to be in
the rear Of ALL
How now9n jcstingly cried Clark,
an English ensign Of the adjutant's
mess, who was running just before
him, "our plucky Fallou at the back
OF us ALL This is bad enough for me,
old fellow, who have my metals to
win; but 1t will never do for You, with
those red ribbons to answer for"
II am doing my best, Clark, my
boy" l'allon replied, and shall be up
with that crazy sergeant presently
You know am good for a short brush
Of foot race; fast running Is one of my
accomplishments thanks to my bog
trotting education and the practice
Lord Cough gave us
Hardly were the words done ringing
in his comrades ears when the gallant
Fallon, the pride of his corps, received
in his generous breast a dozen muslsct
balls, as he sprang up the broad stair
case Of the Golden Dragon pagoda--
first OF them ALL and quite alone He
fell on his face, stone dead, on the
stairs, sword in hand and smiling.
When all was over, and his regiment
held the post Of honor on the very
throne of the l'oodh, they gave him a
soldiers most distinguished obsequies,
burying him in grove Of TALBOT trees,
behind a ponghee house Of the most
most grotesque architecture, and just
outside Of what were afterward the
Sepoy lines OF the Eightieth. His faith
full orderly planted rude cross ut his
graves head and set an English white
rose there. An American missionary
gave IT to him.
In Calcutta Norah Fallon-beautlful,
Accomplished, witty, altogether ra-
liant with rare charms of mind and
oerson-waited with her young child
Tor news from her soldier husband, who
lad her heart in his keeping within
the stockades Of Rangoon. When they
old her he was dead, she fell, uttering
only a sharp cry, and lay as one dead
'or many days. But when she awoke
% the consciousness OF her pro-
ound bereavement and her eternal
she shed not tear nor
poke word, but took her boy and
vent aboard troopship that sailed
IN the morrow for Rangoon.
On the voyage still she spoke not,
Tor ever wept; the silence Of her sor-
ow had something sacred, almost aw.
I'll, about 1t, that commanded del.
cacy Of consideration, which was
ort Of worship, from the rudest about
Ter.
Arrived at Rangoon, no sooner had
he ship dropped anchor off the kings
wharf than Norah sent her chaprassey,
er Ilindoo errand goer, with a note to
len. Goodwin, commanding the com
any's forces in I'urmah: THE wife OF
iaurice Fallon, adjutant in the Eight
enth Of her ma]esty's Royal Irish,
vould be permitted to see her hus.
and's grave; she awaits the expires.
ion OF the generals wishes on board
he Mahanuddy."
She waited long. At last the answer
anne:
ut was with unfeigned sorrow that
lieut.. Gen. Goodwin found himself
onstrained, by the exigencies & his
osition, to refuse the widow Of one Of
Ia best officers, whose loss was felt by
,e whole Anglo-lndian army, the sad
rivileQe OF visiting the spot where his