The sun., 1897-05-16
PRIVATE PAT FLAHERTY.
a YANKEE RECRUIT FRESH FROM
THE OLD SOD.

City Messenger George IL. Warr1ner always
has good supply Of war stories on tap In Mr.
WARMERS regiment, which was recruited at
Worcester and went to the front from there
was private who might have been named Pat
rick Flaherty, but wasn't, and who might have
been French, but was Irish. And ho was an
Irishman not only In name and hair. but In that
national characteristic OF witty retort and pc
culiar densenoss in some directions.
While the company was In the barracks at
Worcester 1t was the fashion for the men to run
the guard and get out OF the lines through hole
in the high board fence, made by removing the
hail at the bottom Of wide board and swinging
Into one side. After the men had got through
they would let the board swing back and there
was no sign Of exit. The officers finally discov-
cred this method of procedure and determined
to put stop to 1t. They selected as sentry at
the crucial peint Flaherty. He had impressed
them asa man who would do his duty at what
ever cost, even though 1t meant sticking bay
onet into some ones vitals boring hole
through him with an ounce of lead. They also
elaborated a system Of countersigns which they
It chanced that one night several OF the men
prepared to run the guard; Tho password that
night was "Tisonderosa:" It was vas guarded very very
outside the lines. SO a party OF four or Ave
shery Sss si For sake on
OF the party started ahead to experiment on
sd Ssohnd to ns %aSS
vance guard got through all right the rest had
good e. going IN PoqEh tbo % asS
the latter brought his musket to charge bayo-
nets W,,6 end shouted: sn Hn.,
"A friend.'
I "share and yez can't get out o this widout de
The soldier approached the picket and whis-
pcred in his ear the word, "Ticonderoga."
"Phwat did yeZ sayf'
"Ticonderoga. repeated the guard runner In
q louder whisper.
THAT amt the worrud," said Pat. and az the
pon to Of he ee
closer to his body, Don't yez move wan step or
The soldier knew Pat we'll enough TO know
that he would do 1t in a second IL he made a mo
tion, and so he stood there passiyely while Pat
or % two the corporal came running up to see
what WIS the matter, but he was halted by Pat,
who said Give the es0IbnterSign, tbn m,
How'd up" intcrposed Pat, "yez haven't got
In vain the corporal protested that that was
the word that had been given out. Pat would
Porai @ and the private standing there with bis
bayonet vibrating between them while he
shouted for the sergeant OF the guard. The word
rived on the scene. Meanwhile the guard run
ner's companions began to edge away to await de-
What's all this troublei'' demanded the ser
geant, looking over the group;
fssndsrSs hs Peped the is seFssant Ps1st
Faith and yez haven't got it right. oyther."
said Pat, pointing his bhayonet at the he sergeant:
''It don't make, wan bit OF difference" said
ysn ysn sep ina" hole ana
anS By this .hS
n F'ahRrty
Called this time for the Lieutenant of the guard.
He was by this time surrounded by pretty re:
musket. The hubbpb soon reached the ears of
hurry TO see what the trouble was all about. Pat
brought him up short with his bayonet and de,
manded the countersign. although he knew well
"Ticonderoga," said tho Lieutenant.
",Howly smoke, sighed Pat, :. he amt got it
Ain, got it right r, said the Lieutenant an:
Sure, thin ~ yez forgotten it, said Pat.
.Ticonderoga wasn't the worrud ycz gave"
What was it then }" asked the Lieutenant,
It 'Ss @as Wrong kind of rosuery
said Pat, and a shout of laughter went up from
hcrty. having recently come over and not being
well'up In American history, had not heard Of
though they had drilled him carefully. trying to
got him to pronounce 1t. Not long afterward
the regimen, moDse to the south d and With A i
Of roguery." 1t stuck to him all through the
war, and he got so used to 1t that he responded
paid of Pat watched them draw their pay,
and finally i came his turn: turnn:,.,,o..,
Patrick Flaherty, called out the Major.
Pat stepped forward.
lis your name Patrick Flahertyr asked tho
Major; .,..-.,
"How's thisi What is your name then r.
, Sure it's Wrong kind Of roguef5.' sir" said
Pat, complacently, thinking he had sprung
The Major flew into a rage and ordered Pat off
@artaed I He considered Himself s % srieVousy @ in
company explained the joke that Flaherty got OFF.
When the regiment was lying near Alexandria
Flaherty achieved the honor of being the best
shot in the company through curious circum.
and the man who made the best shot each day
was given twelve hours leave to 20 into Alex.
andrn The mark that FMlnherty Tn q company @ was WAS
over picket fence and across u garden patch.
Flaherty had never shot gun in his life, but
shoulder and let drive. The result was astound-
ing; Pat turned three or four back somersaulis
shoulder ruefully. In fact the kick. nearly dis
located L, and he was in pretty bad shape for a
ba s b how WAS 'he
and that explained lucidly enough what had
been the matter: The bullets were pointed
Off the explosion expanded the base and fitting
closely into the.ring Of the barrel, II cleaned the
gun. Pat had put his bulott into the gun point
first and had rammed it down hard. or course
when the gun went off there was terrific kick:
Why did you put the bullet in that way"
" Sure. thin, because it wint in much easier"
he replied.
But tho bullet! After 1t left the gun It struck
picket on tho fence spllntering 1t. Then 1t hit
the earth in the middle Of the garden patch.
the middle and the great splotch of lead tore the
bullseye clean out of tho target. the best shot
that had been made, Pat got his twelve hours
leave, but his shoulder did not permit him to
enjoy II much.
Poor Flaherty's taking away was quite in
keeping with his army career. He served
through the war and came out alive with quite
did not drink at all, but he camc back TO Mas
sachusetts and married Il girl who drove him to
rum a solace for his woes. One night he was
coming home pretty well filed up and he
lurched and fell, lying prostrate on the ground:
As he fell he had thrown his arm out in front Of
him and his face rested on his arm. His open
mouth was filled with his coat sleeve. and
Flaherty. who before he reached the ground was
in drunken stupor. did not know enough to
movo Il away so as TO get air. and he smothered
himself with his own arm