The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-11-15
HALLORAN, HERO.


blare Of trumpets and the tramp of
martial feet awoke in her mind one Of
those philosophical reflections which
have puzzled the brain Of wise men ever
since the birth of time. Her thought
found expression in these words:
"Jabez, why do men kill each other?
Does it make man happy to shoot a
bullet into another man? You men are
30 hard for us women to understand !
Why, if you should strike me in anger,
Jabez, I should think the world would
come to an endp'
Eyes, yes, my dear, !" replied the old
man gently. "You might well think SO,
but ever since the world began men
have fought with each other. Why.
Gain killed Abel, according to Scrip
ture, because of jealousy, and ever since
that time murder has been committed
for love, for hatred, for money and al
most every other reason which you can
imagine, Maria. 1t seems to be a part
of human nature, this killing business.
Why, I suppose that more men have
been killed in the name of religion than
for any other cause except perhaps for
liberty. The very men who were driven
out of England by religious persecution
and who were the first white men to
settle in this country-the Puritans-
what do you suppose they did, Maria?"
IT dunno, Jabez." replied his wife.
"What did they do?''
"They killed off all the Indians in
New England, SO that they could get
possession of the land The white men
called it the survival of the fittest or
some other high sounding thing like
that, but always called it murder. +"
"Dear, dearl' said the old lady In a
futter Of excitement. "But tell me,
Jabez, is that what the Americans are
trying to do with the Spaniards?"
"No, Maria; this war is different
We don't want the land Of the Span
iards. We have more than we know
what to do with now. We are helping
the Oubans to free themselves from the
oppression of Spain. This is a war for
humanity's sake, to save the lives of
starving women and children. This, in
my humble opinion, comes very near to
being genuine holy war. The Ameri-
cans who die in 1t, whether from dis
ease or violence, are as much martyrs
as If they died at the stake. There will
be long list of those heroes, Maria, at
the Judgment day-men who died in
order that ignorance and superstition
and oppression might be killed. Ills a
shame, Maria, that the blood of noble
men must be shed, but there seems to
be no other way, my dear; there seems
to be no other wayP'
Here the old philosopher rested his
hands on his cane and looked out drear-
| lily over the landscape, contemplating
the mystery Of human thought and ao-
ton. From far away came the echoes
of the martial music, while the street
was still disturbed by ripples of excite
ment like water in the wake of steam
boat. Suddenly raising his head. the old
man continued:
Talking about war reminds me Of
Mike Halloran. He was one of the he
roes was telling you of. You don't re-
member when that Illinois regiment
went by this hotel in 1861, now, do
your"
"No, don't, Jabez, said Maria.
"You know we weren't married then. !"
"That's true, Maria. l had forgotten.
IT'S SO many years ago. And I suppose
never told you about Mike Halloran,
either, did I, Maria?'
"No, Jabez, was the reply. 81 can't
~o<10l1aok onufhino
about him. Why, who was hef"
Jabez lit his pipe, pulled reminiscent
ly for minute, and then replied:
Deemed if I've thought of Halloran
for nigh on to 80 years till yesterday,
Maria. Not for 80 years You see, Mike
was a hostler in this hotel when the
war broke out. Fine, big, strapping
fellow he was too He married Ellen
Riley, one of our chambermaids She
had cheeks like roses in the snow, and
they had one child, boy. Wonder
what's become of Ellen and the boyP"
Here Jabez dropped off into day
dream about the uncertainty of human
life, and Maria gave him dig in the
ribs to wake him up.
"Eh?' said he, blinking. "What did
you say, Maria?"
"You were telling about an Irishman
and his wife What about 'em?'
Eyes, yes p resumed Jabez hastily.
"Mike HalloranI Well, when the war
broke out, Mike was anxious to go, but
Ellen she opposed it until the second
or third call for volunteers was issued.
can't remember whether twas the
second or third call, butt
Never mind" said Maria impa-
tiently. "What odds does it make what
call it was? Go on with your story"
Well, the long and the short of it was
that Mike he enlisted in Company K,
and the boys passed by the hotel on their
way to the front. l never saw such a
time in Joliet before or since. The
whole regiment went past right down
this street, Maria. There were more
than 1000 men. The sun was a-shining
on their new guns and brass buttons
and flags were flying, the bands playing
and everybody was singing The Star
Spangled Banner. The sidewalk was
packed with people solid as box Of
clothespins. This piazza was packed.
Every window in the hotel was crowd
ed. Standing right here on the top step
right where my cane is pointed-was
Ellen Halloran with her baby in her
arms. She didn't pay any attention to
the music or the flags or the shouting.
She was looking for her Mike, and she
saw him, too, before l could have seen
him with telescope, and as she caught
sight of him she pointed him out to the
baby, saying:
" There he is, alannal Dye see
him there in the front rank? Oh, the
brave lad Give way, there, you, and
lave me at himl Lave me at him
Mebbe I'll never see him againp
Maria, the crowd opened in front of
her as mower cuts grass. They made
lane for her to pass through as if she
was princess. She ran out alongside
of Mike, who took the baby out of her
arms and raised it to his shoulder, still
marching, and Company K set up a
shout Three cheers for Halloran's
wife and babyp And so they passed
down the street and were lost in the
crowd"
Well, y said Maria, "what became
OF Halloran?' jogging her husband
again out of his reminiscent dream.
Yes, yes; excuse me, Maria Well,
l did not hear anything from Mike for
three years. Then his regiment came
back. Half of the men were left on the
battlefield or in the hospital. Some of
them had legs, others had arms miss
ing. There was no band to make music
for their marching feet, the flags were
torn and smoke stained, and there was
no cheering.