Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-30

Tie Oh DccT Hdu DttH tIt4a-b CJIiiiHdh'icu
silence and leaned his fingers on the little
table of Mother Revell's Kitchen in the
manner of an accustomed after-dinner
speaker.
"Ye1I excuse me bowldniss. said he.
but Dim afther roisin' te perpouse hilth
an long Ioife to Misthress Revell. an sure
old better be namin' her Neither Revell at
onct, fur it's that the whole rigimnt names
her. more power to her.
Hear, heart cried the newly made SER
geant. patdng his mothers wrinkled hand.
hand of boiled-looking white from much
laundry work in the old troop.
Good boy. Healyi' cried old Fin Strait.
the farrier. Wait till l get pencil to re-
port that speech
'Ye're an ignorant ould biatherskite, Fin;
yez couldn't report nothin. Whut wud the
loike o youse be doin' wild pencil?'' the
corporal asked. grinning. shut yer face
till oil be through spakin'. Martin. me son.
yez be young te be sargint. but, faith, it's
natural yez shud jump over me. who's bin
corpTl an bruk an corp'rii an bruk in
the rfgimint tin tonnes over. It's liver bin
me plisint practice, Martin. an yer moth
ers. too. tie tache a promi:sin' young nom
com the roight way to do his duty. which
has bin fruitful NV thrubble an foightin.
OWN to the consated freshness young
non-coms ginerally, who think they know it
an cud larn his drill tie any Johnnie-come-
lately frum Wist Point. An fur them
manifOwld blessin's, Martin-sure OF shud
say Sargint Revell-yezll thank yer moth
er. fur why? She's bin the bist frind Wv
ivry man in the ould throop since youse
wuz in frocks. me son. She's saved miny
a wan rum bobtail discharge, an miny
q wan frum hell. God bless her. An what
we wudn't do fur Mother Revell an her
boy amt worth doin'. begab and begob,
That's all. an now yeZ con blow off all the
gas we've mind to. Fin Strait. fur Dim
through wild me spakin'."
Hear, heart old Fin croaked. I'm no
orator like Healy, Mrs. Revell. because I've
nOthin' to say. Only were here to wet
Martins stripes. so we'll open another bot
tie to his health. He was a bugler when
he was sixteen and corporal at twentJ,
and now he's a sergeant at twenty-five.
and there's not man jealous of him. either.
Martin. spanked you when you was small
for the love of you. and I'm proud to think
them spankings helped to make a man of
YOU Keep on. my son. an you'll be first
sergeant of the old troop in another year.
like your father before you"
"AchoO,'
Healy was seized with an attack of sneez-
ing. so that he buried his face in his hand
kerchief- Little Mother Revells tanned
and wrinkled face whitened and she looked
reprOachfully at the farrier with big gray
sorrOwful eyes. Fin himself turned red and
opened several bottles of beer in his con-
fusion.
And I'll bet my father made a good
one" said the young sergeant ..En
mother? You never tell me much about
him.
1T was so long ago, dear" the laundress
answered in whisper.
There came a rap on the door, peremp-
tory and official and Martin rose and OMEN
ed 1t, letting into the room a shiyer-com-
peiling gust of wind and a whirl of snow
'HallOa, Seldom he cried. What's up?
Come in
A snow-bespattered orderly coated and
hefurred, entered with stamping of over
shoes.
With the majors compliments to Mrs.
Revell- he said, formally. "and he knows
when stripes should be wetted."
The orderly srinned and placed Two bot
ties of wine on the table and dashed out
again to resume his post at the house of
the major commanding.
Tears sprang to Mother Revelrs eyes and
her son Redeemed with pleasure.
.,HoT Kind of the old majcr.' she said.
He been good friend to me. To think
tin"
All, its you he remembers. mother"
cried Martin. DO you think he forpets
how You nursed him when the Apaches
gave MIN that bullet in the ribs?'
Falth, Healy muttered. AN maybe
he moinds further back than that, me boy
Whln he wuz only sargint hisseIf in the
war. an yer mother nurse1 more nor him
through the bullet fever"
"Healyr' cried Mother Revell, nervously.
Sdiu lnt iOflS-IGGSet, red-h:lir I'd
corporal. shall l be afther openin' bottle
of wine?'
Is it shampeen?" cried the farricr, ex-
citedly. or maybe sherry wine?'
Pass me thu bottle, Fin, ay We please -
said Healy. an OIL be afther teliin' yez.
It's naythur. It's port, an oid-fas hioned
Glntlenlans wine. Mishtress ReveH me
grandfather had dozens it in his castle
in tn ould country"
Give it here" the farrier cried, waving a
cCrkscrew.
Fin Strait" said the corporal, suddenly
snatchiEg il. while he frownei upon his
friend In a matther OF this gintility ven
be koind enough to reminder me rank is
superior to yours
And he opened the bottle with dignity.
. Ihey had but once slipped the unwonted
liquor. and were beginning to com,ut nj
upon its taste. when once again there came
rap upon the door. rap as peremptory
anu ofnciai as the first. Fin Strait. fearful
OF lntruslvely thirsty Threats. hid the sec
Cnd bottle promptly, and Mother Reeve il
Grew nearer the stove, away from the draft
OF the opening door. Again the snow drift
ed IN as Martin Revell answered the knock
ana again a sIow-bespattered orderly en-
tered This time it was the orderly trump
etcF from the sergeant majors office.
Soiry to disturb you, Mrs. Revell," he
SAID order from the adjutant's Office
sergeant"
Hellol" shouted the sergeant, reading
the Order 'Paymaster coming UP from
Fort Nickerscn, Healy."
It's time, growled the corporal. .It.s
stony, l am"
Mother, I'm in charge of the escort to
meet him at Wolf creek-start right away
meet him tomorrow noon. That breaks I'D
cur party"
"Aw, the farrier cried. 1.-THE sergeant
major don't know how to run roster It's
not your turn
Junior sergeant heads the list" said the
orderly. briefly. Thank you, Mrs Reyell-
your health. My word, Wine? You're
tony
IN report at the office with my men and
escort wagon in half an hour" said the
serg giant Good night. motherr'
Its Il bitter cold night for escort duty -
SAID Mother Revell. anxiously Wear all
your furs, Martin. and take as nany blank
els as you can manage for camp Wait. III
MI a flask of the majors port"
Snc knows it ALL" Fin Strait rn,rmured
adriiringly. toasting his toes at the stove.
shes an old warhorse, is your mother.
Martin Goodbye. Wen finish the wine.
0rinkln; good luck to YOU"
Mother Revell let her tall boy out, kiss
inS him good night, and returned with a
shIver 10 the fire.
Man,. said the farrier softly, Il beg
your pardon for that slip about his father;
1 forgot"
HUSH, said Mother Revell. paliny.
IheIt's only you and Healy and the
major left that knows the truth of it, The
boy need never know Come rouya all