The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-16
Held at Bay,

-
The sun was sinking over the pretty
little town Of Setuoal IN the west Of
Portugal. and It's last rays lighted UP a
stirring and picturesque scene Along the
banks OF the great plain beyond the town
there seemed 10 be monster picnic 60
.ng o.. and. stranger still. picnic made
up entirely ot soldiers
Camp fires were sending UP their thin
blue smoke into the bright evening shy.
Musksts were stacked on every SIDE
Ike shezves % corn. and men were bust
Ing &c and fro. carrying bread and ration
beef. hurting for tue!. OF fetching water
from, ire river
But the straagest thing OF all was that
The men On oae sideof the stream were al
dressed II red. and those or the other in
blue. II fact. re French and English
soldiers, VINO Tad been lighting befoTe
Se-uoal. were making friends during
shor: truce, and having supper together
:aH, s.Eewy. bright-eyed 'Tipperary
boy" was dipping MS hot face IN The
stream. when voice from the opposite
bank shouted
"Hol! Monsieur Patrick. you come
here, I'll give you some suppare."
Who's that. anyway. Pat?" asked Pat
rick's rear-rank man. Dennis Moriarty.
Who's that is it? Sure, he's the
broth Of boy entirely. whoever he is.
Twas he that gave me this little re-
mimbrance yesterday" pointing TO
fearful cash in MS cheek. and, by the
50 me token. l wrote my name on that
arrum he's got Tied up there. Come on.
and I'll inthrojuce yez TO him"
4 merry party the three made. The
French troped wound up the supper with
a French song, and Paddy gave him one
in Irish. and they parted the best OF
friends; but Pat whispered in Moriarty's
ear: It's an iAigant supper we've had.
Dlnny. but thin same chaps will be af-
Their giyin' Us d hot breakfast n the
mornin'."
O'CalIsghan's prophecy proved true
enough At daybreak the English out
posts were driven i'll by a large body Of
French skirmshers. and the battle soon
became general along the whole line.
The Twenty-eighth was in the rhickest
OF the night. as usual, and twice repuised
the attack of the French grenadier regl-
ment AS the enemy fell back the second
time hot IRISH blood could stand it no
longer, and out rushed the Twenty-eighth
men in pursuit, although their officers,
seeing the danger, called loudly to them
TO halt.
But IL is no easy matter TO stop an
Irishman when in chase of an enemy. and
the boys of the ouId brigade followed
the pursuit so far that they got scattered
and fell into disorder.
At that moment the French Dragons
came down upon them like a whirlwind.
and Paddy O'Callaghan, after lighting
like hero. and knocking down men right
and left as If he had been at Donny-
brook fair, found himself separated from
his comrades, and right in among the
enemy.
Just then a riderless horse came flying
past, and Pat, making a sudden spring
clutched the reins and was just going 70
on Its back when he heard his
name called, and looking down, saw at his
feet the burly form of Dennis Moriarty.
Are we hurt, Denny?'' asked O'Calla-
CHAN. tenderly.
They've bruk my arm" growled Mo-
riarty, in a voice hoarse with pain.
Without another word, Pat lifted his
wounded comrade into the saddle. and
away went the horse and Dennis. who. as
he had said. stuck TO his seat as If he
had been glued.
But Paddy's generous, self-devotiou
seemed likely to cost him dear. for at that
instant five of the French dragons.
catching sight of his red jacket. came
charging down upon him all at once.
With one bound he was behind the
trunk of huge cork tree that stood near.
from which ready-made intrenchment the
barrel of his musket poked itself out so
that the Dragons pulled up
rather hastily.
One of the dragons fired his pistol, but
the shot only drew haunting laugh from
our hero. while the threatening muzzle
fronted them at every turn, face which
way they would.
PIT now 10 dra erra ar haiDC
held at bay so long by one man, divided
their forces, two wheeling toward one side
Of the tree and two toward the other,
" lille the fifth came straight forward.
Matters seemed likely 10 go hard with
poor Pat. when suddenly the air was rent
with the war cry of the Irish brigade.
'Faugh-a-ballagh," and on came the
rwenty-eighth once more
At sight of the coming help, Paddy's
bold blood was up at once. Out he darted
upon his assaiiants with a flourish of his
nusket which was sufficient 10 frighten
he whole cavalry of the imperial guard.
1t did scare the horse Of the nearest
French dragon, which reared and fell
heavily, rider and all. Before the French
nan could rise again. OCallaghan's foot
vas on his breast, and held him there
I'll the men OF the Twerty-eighth came
ID and helped him to secure his prisoner.
well done. my fine fellow" said the
Colonel Of the Twenty-eighth, when he
heard the story of Pats exploit. Here's
/ guinea for you, and well you've earn
ID it. But why didn't you give those ras-
ais one shot at the last, when you had
he chance?"
Sure. for the best OF all raisons. yer
Honor" answered Pat; there was moth
ng in the gun at all, at al"