Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-08-20


knowledge of the special requirements
of the service or how she came to know
SO much about the soldierly qualities OF
TWO OF my corporals, but these commits
sions are the result"
we can't accept them, SIR" said
Brainard. ''if they've been granted on
such hearsay and misapprehension."
didn't approve of Brainard's 1--WE"
He had the right to decline for himself,
should he insist on being so foolish, but
wanted my own commission no mat
ter through what mistake it was issu-
ed. The colonel, too. was of my way
OF thinking, for he replied
Nonsense! Never lose chance to
reach higher rank, especially to move
your Insignia of rank from your sleeve
to your shoulder"
But, sir, there are other men more
deserving of it" said Brainard. "Pd
feel ashamed to wear shoulder straps
II McTwyny must 80 on with only n
sergeant's stripes. You ought to see
him fight"
"Eh? McTwyny? That freckled
Irish tiger that's a sergeant in your
troop? oh, he couldn't help fighting IL
he triedw
But there's brains behind his fight
ing, sir. If you'd seen and heard =
There's brains behind all real fight.
ing, oral-er-lieutenant. Don't
ever forget it, or your enemy will get
the better of YOU"
"But there's such n lot behind Nc
Twyny's, sir," persisted Brainard.
"Think of the odds that We're against
him. He had only IS men with whom
to fight what looked like brigade-cer-
tainly n thousand-and he talked and
acted like general instead of mere
sergeant"
"When? Where? How do you know n
asked the colonel, with n quizZical
smile apparently at Brainard's assum-
ing to know how n general would act.
This afternoon. Way off to the
right of the road our regiment took.
We saw him. We were in the fight
with him and were proud of it and of
him.
"Bless me! heard such wild stories
OF that skirmish that I've already ask
ed your captain for written report.
Tell me all about it.'
Brainard told him without word of
exaggefation, yet as he talked the colo
mel arose and paced his tent like an ex-
cited lion in cage. He clinched his
hands, and his eyes flashed, and he
sputtered small groups of Scriptural
words that We're not prayers. Brain
/ Nr1 CT oh tIy oe AL 4,
Mick felled the skirmishers captain.
"The tiger! exclaimed the colonel
~ wish there were more of his kind in
the regiment
But isn't he a man, too?" asked
Brainard. "And shouldn't he be re-
warded"-
at shan't be my fault if he isn't
man from this day FORTH" interrupted
the colonel. "Come with me. l sup
pose he is in the hospital"
"Oc dead,' suggested.
| "Nonsensew growled the colonel.
Loss of fore paw never kills tiger.
Lieutenant Baslow Of our regiment has
shot them in India. He was In the
British service and has told me all
about it,
Instead of going direct to the hos
pital the colonel stopped at captains
tent and asked for one of the occu-
pants jackets-an old one. The cap
tain looked surprised, but complied
with the request. The colonel strobe
rapidly to the hospital tents, followed
by Brainard and me. Entering the
/ G11rpirO1 ri 10 slya6.
SIS McTwyny here?"
"Prisint, sorr," came from a red face
on n cot, and big freckled hand came
to the side Of the face in the position of
salute.
Pm sorry to hear Of your loss" said
the colonel, land I've brought you the
best consolation could think Of. This
is the jacket you shall wear when you
get up again, Captain McTwyny."
"Whooroo!' exclaimed Mick. He
closed his eyes an instant, then opened
them and said, "Av Norah cud only see
| tt"
"She shall see it, with you inside of
1t, as soon us you're fit to go north on
leave Of absence. Is there anything
else can do for your?
Mick pushed aside his sheet, display
ed his severed arm lying on his breast
and said:
Don't let 'em throw this away"
"He knocked me down for trying to
take it from him." whispered the
nurse, "but of course thing of that
kind can't be kept"
For moment the colonel seemed to
be choking. When he recovered, he
said:
"Let me take it. I'll have it buried
with the honors Of war. The company
you're to command, captain, shall fire
salute over it"
"Oi thank yez very koindly, sorr. for
that an that ilse we've done, but how
about thin two little dhivils fornlnst
ye? In the foight wild the fince rails
glory be to the poikes nv aud Oireland
they We're wort more than all the rist
av the platoon put together. Little
Brainard. ali, fiat shillelah twister
he'd make! An, as for Frost, he saved
me own loife two or three tonnes in
succession"
"Good" exclaimed the colonel. "They
shall be taken care of. Now keep as
quiet as you can, captain, so as to get
well auckland see Norah. Nurse,
hang this jacket at the foot of his cot
in some way so he can always see tho
shoulder straps when his eyes are
open. Come along, men-I beg your
pardon-gentlemen."
Now" said the colonel, "as you two
have declined q hadn't the commits
sions granted, as you think, under u
misrepresentation and through the
Imagination of a young woman, shall
Mt once recommend you for commits
sions in your own old regiment, and
you may be sure that you'll get them.
~ y, !