The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-11-13
he VindiCatiOn
of the Sergeant
YAHE sun blazed down on tn
By MARVIN DANA

fury tnaC TO the perSpflnS SUI
diers was more annoying than
Spanish bullets. Sergeant Flynn had
sighed gratefully as he entered the
kitchen of an English resident, with
whose cook, Bridget Maloney, he was
on terms of ardent friendship.
Be it said in Difference to the SER
geant's taste and Bridget's charms that
the damsel was not typical cook in
the matters of age and weight, only in
culinary skill. Bridget was hardly more
than twenty-five, and her face was fair
and her waist as trim as any to be seen
on the dancing green at DOnnybrOok.
But, though her eyes were blue as the
softest summer skies, they could, too,
dart lightnings on occasion, and soon
the sergeant found those flames dane
ing disconcertingly about his devoted
head.
"Will We have the goodness to tell me
thot aginJ" the soldier asked plain
lively after Bridget had exhausted her.
self by pouring forth a flood of elo-
quence that was more vigorous than
lucid.
"Sure an it's mesilf 'as already spoke
me moind," Bridget snapped.
"An' yer father2' the sergeant haz-
arded.
Eyes, me father! Ye know i'm, I'm
thinkin, an betther coachman niver
cracked whip, though it's mesilf says
it as shouldn't"
eyes, sure an know 'im," the SER
geant assented wearily, for he had no
admiration for his prospective father
in-law. "But what is the matther wild
imp
''Nothin' at all, at ALL" was the vig-
Qrous retort. 'It's all thot fri'nd av
yours, Pirate Casey be name. Faith
an thot limb av Satan dhared to call
me father dhrunken scalyWag, an e
thritened to knock lis 'ead off av i'm.
Sure thot's rale nice thing to ave
sphoken av an agid parint. If ye're a
man, yell knock the 'ead off ay Casey
fer love av me-"
"But, Bridget, mayourneen," the SER
geant replied iii much distress, "be me
sowl, can't do it."
"An' ye dhare to sit there, eatin' the
cake l made wild me own lands, an
let me father be insulted be man not
'alf the soize av vel Ye're a coward,
Mike Flynnw
Sure, I'm not coward, but I'm not
goin' to lick Casey, not for nobody"
Thin | repate me remarks, Mr..
Flynn, ye're coward, wild no more
sphunk than squeakin' rat, an We
can whistle fer wife whin We want
one, but it'll not be Bridget Maloney,
I'm thinkin'. She'll have no man who
'asnt 'eart to defend an agid parint"
Burst an agid parint1 cried the
sergeant recklessly. He rose to his
feet and attempted to bestow a chaste
salute on the damsels lips, an effort
that resulted in his being soundly
cuffed. Under this treatment his ardor
cooled, and he retreated toward the
door. With his hand on the latch he
turned to say:
"Per'aps | niver told We, but it's
truth I'm tellin', thot Casey saved me
loife once in fight. Casey can mop
up tee floor wild thot howly parint av
yours, but I'll not lay me 'and on 'im."
DS ttil lue SulHlS, never Sd d IluIl
so chicken hearted; afraid to stand up
to a man no 'igher than the stomick
av ye! Sure, an yer an ornament to
the army. Did ye liver see the loikes
av 'im," she continued, addressing an
imaginary audience while pointing the
finger of contempt at Flynn-"a sojer
for tin years an niver a scratch on the
tipdnr cIyi -.
touched at all, at all, it'll be in the
back av i'm" Then again she turned
to the disconsoIate sergeant:
mot word more will sphake to
ye. March out ov me kitchen, We loaf
| in cowardr'
That same night Sergeant Flynn
found himself ordered to accompany
Major Howard, who was to start the
next morning on the Oceanic, an armed
launch, with supplies in tow for the
| Oeste in the Rio Chico. In it's way
| his position was one of importance, an
Importance essentially increased by the
small size of the expedition. In addi-
tion to Major Howard, there were only
two white soldiers ON the Oceanic
Sergeant Flynn. who was In command,
and the engineer. There were, too, a
civilian clerk, with the major, and two
blacksmiths going up to report to the
cavalry regiment. The crew of the
launch above and below was made ur
of Filipinos.
The Oceanic steamed down to Aryat,
] in Luzon, and there took in tow two
huge cascos of supplies. The cascos
had a guard of twenty soldiers, but
This protection was rather theoretical
chan practical. inasmuch as the men in
the boats were shut down beneath the
heavy bowed mats with which the
cascos were covered and were thus un-
able to fight except after clambering
out slowly one by one from the central
opening in each mat.
Sergeant Flynn understood that this
transit Of supplies through the enemy's
territory was not without risks. In
deed he reckoned up the chances with
out enthusiasm. The launch was un-
protected by armor. Her supply of
guns was limited to a single Norden-
feldt five barrel rapid firer. This weap-
on was wretchedly inefficient, for 1t
constantly jammed.
However. nearly the whole distance
was traversed without disturbance.
Finally the Oceanic. with the cascos in
tow, rounded the great bend at the
mouth of the Rio Chico. which from