The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-08-31

tysburg (where that regiment did such
valiant service in the repulse of Pick
ett's charged! Capt. Thompson, myself
and several others returned to Phla-
delphia by way of Baltimore, stopping
over In that city for a day or two at
the Niagara House, at that time kept
by Col Joyce, who on finding out that
we were returning from Gettysburg
asked US if we saw the monument Of
the One Hundred and Fortieth New
York with the bust of Col. O'Rourke
cut on the same. We told him that
we had He said that his son was a
classmate with O'Rourke at West Point
and gave US the very interesting ac-
count as follows:
Young O'Rourkes mother was a
poor widow who did washing and
laundry work for a living. Her son,
Patrick, to help his mother along, sold
newspapers, generally around the docks
or wharves when the Sound steamers
arrived. One day while busy selling
his papers to the people leaving one
OF the steamers, the cry was raised
and carried from one to another that
child had fallen overheard, and while
everything was in commotion, no per-
son seeming to know what to do, young
o'Rourke, quickly casting his papers
to one side, ran out to the end of the
wharf and jumped into the river in
time to save the young girl from
drowning.
The girls father, who at that time
was a judge, made some inquiry about
the young man who had saved the life
of his child and found him to be the
son of widowed mother and a bright
and deserving boy. Some time later
the judge was elected to Congress and
as Congressman he had the naming
of a cadet to the Academy at West
Point. He sent for young ORourke, to
whom he rendered the appointment.
which, needless to say, O'Rourke glad
~ accepted, and after five years he
graduated with high honors. number
two in his class.
1t had been the custom at West
Point on the evening Of, or shortly
after graduating day for the class to
give ball. to which many of the resi-
dents of the town of West Point were
invited. One Of che ladies of the town
who was invited was accompanied by
a lady friend. who was on a visit to
her home, and during the evening
young o'Rourke and this young lady
visitor instinctively took to each other
without knowing the reason why. They
danced together and spent most of the
evening in company. Finally, before
departing. during a conversation it in.
tcidentally developed that she was the
young girl who ten or twelve years
before had fallen into the river, and
that the gallant young graduating
cadet was the poor newsboy who so
CALAMITY saved her from drowning at
the risk Of his own life. There was a
young man of prominent family call
ing on her at this time, and when he
heard Of the circumstance and that sha
and o'Rourke were corresponding with
each other, and not being ENCOURAGED
by the young lady in the attention paid
to her, he commenced to make in.
quiries about the o'Rourke family.
Finding that his mother still lived in
tenement house in New York city.
he sent annoying letters to the Young
lady. calling her attention to that fact.
The letters were returned to him, for
bidding him to either write or sneak ia
her again.
o'Rourke after graduating was an
pointed to a lieutenancy in the army.
and when the war Of 1876 broke out
he and the young lady were engaged.
but at his request the date was post
poned until he should make a record
for himself. Volunteering for the war
had been going on for some time when
viz oofSA 1OA VI NEW YORK aDnOtntA6
Lieutenant Patrick H. o'Rourke to be
major of the One Hundred and For.
tieth New York. He went forward ia
battle for his country. looking proudly
forward for the opportunity to make
record for himself so that he might
with pride return to New York and
lead the girl that he loved to the altar.
notwithstanding he had rapidly won
promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and
Colonel Of his regiment and all the
slories attending the same. he fen
while CALAMITY leading his men through
the rugged boulders of Little Round
Top on the second day of the BLOODY
battle Of Gettysburg. He was. unfor-
tunately, prevented. through his love Of
country and death on the field of bat