The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-10
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The Irish Member s GSam6 6f 5Sieph

were left after the hard fighting they
had done that day? And was their hero
ism to be rewarded By a courtmartial for
a mere act of INSTRUMENTATION?
But Mr. Chamberlain had risen to reply.
.O'Gallaghan had threatened to shoot
the officer who had given the order
Denis instantly rose. The speaker rose
at the same time. pulling his black robe
about him. to put stop to these endless
supplemcntaries,"
But the last reply had given Denis a
great opportunity.
is the right honorable gintleman aware
that the order given by the ofhcer-the
order which O'Calaghan and his COM
rades refused to obey--was an order to
retire. and run away from the inlmy?
Nothing would have surprised the hon
ora BILE member for Rathkeale so much
as to find there was the slightest accu-
Iacy in this insinuatior; but it was good
If MISUNDERSTANDING; and it really
upset the stolid attitude of the secretary
for the colonies who answered hesitating-
ly that he had no official information
on the point" But" he graciously
added, lin view of the brilliant bravery
shown by the Seventeenth Wicklow
Rangers throughout this war it would
not be surprising to find that such was
the case
"That being so" said Denis. immediate
" assuming the whole thing proved,
will the right honorable gintleman con-
slider the advisability of taking humane
course in this instance-and cable in
struetions for OCallaghans reprieve?'
The right honorable gentleman shook
his head. On second thoughts, he rose
to say emphatcally:
! "The serious nature of the oHense
would seem to put the question of re-
prieve quite beyond consideration.
Denis expected that much. But he was
| upon his feet with another phase
II can assure the right honorable gem
tleman that this matter is one where a
| little delay and investigation would be
| more than justified. 1 myself can throw
| IL new light altogether upon the matter.
And / would, with great respect, urge
| upon the right honorable gentleman the
| imperative necessity of delay-if only Tor
| twinty-four hours-before carrying out
| this Ubiquitous sintince on blameless
! Irish soldier"
! Denis wanted, above all things, to
| lengthen Private O'Callaghan's threat
! ened existence. He thought he couli
easily spare u little breath to prevent
OCallaghan running short of it prema-
| turely. EIe trusted to Heaven and his
| ingenuity for ultimate success.
| Mr. Chamberlain rose slowly:
LAS the honorable member he replied
J quietly assures me that he is in pos
| session of important private Information
regarding this unfortunate matter
| shall of course, cable for further details
which will necessarily involve some slight
delay in the final carrying out of the
courtmartial sentence. But he added
| significantly, II look to the honorable
member to furnish valid reasons for MS
serious interference with regulations.
Mr. Speaker here interfered most de-
! fnitively, and the house of commons once
| more dropped into its rut of routine
DO Ia, Shn
| extravagantly He was flushed with the
great satisfaction he felt.
THAT'S first blood to me anyway
Bhoys-if the Lord spares me the health
I'll sind Tim O'Callaghan home to his
mother in Rathkeale yet
| "Ye'll be having to make Chamberlain
sind that cable, Dinny"
| "Begor-I will so. I'd betther go chas-
| ing young Ludlow, or maybe the poor
overworked bhoy will be forgetting
And as he put it he '"made a bowlt for
| the doole.'
| Then as he would say he went chasing
round the Hobbies looking for Mr.. Cham
| berain's private secretary.
He searched the corners of the parlia-
mentary workshop; failing there, he went
out to its afternoon playground
| Immediately Denis stuck his head out
of the little doorway to the torrance and
groaned.
| II might guss that He'll fly away
now and I'll not know at all"
! lie walked the other way. But, to his
| surprise, young Ludlow Immediately
left the ladies and hurried down to him.
| The private secretary, slender fair and
Youthful. looked small with Denis staring
| down at him; he really had less than a
mans years and more than mans
! brains.
Il was looking for you in the house,
Cavanagh"
| did We sind that cable?'
Half an hour ago
| Thin that's the reason | couldnt find
| ye."
But. I say. Cavanagh you lnow-as
I told you this morning-you are making
| an awful mess of a serious matter. The
war office people
ME bhoy,' said Denis grandly, putting
| his hands on the slender shoulders, I'D
! deshtroy the organization or julius Say
| ser and all his great legions to save this
same poor Tim O'Callagnan! Ye didn t
know Tim?" Denis looked sideways and
| shook his head as If Mr.. Chamberlain s
private secretary had led a misspent life.
| Lave it to me. me deere man. I'll inter-
view Mr.. Chamberlain -
"Dou you mean that you are expecting
to get the colonial secretary to override
| the whole military -.
what else is left to me?'
! Young Ludlow gasped.
"He's up to his ears In it-hes away
| he can't possibly be here again before
, dinner.
We'll thin. We might say Ill wait till
after dinner for um-eh?'
| Il decline 10 do anything of the kind.
! Tn not humbuggng. | tell You it isn't
| safe--turning the whole British empire
| upside down over a rotten private sol
| der"
| "Ah, but sure. an Irish soldier Denis
said persuasively.
II don't care. DO you know what you've
done? That cable means turmoil in sew
eral camps, With dispatch riders gallopng
all night very indignant and profane-
! through wild country at imminent danger
to their mortal lives merely to answer a
question in the house about Private OCal-
| laghan!"
"'rell me, now" said Denis isn't it a
misfortunate thing that this same red
headed Private Tim O'Callaghan should
/ come through all the campaign and all
| the hot fighting and thin to go and get
/ sintinced to be shot?"
"Of course he'll be shot, You can't pos
| sibly help il. You may risk your neck by
| invading his room about 10 tonight. But [
declare, openly, I should be afraid even
to hint to himself of your frightful in
! tention."
Hes a good lad Denis said. wint-
| fully following with half-closed eyes the
| blaclI-clothed youth as he disappeared
/ among the white and red dresses of the
| ladies' al their strawberries and cream.
| But then, the sight of the delicious fruit
| changed his thoughts QuizZically. 1t