St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-08-14

the attention of the whole regiment 20
The Kid for awhile. For weeks and
weeks 1t was debated in every barrack
as to whether she would marry out OF
he service when she married, and the
consensus OF opinion was that It would
30 a smirch on the regiment If she did.
When the subject had been worn
,hreadbare 1t was dropped and 1t was
tour years later when 1t was revived.
Meanwhile the defiant Widow O'Riley
married teamster, but. continued to
serve as Iaundress, while the Kid con-
tinued to improve In looks and smart
ness unit lat 1R she was q belle.
She had been sent to school in the
town, and she had passed some time
with a relative in the east who was
fairly we'll of. and the raIk and file
of the Fourteenth had come to look
upon her as a goddess. One evening,
after the girl had attended the non
commissioned officers ball and been
sought for as a partner and admired
and praised on all sides. the old fear
was revived. Caste forbids a commits
stoned officer marrying the daughter OF
an enlisted man, and the orderly ser
geants who held a consultation were
agreed that Kitty was too handsome
and too much of lady to throw her
self away.
Serrt. Brady was stin with the regi
ment. 1t was decided that he should
pay another official visit to Mrs.
O'Reilly and warn her of the imprinted
rules and regulations again. 1t would
be a ain and disgrace to have Kitty
marry outside the regiment. 1t would
be going against precedent and estab-
fishing q dangerous principle. The
sergeant donned full uniform and made
his way 20 the laundry. It was busy
day again with the laundress, but she
wiped her red hands on her apron and
stuck out her elbows as before and
saluted her visitor with:
'Pm listening to you, Sergt. Brady"
"It's about Kitty" he replied. shes
OF a marriageable age. She's hand
some and smart and q lady. She's
away from us much Of the time Of late
years, but she still belongs to the COM
pany and the regiment. Is she to
marry inside or outside Of it?"
Would you have Kitty marry be-
meath the rank of sergeant?" asked the
mother.
II would not"
well, there's Abel, Baxter. CIinch,
Carter and Davis to start with. They've
all got wives"
"'Tis soI'
"Then there's Davenport, Enright.
~ No All nP
them get drunk when they can and
haven't a cent laid by"
'Tm agreeing with you.
81 could go on and mention all the
others, but which one would you pick
out for Kitty's husband?'
mot a blessed one OF the whole
lot"
"And who OF the corporals7''
IT can't say"
"'Then come down to the privates."
''They are a shame-faced lot to pick
a husband from"
docs the regiment expect Kitty to
marry one Of the oficers?"
ut can't expect I'll"
"Then will Mr.. Sergeant Thomas J.
Brady tell me If Kitty O'Riley, the
handsomest girl for ten miles around
this fort, and not ashamed Of being
born in barracks and Of her mother
being a laundress to this day, has
got to live and die an old maid to
obey the rules and regulations Of the
seryicef"
'TDsbe hanged II she hasl"
Three months later there came
rumorB that Kitty the Kid was en-
gagged to a merchant in the town, and
the regiment bowed it's head in sorrow.
At the end OF six, a report came to the
fort that abe had been duly married.
The regiment went into mourning.
Sergt. Brady was seated in his office
with humility in his face when K1tty's
mother was announced. On this oc-
casion she was paying him an official
visit.
"you have heard the newsT" she
asked.
He bowed.
"Could Kitty have done anything
else under the circumstances"
He shook his head.
"And will the regiment take any
action In the case7'' asked the
caller.
''Tt has done that already, Mrs.
O'Riley. It was bound to do It. 1t has
held a meeting, and
Whereas, There was no one in the
Fourteenth regiment good enough to
become the husband Of Kitty the Kid;
and
Whereas, The aforesaid Kitty was
not to blame for that and did not
want to live as an old maid; there
fore
Resolved, That she was entitled
to bust the rules and regulations and
marry where she could and wanted to;
and
Resolved, That If there ia the devil
TO pay generally and the service goes
to the dogs, the said Kitty Is not to
be held to blame-not by a darn
SightP"