The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-02-10

! call, and that Ill ~',e. /.
ron for getting - much ooleeo %
The serge. out" Ii
,vav and at turned and walked
he AT. 1T was the snub that called
nc .ention Of tho whole regiment to
Kid for awhile. For weeks and
weeks II was debated in every barrack
AZ to whether she would marry out OF
the service when she married. and the
consensus Of opinion WAS that It would
be smirch on the regiment II she did.
when tho subject had been worn
threadbare it was dropped. and It was
four years later when It was revived.
Meanwhil. the defiant Widow o'Riley
married 4 tsamster, but continued to
serve a. laundress, while the Kid con-
tinusd to improve In looks and smart
ness unit lat l6 she WAS belle.
She had been sent to school IN the
town and she had passed some time
with q relative In the east who was
fairly we'll OF, and the raik and me
Of the Fourteenth had come TO look
upon her a. I goddess. Ono evening.
after the girl had attended the non
commissioned onicers' ball and been
sought for as q partner and admired
and nraised on all sides, the old rear
was revived. Caste forbids commits.
STONED oficer marrying the daughter OF
an enlisted man, and the orderly SER
xeants who held q consultation were
agreed that Kitty was too handsome
and too much Of q lady to throw ner'
self away.
sergt Brady was still with the reei.
ment. It was decided that he should
nav another official visit to Mrs.
O'Reilly and warn her Of the imprinted
rules and regulations again. 1t would
be a sin and disgrace to have Kitty
marry outside the regiment. 1t would
be going against precedent and estab'
fishing a dangerous principle. me
sergeant donned full uniform and made
his way to the laundry. 1t was a busy
day again with the laundress, but sne
wiped her red hands on her apron ana
stuck out her elbows as before and
saluted her visitor with: :,
I'm listening to you, Sergt. Brady:
ITS about Kitty" he replied. shes
y Of a manageable age. She's hand
some and smart and q lady. She's
away from us much Of the time OF late
:. wears. but she still belongs to the com
pany and the regiment. Is she te
= marry inside or outside OF IT."
= would you have Kitty marry be
- meath the rank Of sergeant" asked tht
, mother.
Il would not"
well. there's Abel, Baxter, Clinch
Carter and Davis to start with. They've
all got wives"
"'Tis SOL"
> "Then there's Davenport, Enright
English, Franklin and Farmer. All Q
them get drunk when they can an
haven't a cent laid BY"
I'm agreeing with you"
IT could go on and mention all tn
others. but which one would you pic
out for Kitty's husbandT'
I mot q blessed one Of the Who'll
: lot"
\ ~And who Of the oorporals!"
= " can't say"
"Then come down TO the privates
"They are a shamo-faced lot to pic
a husband FROM"
: Does the regiment expect Kitty
= marry one of the ofilcers?"
;. ut can't expect it,"
= "Then will Mr.. Sergeant Thomas
Rrady tell me If Kitty ORiley. II
handsomest girl for ten miles arour
. this fort. and not ashamed of beir
born in barracks and of her moth'
being a laundress to this day, h
got to live and die an old maid
as obey the rules and regulations OF Il
service?"
l "rll be hanged If she hast"
Three months later there can
nd rumors that Kitty the Kid was
ND gagged to a merchant in the town. al
lat the regiment bowed its head In sorro
'ur At the end OF six. report came to Z
gu fort that she had been duly marie
lss The regiment went into mournir
m' Sergt. Brady was seated in his Off
ne with humility in his face when Kilt!
an mother was announced. On this
casion she was paying him an Quo
'ef visit.
You have heard the newsT" .
ne asked.
an' He bowed.
aer "Could Kitty have done anythi
el' else under the circumstancesf
lou He shook his head.
! And will tho regiment take q
action In the caser' asked {
caller.
nth 1T has done that already, n
OF ORiley. It was bound to do II. It