The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-04-17

themselves, wishing there was any
way to make him turn over two pages.
but he had not quite presence of mind
for that He gagged little. colored
crimson apd staggered on:
"For him no minstrel raptures swell.
High though his titles. proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim,
Despite these titles. power and pelf.
The wretch, concentrated all in SELF
And here the poor fellow choked. could
not go on, but started up, swung the
book into the sea, vanished into his
stateroom, land. by Jove," said Phil.
lips. I'VE did not see him for two
months again. And l had to make UP
some beggarly story to that English
surgeon why did not return his Wal
ter Scott to him."
That story shows about the time
when Nolan's braggadoci0 must have
broken down. At first they said he
took very high tone. considered his
Imprisonment a mere farce. affected to
enjoy the voyage, and all that but
Phillips said that after he came out OF
bis statero0m he never was the same
man again. He never read aloud
again unless it was the Bible or Shake
speare or something else he was sure
of. He was always shy afterward
when I knew him-very seldom spoke
unless he was spoken to. except to q
very few friends. He lighted up occa-
stonally. but generally be had the nerv.
1nHa 4psNSS %
man.
Nolan's transfer at sea to the War
rem was the first of some twenty such
transfers, which brought him sooner
or later into half our best vessels, but
which kept him all his life at leas,
some hundred miles from the country
he had hoped he might never hear OF
again.
1t may have been on that second
cruise-it was once when be was up
the Mediterranean-that Mrs. Graft.
the celebrated southern beauty of those
days, danced with him. They had
been long time in the bay of Naples.
and the officers were very intimate
In the English feet, and there had been
great festivities. and our men thought
they must give a great ball ON board
the ship. They wanted to use Nolans
stateroom for something, and they hut
ed to do it without asking him to the
ball. so the captain said they might
ask him IL they would be responsible
that he did not talk with the wrong
people, who would give him intelli-
gence." For ladies they had the fam
lily Of the American consul, one or two
travellers who had ventured so far and
nice bevy of English girls and ma
irons, perhaps Lady Hamilton herself.
As the dancing went on, Nolan and
our fellows all got at ease, as said
SO much SO that it seemed quite natu-
raj for him to bow to that splendid
Mrs. Graf and say:
Il hope you have not forgotten me-
Miss Rutledge. Shall l have the hon.
or of dancing?'
He did 1t SO quickly that Shubrick,
who was by him. could not hinder
him. She laughed and said:
Il am not Miss Rutledge any longer,
Mr.. Nolan, but will dance all the
same" just nodded to Shubrick as IL
to say he must leave Mr.. Nolan to her
and led him of to the place where the
dance was forming.
Nolan thought he had got his chance.
He had known her at Philadelphia.
and at other places had met her and
this was godsend. He said boldly
a little pale, she said. as she told me-
the story years after:
"And what do you hear from home.
Mrs. Gra6?"
And that splendid creature looked
through him. Jove! how she mus,
have looked through him! Home.
Mr.. Nolan!!! | thought you were thu
man who never wanted to hear oi
home again" And she walked direr,
~ up the deck to her husband and Jeff
poor Nolan alone, as be always wms
he did not dance again.
A happier story than either Of thes,
| have told Is Of the war. In one or
the great frigate duels with the Fig
lish, in which the navy was really Dnp
ized. 1t happened that a round shot
from the enemy entered one Of onr
ports square and took right down the
officer Of the gun himself and almost
every man Of the guns crew. Al the
surgeons people were carrying OF the
bodies there appeared Nolan in his
shirt sleeves, with the rammer in his
hand, and. just as II he had been the
officer, told them of with authority
who should 60 to the cockpit with the
wounded men. who should stay with
him. perfectly CHEEKY and with that
way which makes men feel sure all Is
right and is going to be right And he
finished loading the gun with his own
hands, aimed it and babe the men fire
And there be stayed. captain Of that
gun, keeping those fellows in spirits
till the enemy struck. The captain
walked forward by way Of encourag.
ing the men. and Nolan touched bis
hat and said:
II am showing them how we do this
In the artillery. SIR"
And this Is part Of the story where
all the legends agree-that the commo-
dore said:
II see you do. and I thank yon. sir.
and shall never forget this day. sir.
and you never shall. SIR"
And after the whole thing was over
and be had the Englishman's sword In
the midst Of the state and ceremony of
the quarterdeck be said: