The Washington herald., 1916-05-29

games N the kinQly lr1sn air,
The loud 'hurroo,' we've heard It too
and the laundering clear the vayr
All. dear old Ireland. gay old Ireland
ireland. boys. hurray."
That songs been heard In many lands,
on many battlefelds, said the one
legged piper as he paused for breath
"Out In America when the boys Of the
North and the South were nghtin' so
hard. they cAmped wan night, wan on
each side Of the river Rappahannock
Twas an Irish regiment that was hghtiu
for the North started the song round the
csmpfres-when hush! What was. thatf
Twas surely an answer from the enemy
camp across the river, clear as their own
song, and as keen:
For Ireland. boys, Murray; for Ireland.
boys, Murray!
Here's dear old Ireland; fond old Ireland.
Ireland. boys, hurrayr'
"Bedad, those Irish boys on the North
ern side cooked their ears and listened.
while the answering song went on.
Twas an Irish regiment hghtin' for the
South was answering them! And, glory
be. next day was the awful fight between
the North and South for Fredericks-
burg"
The Irish regiments are innmensely
popular in this war. To their martial
quality Is added a fine religious spirit OF
WHICH lncg nrNtI arc d6hsAAce' NeASAS
each battle the Irish soldier attends mass,
the solemn ceremony taking place in some
shell-stormed barn, and his beloved chap
lain officiating.
"I have watched the Irish soldier re-
cite his rosary under heavy enemy IRE"
said an English ofncer today, and seen
him kneel down in the trench in a last
act of contrttion' before a bayonet
charge The sight has always commanded
SA1 1s~A
piety about the Irish soldier and q sim
plictty OF faith which are quite inspir-
ing"
And when Il comes to sheer bravery,
there's nothing to eclipse him. Read the
records OF the gallant 1nisktllinss in this
war. the MINISTERS and the Leinsters.
There's the epic charge Of the Connaught
Rangers, too, spurred on by the words OF
their heroic colonel. Rangers of Con-
naught" 2, \ he. the eyes Of all Ire
land are on you today. and I know you
never could disgrace the old country by
allowing Germans 10 beat you while you
have arms IN your hands and hearts IN
your breasts. Up, then, and at them.
and II you don't give them the soundest
thrashing they ever got, you needn't look
me IN the face again in this world-or the
nextr' The Germans broke and fed be-
fore that terrific Irish charge.
ne Ldtc OF Nlhc " L<CdL hCEO VI NdO
| Irish Guards. is so well-known that 1t
would be superfuous to dwell upon 1t
here. SInglehandsd, and against over
whelraing ODDS. the bold young Irishman
killed eight Germans who were moving
down his comrades with a machine gun,
took ave others prisoner, and captured
two barricades London and. indeed, the
whole Of Britain accorded him most
tumultuous welcome on his return, and
| ha AA@nrafaI uyirh Y q
| But II was down in the little vtllage
! Of Inchigeela County Cork. that I have
had a glimpse Of Mtchers father. old
IO'Leary. He bears with great eQuanimity
the reflected glory that has fallen on him
self since the exploits Of his son were
Haunted through the land. "Shurs and
| twas nothin' wonderful, at all, at all. :"
he says IN airy fashion. but a CLINT Of
pride is hickering IN his keen blue Irish
eyes at Michaers age. when was
gossoon IKE himself, comm from the
fair. twas layin' out ten Irishrnen I'd
be afther-and me with only walkin'
stick az that! Mike had a rife and
bsyonet, and his account was but poor
eight Germans-men Of little mettle, as
| I'll be afther understsndin'."
A visitor who the other day was con-
persing with the same old Irishman
prophesied a period OF complete peace IN
| Ireland after the war. The saints pre-
serve US" cried the hero's father, aghast,
land will there be no one to fight with?
| Heaven torbid!" Then. Frightening up.
he added hopefully, "Shure I'd forgotten
there'n always be the police
| I have learned Of the great part which
| ireland played at the memorable period
/ Of the wars Commencement, and Of many
deeds of quiet heroism.. In tbe great re
treat at the Marne, the valor Of the Irish
was remarkable. Up and down the ON
GERS staggered. cheering their men on.
For more than ten long days and nights
those regiments had to march, with never
moment for rest, and sleeping as they
/ walked.
| Twas a terrible time" said an Irish
man, recounting his experiences to me.
'T mind them passing me on the road,
| those poor fellows, thousands Of them.
caked with mud and sweat from head to
foot. and walking with a fixed kind Of
stare. Yes. they were sleeping-slory be
They'd have gone clean mad II they
hadn't! Walking along at the double,
but sound asleep they were.
The Germans were harassing them
from the rear all the time, and every
now and then relieving parties would be
| sent back to cover their retreat. Those
parties would pass in great clouds. horses
galloping, guns swayins. and all riding
like men possessed.
| lncTc was important DT1uEe 10 De
| destroyed. by which means we were
hoping to cut of the German advance. It
fell to an engineer officer friend OF mine
to do the deed The Last of our men to
come over were the Lancers. and We
knew the Germans were right at their
| heels.
Twas a terrible responsibility, for
should the charge fail to explode at the
I right moment, we'd have been all cut
TO pieces by the enemy But my friend
said he would see to it, and insisted that
his men, once the charge was laid at the
center Of the bridge, should stand of
at a distance.
Just as the Lancers got across some
Uhlans dashed behind them to the bridge.
The officer ran to the explodpr-we could
see him from the distance-fxed the
leads, then jerked the handle OF the ex-
ploder down. Nothing happened! On, on,
\ galloped the Uhlans. with hundreds more
behind! Now they had gained the bridge!
| God, Twas terrible sight!
Then I saw the young Irish oficer
| bend down suddenly and rush to the
charge. The Uhlans raised their guns,
and fired, and fired again. On, on the
boy rushed toward them, bending and
doubling like a hare, his eyes fixed. not
on their wild faces. but on the explosive
charge at the center of the bridge
| 'T think they guessed his purpose
| then, for two of them rode straight at
| him while the others wheeled their