Part 1 (2/2)
About to bid good-bye, Rock held out a hand, broad as the blade of a canoe-paddle It was freely taken by the stranger, hile shaking it, saw that he was being examined from head to foot
”Look hyar!” pursued the Colossus, as if struck by so erin'? Ye've got the look o' it”
”I was educated in a military school--that's all”
”Where? In the States?”
”No I am from the other side of the Atlantic”
”Oh! A Britisher Wal, that don't lish, ain't ye?”
”No,” pro of the lip: ”I'm an Irishman, and not one of those who deny it”
”All the better for that Thar's a bit of the sarandmother, I b'lieve, as ki wi' Dan Boone an' his lot So ye've been eddycated at aabout the trainin' o' sogers?”
”Certainly I do”
”Dog-goned, ef you ain't the man ant! How'd ye like to be an officer? I reck'n ye're best fit for that”
”Of course I should like it; but as a stranger a elected You choose your officers, don't you?”
”Sartin, we eelect 'eht Lookee hyar, young fellur; I like yer looks, an' I've seed proof ye've got the stuff in ye Noant to tell ye so to this company that's jest a for He's a sort o' half Spanish, half French-Creole, o' Noo-Orleans hyar, an' we old Texans don't thinkthe Orleans city fellurs as are goin' out to, he's got a big pop'larity by standin' no eend o' drinks He ain't a bad lookin' sort for sogerin', and has seen lint 'bout his eyes this chile don't like; neither do so un, if you'll coood time, an' make a speech--you kin speechify, can't ye?”
”Oh, I suppose I could say so”
”Wal, you stump it, an' I'll put in a word or two, an' then we'll perpose ye for capting; an' who knoe it the majority arter all? You'er willin' to try, ain't ye?”
”Quite willing,” answered the Irishman, with an emphasis which showed how much the proposal was to his mind ”But why, Mr Rock, are you not a candidate yourself? You have seen service, and would ood officer, I should say”
”Me kandydate for officer! Wal, I'ly enuf But I ain't no ambeeshum thet way Besides, this chile knows nothin' 'bout _drill_; an' that's what's wanted bad Ye see, we ain't had erin' in Texas Thar's whar the Mexikins hev the advantage o' us, an' thar's whar you'll hev the same if you'll consent to stan' You say you will?”
”I will, if you wish it”
”All square then,” returned the Texan, onceit a squeeze like the grip of a grizzly bear
”I'll be on the lookout for ye Meanwhile, thar's six hours to the good yet afore it git sundown So go and purpar' yur speech, while I slide roun' a the fellurs, an' do a leetle for ye in the line o'
canvassin'”
After a final bruin-like pressure of the hand the giant had co a loud ”Hiloo!”
”What is it?” inquired the young Irishest nummorskulls in all Noo-Orleans Only to think! I was about startin' to take the stump for a kandydate 'ithout knowin' the first letter o' his na fellur?”
”Kearney--Florence Kearney”
”Florence, ye say? Ain't that a woman's name?”