Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-11-17
Hit WaHace--A Recollection.
by the AutAor Of 'RccoHectio"s 9fMe Peninsula
- "No, sir, quoth he,
Call me not fool."-Shak$pcare.

-
There is scarcely a village any where in
wide world but has in it some half-witted be-
ing, whom the very children feel privileged
to mock. How often do we see such IA crazy
unfortunate, followed by a little tribe of ur-
chin tyrants, tormcnting and torturing it;
some by the nickname and cruel laugh; some
by the mouth awry or the broad grimmace;
Others by the sly pull at the ragged skirt, and
n few by the coward stone; and the loud
shout of triumph the little mob will give
when they succeed in making the poor crea-
ture turn and stand at bay, or run after them
in fierce, but, happily for them, i'll impotent
anger. Such n sight is not uncommon, and,
to a man of thought and feeling, is very hui
initiating and affecting.
ut the little dogs and all,
Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at
me-
cries Lear in his mad misery. as there any
cause in nature that makes these hard hearts Z"
All, me! | fear there is. Kit Wallace, call
thee up from thy grave. Let me paint thy
portrait, record thy wrongs, and relate thy
/ death. Ii may be some poor teeble-minded
being shall be treated the better for this
sketch of thy inoffensive life: some word of
kindness be spoken into an ear accustomed
only to reviling and reproach.
remember, in the ardent and joyous days
of my early military liie-when my laughter
was like the cracking of thorns under a
pot"-a poor half-witted man who had ell
listed into the regiment, | know not when OF
how.
lie was certainly, poor fellow, Ito use the
favorite phrase of the drill-sergeant.) one o.
his mqjesty'S hard bargains. lie was not crazy
he was not an idiot, so there was no way o
getting him discharged, for at that period in
speeding generals were very strict about dis
charges but he was n simpletOn of the sill
Hest. The intelligence of a child was grea
ter. 1t was well for him, perhaps, that he
had been driven TO enlist by ill-trcatment a
home, or inveigled by some adroit recruiting
sergeant, who wanted to pocket the bringing
= money-for in n regiment he was sure to b'
clothed, fed, taken care of, and governed
Poor Kit, to make a soldier of him was i'm
possible. However, he had eyes, arms, AM
legs, and, as he would not use these last t
desert, to get rid of him was impracticable
lie had a SLOUGH and he was a slOven. Ill
never stood in the proper position of n sol
der, nor did he ever put on his clothes am
appointments like one. Officers and drill
sergeants gave him up in despair. lie sun
into u sort of privileged character-one win
was
"Unapt to learn, and formed of stubborn stuff.
Kit was in the company of which | wa
the lieutenant for a while my pupil, but 500
and for years my torment and my plague
and oitentimes, Il write it with a blush,) Of
tentimes my jest. Upon inspection and re
view-days | hid him as well as | could; pr
him on a rear-guard or in an awkward squa
of lately joined recruits; employed him fc
the day as a cook, or on fatigue duty, or as
line or barTack orderly some out-of-tlle-wa
post or corner was found in which to conce;
kit; but if, owing to untoward circumstance
such an arrangement could not be effecte,
| would get him well cleaned and his az
pointinents well put on by one of the smar
est of my %corporals, and then place him
the rear rank, and a clever sergeant behin'
with his eye constantly on him 10 prevel
him from discrediting the company by ii
blunders.
1t may he supposed that such a subie'
soon became the butt of his comrades. The
never wanted a joke when he was blythe
tormented him necessarily. They playe
him tricks at which he himself gave ii
laugh of Stiffness, while at others he woul
blubber like a baby. On these last occasion
l would rebuke him and punish the mel
but l often, too often, shared in their laugh