Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-02-24
|" CUT BEHIND"

"CUr BEHIND"
When Gen. O'IIara WAS Governor .
Gibraltar, nc was saiel to be perfect,
crazy on matters of military discipline
He went SO far as to hs We the shoes take,
OF his mule on purpose that he nigh, o,
night-rounds, and visit the guards in IN,
most silent manner, without being hear
until he was close upon the sentinel
But to our story.
As had been the long established prac
tice, O'Hara always attended the eusrt
mounting parade, on the sands, at Six o,
seven o'clock in tho moraing: and hr
took SO much notice of the officers of the
several guards that he could generally
during the remainder Of the day. name
them all One day be was proceedinp
on the South Port in his carriage, when
he passed an officer going into town and
whom. at the instant, he remembered as
having passed in review before him that
morning, as commanding the south guard.
Upon this the General Immediately de.
termined on satisfying himself as to the
fact, and TO convict him of the heinous
military csime Of quitting his guard, and
ordered the coachman to drive with sneed
to the south guard. Away they went. at
the rate of ten to eleven miles per bonr,
along the Saluting battery and in short
time the horses, out of wind and covered
with lather. reached the south guard, A
mile or more from the place where the
General had passed the suspected officer.
At the usual distance, the running senti.
mel called the guard to "turn out, (which
was obeyed with all the alertness desira-
bic /; and the officer advancing, unob.
served by the General, at a quick pace
from near the carriage, drew bis sword.
then. opening ranks, presented arms, and
saluted in the best manner. At the sight
Of this officer every doubt had been re-
moved. by Jove, it is he himselfr'
thought the General, as he ordered him
to turn in the guard, and beckoned him
to come to the carriage.
pray, sir" impa6ently inquired
O'Hara, " did not 1 see you but a very
few minutes ago walking very deliber.
ate;y ints the town near South Port %
Me, sir - exclaimed the officer, pre-
tending with the creates: simplicity. and
extreme surprise at the question, Il am
guard here, sir J"
"Well, well. l know that you need
not have supplied me with that valuable
piece of information. Did 1 not, sir, / |
ask you again-did l not see you going
into town as l came out by South Port?"
his Excellency said, raising his voice, aud
his face reddeniDg with anger at the of. |
tenders attempt to conceal the fact by
bis evasive reply.
The officer, after q moment, In no way
disconnected, or showing any symptom
Of timidity, looked the General full in the
face, and then, with great politeness,
said, "Will your Excellency have the
goodness to state to me whether that
question is put to me by his Excellency,
General O'Hara, Governor of Gibraltar.
or from yourself in the capacity of q pri.
vate gentleman e.
The off.hand manner in which this
question was to put to o ,Hara struck the
right chord; and, after a few minutes
he replied. with a smile on |
his countenance: "Well, sir, as private
| wish to obtain the inforlna.
tion."
Then, sir, ! freely confess that you
did meet me at the South Port
We'll, sir, that is honest. Now, sir,
| want to know how you could get here
on foot as quickly as l did in my car
riage, and that, too, without any discov.
e-able fatigue?"
"Sir, shall conceal nothing from YOU
in the private capacity you have selected
On meeting you, strongly suspected
that YOU knew me; and when you stop
ped the carriage to speak to your coach
man, guessed your motive; so, feeling
that if my conjectures were correct, had |
no means of arriving at my guard at the
same time as yourself, | got up behind
your carriage, the only means left me of
that object"
"By Jove, sir !" exclaimed O'Hara.
81 like your candor, and still more, the
dexterity and readiness you have display.
ed in extricating yourself from . position
of the greatest danger, without which
you would undoubtedly have lost your
commission. I admire . man who, when
he gets into a scrape, can jump out Of it
at once. You must dine with me, sir,
giving him a most hearty
shake of the hand. "But, take care
You must never leave your guard again,
or, by Jove, I'll break you"