Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-01-26


mn influence over him. lie put his hand
before his own eyes, and the breast of his
disgrace, ,.ockCt swelcd ae if it would Nv
asuuder
would rather, said the young Captain.
sec this in you, Doubledick. than | would
see five thousand guneas counted out upon
this table fora gift to my good mother. Have
yol a mother y
am thankful 70 aoy sho is dead, sir
II your praises returned tho Captain,
'were sounded from mouth TO mouth through
the whole regiment through the whole army,
through the whole country, you would wish
she had lived, to say with pride and joy, He
ismy son -
Spare me, sir - said Doublediok. She
would never have heard any good of me. She
would never have had any pride and joy in
owning herself my mother. Love and COM
passion she might have had, and would have
always had, | know hut not--Spare me, sir,
am broken wretch, quite at your mercy!'
And he turned his face to the wall, and
stretched out hi, imploring hand
My friend - began the captainl
God bless you, sir - sObbed Private Rich
arl Doubledick.
You are at the crisis Of your fate Hold
your course unchanged, "a little longer, and
you know what must happen. | know even
! better than yOu can imngine, that after that
has happened, you are lost. No man who
| could Shed those tears, could bear these
marks.
fully believe it, sir, in a low, shivering,
voice, said Private Richard Doubledick.
| But man in any station can do his duty
said the young captain, and doing it, can
! earn his own respect, even if his case should
| be so very unfortunate and 50 very rare, that
! he can earn no other mans A common sol
/ der, poor brute though you called him just
now, has this advantage in the stormy times
VIC live in, that he always does his duty
| before host Of sympathising witnesses. Do
/ you doubt that he may so do it us to he extol-
| led through whole regiment, through n
whole army through a whole country Turn
while you may yet retrieve the past, and
try.
:. | will ask for only one witness sir -
cried Richard with a bursting heart.
understand you | will be a watchiul
and faithful one
have heard from Private Richard Double
stick $ own lips. that he dropped down upon
| his knee, kissed that officers hand, arose and
went out of the light Of the dark bright eyes
an altered man.
In that year, one thousand seven hundred
and ninety-nine the French were in Egypt
| ia Italy in Germany. where not Nnrnlao
| Bonnpartc had likewise began to stir against
signs Of the great troubles that were coming
on. In the very next year. when we formed
an alliance with Austria against him, Capt
Taunton regiment was on service in India
/ And there was not finer nOn-commissiOned
officer in it-no, nor in the whole line-than
Corporal Richard Doubledick
In eighteen hundred and one, the Indian
army were on the coast of Egypt. Next year
was the year OF the proclamation of the short
peace, and they were recalled. 1t had then
become well known to thousands Of men, that
wherever Captain Taunton with the dark
bright eyes, led, thore close to him, ever at
his side, firm rs rock true as the sun, and
brave as Mars, would be certain to be found.
while life beats i'll their hearts, that famous
soldier, Sergeant Richard Doubledick
Eighteen hundred and five, besides being
the great year of Trafalgar, was year oil
hard fighting in India That year saw such
wonders done bya Sergeant-M4jor, who cut
GiarMaT, flGIEtAg9p4sd through solid mass
which had been seized from the hand Of a
poor boy shot through the heart, and rescued
his wounded captain, who was down. and in
a yery jungle Of horses hoofs and sabres--
saw such wonders done, | say, by this bravo
Sergeant Major that he was specially made
the bearer OF the colors he had won-and En-
slgu Richard Doub!edick had risen from the
ranks.
Sofely cut up in every battle. but always
| reinforced by the bravest Of mcn-for the
fame Of following the old colors shot through
and through, which Ensign Richard Double
dick had saved, inspired all hreasts-this re-
giment fought its way through the Pennsu-
4 lar War, up to the Investment of Badaios in
eighteen hundred and twelve. Again and
again it had cheerel through the British ranks
until the tears had sprung into mems eyes at
the mere hearing Of the mighty British force
so cxutnt in their vaor--and there was not
drummer-boy but knew the legend that
wherever the two friends, Major Taunton,
with the dark bright eyes, and Ensign Rich.
ard Doublcdlck, who was devoted to him,
were seen to 20, there the holdest spirits i'll
the English army became wild 70 follow
Onc day, ut Badaps not in the great
storming, but in relcllng hot sally OF the
besicged upon our men at work in the trench
es, VINO having given way. the two officers
found themselves hnrrying tnrward--ftce to
face, against Il party of French infantry
who made Il stand. There was an officer at
their head, encouraging his men-a cour-
ageous, handsome, gallant officer of five and
thirty-whom Douhledick saw hurriedly, al
most momentarily, but saw we'll. lie partic-
lary noticed this officer waving his sword,
and rallynS his men with an eager and excl
ted cry, when they fired in obedience to his
gesture, and Major Taunton dropped.
1t was over in ten minutes more, and Dou-
blcdick returned to the spot where he had
laid the best friend man ever had, on a coat
spread upon the wet clay. Major raunton's
uniform was opened at the breast, and on his
shirt were three little spots of blood
Dear Douhedck, said he, | am dying
For the love of Heaven, no = exclaimed
the other, kneeling down beside him, and
passing his arm round his neck to raise his
head Taunton My preserver, my guar
dian angel, my witness Dearest, truest,
kindest of human beings Taunton for
God : sake -
The bright. dark eyes-so very, very dark
now. the pale face-smiled upon him and the
hand he he'd kissed thirteen years ago, laid
itself fondly on his breast.
Write to my mother. You will see Home
again. Tell her how we became friends. II
will comfort her, as it comforts me
lie spoke no more, hut family signed for a
moment towards his hair as it luttered in the
wind. The ign understood him lie smi-
led again wien he saw that, and gently turn.
ing lis face over ON the supporting arm as if
for rest, died. with his hand upon the breast
in which he had revived a soul.
No dry eye looked Oh Ensign DouLledick
that melancholy day. lie buried his friend
on the field, and became a lone ,bareaved man.
beyond ms dGty no appeared TO nave bat two
remaining cares in liie-one, to preserve the
little packet Of hair he was to give to Taun-
ton = mother--the other, to encounter that
French officer who had rallied the men under
whose fire Taunton fell Anew legend now
began to circulate among our troops-and il
was, that when heand the French officer came
face to face once more, there would be weep
ing in France.
The war went on-and through it went tn,
exact picture Of the French officer on the one
side, and the bodily reality upon the other
until the Battle of Toulouse wac fought. Ir
the returns sent home appeared these words
severely wounded but not dangerously. Lieu
tenant Richard Doubled;ck.
At Midsummer time in the wear elghtoer
hundred and fourteen, Lieutenant RicharJ