Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-03-12

you know where you are going TO
To the devil, sir" faltered Double
dick.
Yes, returned the captain, and that
very fast
Private Richard Doubledick turned
the straw of the Black Hole in his mouth,
and made miserable salute of acquies-
ceuce.
'DoubIedick,' said the captain, since
entered his Majesty's service, boy of
seventeen, I have been panied to see
many men Of promise going that road
but, l have never been 50 pained to see
a man determined to make the shameful
journey. as / have been, ever since you
joined the regiment, to see you
Private Richard Doqbledick began to
find 4 fin stealing over the floor at which
he looked; also to find the legs Of the
captains breakfast table turning crooked
as if he saw them through water.
1 am only common soldier, sir,"
said be. 1T signifies very little what
such a poor brute comes to-.
You are a man, returned the cap
tain with grave Indignation, of educa-
ton and superior advantages; and if
you say that, meaning what you say, you
have sunk lower than 1 had believed.
How low that mus: be, I leave you to
consider, knowing what I know Of your
/ disgrace, and seeing What l see"
: 1 hope to get shot soon, sir, said Pri-
yate Richard DoubIedick, and then the
! regiment, and the world together, viii be
rid Of me-
/ The legs Of the table were becoming
very crooked. DoubIedick, looking up
to steady his vision, met the eyes that
had 50 strong an influence over him. He
put his hand before his own eyes, and the
breast Of his disgraced jacket swelIsd as
if it would fly asunder.
l would rather, said the young cap
tain. see this in you, DoubIediek, than
l would see Gve thousand guineas count
ed out upon this table for 4 gift to my
GOOD mother. Have YOU a mother
lam thankful to say she is dead, sir
If your praise returned the captain
were sounded from mJuth 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 is my SOM
Spare NE, sir said Doubledick.-
: She would never have heard any good
of ne. She would never have had any
pride and joy in owning herself my mo
ther. Love and compassion she nigh
have had, and would have always had, !
know but not Spare me, sir. an
a broken wretch, quite at your mercy
And he turned his face to the wall, anc
stretched out his impIoring hand.
Ny friend began the captain.
God bless you, sir" sobbed Private
Richard DoubIedick.
You are at the crisis of your fate
/ Hold your course unchanged little lon
ger, and you know what must happen
/ I know. better than you can imagine, tha
after thai has happened, you are not lost
No man who coaH shed those tears eoub
bear those marks
'IfuIIy believe it, sir in a low, shi7
eriug 7oics, said Private Richard Dou5
ledick.
t But q man in NY station can do hi
: duty, said the young captain, and, i
: doing It, can earn his own respect, eyeI
/ # his case should be 50 very uafortunat
and 50 very rare that he can earn Il
3. other mans. A common soldier, poo
r brute though you call him just now, ha
5 this advantage in the stormy times W
: live in, that he always does his duty bt
fore host Of sympathizing witnesses.-
: Do you doubt that he may 50 do it as
:, be eztoIIed through 4 whole regimen
: through 4 whole army, through Who'll
e country 4? Turn while you may yet rs
: trieve the past. anitry.'
: will. ask for only ore wines
i sir, cried Richard, with bursting hear
:, I understand you. viii bea watcl
2 fuI and faithful one.
0 l have heard from Private Richar
: Doubledick's own lips that he droppe
: down upon his knee, kissed that officer
: hand, arose, and went out Of the light
: the dark bright eyes an altered ma1-
Il In that year, one thousand eight hui
dred and ninety nine, the French vel
in Egypt, in Italy, in Germany, whel
n not: Napoleon Bonaparte had likewi
: begun to stir against Us in India, ar
4 most men could read the signs Of IL
1t great troubles that were coming on. ]