The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-02
ON G. u A r D.


wrong l reply, that he Is very right. Mr..
q. nigh. add, that if there was no such stuf
~ beer, wine, or spirits TO be had, could not
have 80 erred, and that, therefore, we shou Id
pass Maine LiSNor Law. ! reply that, by
the same reasoning all horses should be con-
verified in TO sans tges, 10 prevent people from
running themselves on the turf; that money,
which is the root of all evil, should n once be
plucked out of human institutions that If
there was no such thing as marriage, there
could be no such thing rs divorce and that a
community OF goods would prevent the posi-
bility OF theft.
plead extenuating circumstances: my
present life was so new to me. Six months
previously, had been quiet, dreamy, md
die aged m trried man. living i'll the country,
and devoted to entomology, when there came
that telegram from the heights OF Alma,
which gave the Combatiye bump of every man
and boy in England snch magnetic thrul
that i, has not left of tinsling yet, and hint
from our lord lieutenant made Inc accept a
commission in the militia L was now a
smart, gay, young bachelor lieutenant Il had
still a wife some where, but was there not a
sentry on the barracK gate y one OF the garri-
son Of Eddystone, and, on this particular
evening, president of the mess. Our guests
were officers of the line, who had just return
cd from India and Were soon going out to the
Crmea, and had TO drink champagne with
every one of them and appeal TO the sober
est of men-to you, sir-whether you could
allow cold, reasonable, heartlesS, heelttp
to remain in your glass when you were drink
ing to man who, in Il few weeks, was TO be
shot at in your quarrel. And, after all,
was not very far gone il is true that l sang
a song but went TO bed, unassisted, wound
mp my watch, and pulled off my boots. l also
remember my last thoughts before going to
sleep, which were, that was glad there was
no early par lda next morning, nut sorry That
the room would go round and round, and
round and round like dry Maelstrom.
had two remark tble dreams that night
First, sat in 4 tower in Jerusalem, which
was being battered by the Romans. and at
each heavy thud, Mud of the ram, felt the
walls ;rembie and shake, but did not care
how soon they fell, for we had been out OF
water tor "a month Then | was once more
little boy at school, and very thirsty at
short distance off, could sea the pastry-cook,
with "Iced Lemonade written III letters OF
gold upon the windo pane, and, 10. thrice
happy youth was draining a goblet thereof
with an eagerness which raised my desire Tor
drink to midness; but between the spot
where stood and the coveted drauSht Wts Il
blank wall, and at fifteen PAGES therefrom
stood q row of fifth form boys, with tennis
balls in their hands. Thump, thunp, whack,
thump, came those balls about my ears, as,
crouched against the wall, Ii woke, and
disco yered thai some WAS knocking, with
the regular single punch of Nasmyth ham
mer, at the door, and that my mouth and
throat were too parched to tell him 10 come
In. However, l managed TO utter some in
articulate cry, which was properly under
stood, and Sergeant Thomson entered the
room, closed the door, brought his heels to-
gether, and salute ted. Like an old soldier and
an intelligent man rs he Is, Sergeant Thorn
son rightly interpreted my glance ut the cup
board, and going thither, he produced bot
tie of soda water.
Pop! wobbie wobble fissch and the sem
sations of wears were crowded into the time it
would have taken to count five; for those few
seconds, / was in Paradise, but the sergeant
soon dashed me to the earth.
''You are for guard, sir, said he, taking the
EMMY tambler from my hand.
'For guard I!''
eyes, SIR Mr. Arundel taken i'll last
says you must be on the square ia half an
hour"
But, butt have never been on guard
that il, l have only been as supernulner-
ary,p ,,.. . ,or,nn,n~ sir,
IL hope am under captain. Is it the
Dock yard2'
mo, sir. Lockman Do,k-the Magazine, as
it's called"
"An, well, the sergeant will tell me what to
do who is he ~
"Don't know, sir we don't find the guard"
"Wnat and who do, then ~
THE marines sir, l believe" and he sa-
luted and went
Giddy and i'll as ! was l had to be on the
square in half an hour-I, who generally take
an hour to dress
Our adiutant, who looked after his officers
as Il cat after her kittens, the captain of a
college boat alter his crew joined me rs left
the barrack gate, and poured advice and EN- |
cOuragement into my ear. He told me- that l |
knew all had to do, because we had prlc-
gone about our own barrtck SO uare imaginary |
guards and visiting fancy sentrles then he |
explained every thing Ininutely, informed ME
that could not make Il mistake, 1t WAS all 50
very simple, but damped this encouraging
eurance with the reminder that the generalW WIS
very particular, and that any blunder of mine
would be disgrace to the regiment; and so
We arrived at the parade. There stood the |
different guards III l. long red line there We're
the colors. and the band, and the brigade ma
1or p; and there, in the distance, overwhelming
the proceedings like II grim Jupiter, the aw-
full general, and there, TOO, We're select body
OF ladies', nursery maids, and children, who
had turned out thus early to the show,
which was pretty enough to those who We're
not actors therein, or, who, being such &c tors,
knew their parts, and had not sick head
aches. fell in, and the band played, and the
colors were paraded up and down, and / got
pretty we'll until we arrived at IL part of
the performance where the officers had TO
march right across the square, in slow time,
to their respective guards. Now, can keep
step very we'll when i'll the ranks, because |
move my legs when the others do, but my
bump of time is, or ought TO be- a dead level
and stepping with the band, now that l was
all alone, was to me AS physically impossib le
as waltzing had always been, so that, when
ever glanced at the officer of the adjoining
guard, found was out of step, and changed
feet and as this happened pretty often, my
progress became one continuous chasse, !
which must have given me an air of dancing
across the parade. But this WAS not ali: my
head was in such a whirl that l could not
|
last reached the red line before me, found
that had somehow edged of to the wrong
guard, and the howls of the brigade major
while l running ANONYMOUSLY about
trying 10 ftndmy place, were something fright
full TO listen to-
At last, the trooping was over, and as all
the guards marched Off, l felt happier; no
body could bully or interfere with me now
for was in command; and as we tramped
through the streets, felt at least TWO inches
taller, especially on passing u bow-window
where three of the Ioyeliest--
"Howl-l-lt'' roared q voice of thunder,
which brought US up as sharp as if an iron
wall had suddenly sprung up before "
Jumped so that dropped my sword.
When had picked II np, / discovered that
an individual with red face and grey wills
kers, dressed In uniform, with cooked hat
and brass scabbard and mounted on pow
erfuI big boned horse, was Touring at me.
"Why the orcnx did you not carry arms to
me, sir-r-r-rf chr"
tits impossible to convey any idea OF the ae
cent he gave 70 that "eh ?" ! nearly dropped
my sword again. es....
II beg your pardon, sir,' said I ; II did not
'Then you ought to have seen sir" he bark ,
"a, and digging his spurs In to his horse van !
isned ike q fash Of lightning. Who he was |
what MS rank, or whence he came, | know
t hoa, nsi.nsr 40 care But glance at the
DOW window Showed me that my discomfi- |
tors mad proved a source of mirth to the oc-
copants thereof, and felt bitterly towards ,
ING inaividual with the grey whiskers and
powefIaI voice. As could not sink into the |
earth course should certainly have pre-
Ierred 70 adopt, there was nothing for ID hut q
70 march on, and In due time we reached the
sases OF the Loekman Dock, through which .
-. .sssppea IN slow time, with carried arms,
one py one as l wanted them 'rha ynara :
room was situated on the right. i1st inaida
luz gates, ana the old guard was posted A.