, 1863-01-22


dering head. ...... .....-,- .
"iaye you been playing of any Of your joke.
on Mr. Rocket" sternly demanded the colonel.
jokes, sirl" demurely answered Wright al
assure you It is no joke trying to teach q man o
his stamp. I'm nearly heart broken from bin
myself; and the sergeant major threatened sui
eide if compelled to continue drilling him.
could not knock anything into his head, Or out
Of his heels; 80 thought Il no harm to try
whether his hands could not perform some mill
tary movement. He is getting on very well u
Il; and am sure the general would be quite
pleased to hear the line tone be brings out of the
instrument" ..a -...s ....
Had the general not been present, Il 10 prOba.
bic that the affair might have passed of as q
trick but restrained by this, and asehse Of duty
the colonel ffoWned down his rising mirth, and
said -" You have done wrong, siF, 10. allow
your private feelings to influence you in the dis.
charge Of your duty you have abused the au
th6rity gave you over young officer, and en
dshVofed 10 make hin the butt Of the regiment
This mock-inatruction must be discontinued ;
and trust y0u viii see the prOpFiety Of apollo
gisng to Mr. Rookie EOr. what has passed. trust
you are satisfied, Sir Hannibal"
"No an not satisfied; very much the n!
verse" said the generaL bis ehOlsr rising as be
became gradually aware Of the extent 70 which
his nephew and himsslf had been imposed on,
until between the state Of the Thermometer and
internal warmth, be seemed on the point Of spon.
tate0us combustion. "GO to your quarters in
stantly, Mt. Wright and consider yourself un'
der arrest"
whereupon the culprit leit the room without
speaking, and the general sOon afttr took bis
leave, S0wing vengeance against Wright; de.
claring that he would make an example Of him,
and that he was fully determined to bring him
u q cOurt-martial for such outrageous conduct
To all this TRADE, Colonel Hardy wisely made
no reply; bot, soon aNer the generals DEPARTURE
sent him note, saying that be hoped. Sir Han
nibGl would, on mnlIre reflection, view the case
more favorabl az Wright was young man Of
excellent principles, and Z firSt-fate officer,
though sometimes led away BY high spirits; that
It would be impUssibie TO frame charges for .
court-martial without making his nephew--he
did not venture to say hilnself-the laughing
stock Of the service; and, moreover, thatif ever
the matter came to trial, he would feel bound to
State that Sir Hannibal Peacoke, general officer
ing the drum formed IN integral part Of an oth'
GERS education.
BY this time, Sir fiahnibais wrath had time
to'eObl; and seeing the cogency o. these argu-
InenIS, he replied that to oblige Colonel Hardy,
he would treat the case an lenieItly as his duty
woul1 permit; that Mr.. Wright might be re
leased from arrest but as he could not pass over
such conduct without publicly expressing bis
disapprol alton Of Il, the lieutenant IN question
should attend 1t the generals quEttets The t6llow
ing morning, when, in the presence OF all COM
mandihg officers and staff IL the station, be
wo6ld receive such repfimand As the major
general might deem Il ri to administer.
Next morning. at the hour indicated, com.