The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-09-27
"FL0GGED LIKE A DOG
CHAPTER I

Uall, nanQSOIhc ldu, UtlOIc Wuoih
group of four or five young children
were gathered, listening, with divers
expressions of delight, to the music OF
an accordeOn, upon which Hugh was
playing "The British Grenadiers."
Mrs. Tanner looked up from her work,
stretching her neck to see over the
board where Jem sat stitching, and the
hard careworn lines in the mothers face
softened and melted away, as, gazing
she said softly: t- r.aa-..s
Hes all for soldering, that he is"
"Soldiering's a poor trade" said Jem;
''let alone the chance O. being flogSed
like dog, or shot like warment."
"But there's the glory, Jem. Its wer.
ry tempting to a young man, is glory
aye! lass, but glory don't feed a
man; tailorin' does. I'd rather make
the coat fur another to be shot fur glory
in, than wear it for the above purpose,
It's all VERY well fur genelmen as can
make their money fly, but wot's the
gain to be gotG-that's wot I'd like to
know. I've been aXen that at our club,
and there's none o. them can satisfy my
mind. Wot's the gain o. glory ,-that's
the pint" .E'.
Jem Tanner being reading man, and
member of debating club, was fond OF
laying down the law, especially at
home. His wife, a patient, hard work
ing woman, whose life was varied be-
tween bearing children and shoe-bind-
ing, never c0ntradicted him. Hugh was
her first-born and handsomest son. Af-
fectionate and forbearing, the lad Won
all hearts, and no one wondered that
Mrs. Tanner was proud of him. Z
Hugh had never taken kindly to the
trade his father followed, so he had been
allowed to stay longer at school than
lads of his class usually are; but now,
at seventeen, he was dnly apprenticed
to his father. He was neither careless
nor idle; he said very little about his
own hankering after the army; but his
face grew white and thin; and every
spare minute was spent in playing
marches, until even Jem reluctantly
owned that they would never make s
tailor of him.
Secretly, and in her heart, Mrs. Tan
ner agreed with Hugh, and longed tC
see her handsome boy dressed out il
the gay trappings that gild soldiers
lot. When she went into London sht
walked round by the Horse Guards, and
took a long look at the immovablI
figures on either side of the gate, not
forgetting the sentries clankingup and
down the pavement inside. ''1f she
could only see Hugh looking as brave
what proud woman she would be-
"Soldiers," she thought, "were always
gay and light-hearted. Didn't all the
girls fall in love with them; and hadn't
She, when she was blithe young lassie
in a quiet village in Kent, fallen in
love, too, with n neighbOr's son, who
came home on fnrloughs She had not
married him; but yet, after all these
long years, the wrinkled face flushed
! and grew almost pretty again, as the
| thought of her first love made her heart
beat faster. lie had been killed in
India; but what theni Had there not
been q sermon in the village church
and marble monument put up beside
the altar; and did not the great folks
60 and talk to his father of what the
dead soldier had done? If he had been
tailor they would not have done any
of these things" and so thinklng-wise,
ly or foolishly, who dare say !-pOoI
Mrs. Tanner would walk home, and &c
on laying by every stray coin, that
Hugh might not begin the world pen.
niless.
A couple of years passed in this way
passed very slowly with Hugh, who,
although he stuck manfully to his work
made nothing of it, and never got fur
ther than the roughest parts. Very
slowly, too, with his father, who saw
plainly the struggle his lad was max
king; and although Jem tried in vain
| to see how gain could be got in glory,
and make ont that soldering was bet
ter trade Than that by which he earned
his children's bread, he gave in at last.
'It's no manner of use trying to make
that boy tailor" he said, using the
same words he had done two years be-
fore. Get off the board and stretch
your legs"
The Young man obeyed willingly,
and stood up, at attention, looking with
grave and eager eyes at his father, and
wondering what was to come next. Jem
Tanners arm was ut full stretch, draw
ing thread, but it gradually dropped
as he gazed at Hugh, and long sigh
came from his lips.
"I've done my best for you, lad; but
you'll never earn yOur bread stitchin',
though it's not clear to me rs how you'll
do so soldierin'. Tailors make q liven.
Soldiers get KEEP for glory; but then
wot's the gain O. glory i-that's the pint.
Answer me that, Hugh. and you may
list tomorrow.
"Isn't it something to have a hand i'll
defending the country, fatherf Ism t 1t
something to he servant O. Her Gracious
Maiestyi something to see your Pame
set down for fightin' brayely:" :"
GAY! lad; but if you were killed, your
name in print would be cold comfort for
us at home, let alone her Gracious Maj
esty the Queen, and all the royal FAM
ily," and Jem brushed his sleeve across
his nose, shaking his head moodily, as
he continued, "But there's no Use argu-
ing. Take your cap, and go for walk,
and when you get back you'll tell us
your mind"
Hugh took his cap, and was soon far
away from the scattered tenements OF
the suburb where his people lived, and
out upon the breezy heath, where the
golden gorse was filling the air with
perfume, and where, high among the
white fleecy clouds, close ut Heavens
gate, dozens of larks hovered, pouring
forth stream of harmony. Hugh march
ed steadily onward, drinking in the
sweetness of nature; thinking what a
glorious beautiful land England was,
and what a miserable lot tailors
would be, tied to board for life, and
with no time to see the sunshine of the
gosre and heather. Suddenly cry
rang over the lark's song. Hugh stop
ped, and as he listened the voice came
again, this time clearly.
"Help! help! for the love of God"
Strange words to break upon the
divine peace and harmony around, but
Hugh did not stop to moralise. In two
minutes he had run across the heath.
scrambled over a bank, and had his
hand upon o mans neck. -. .
The struggle was a sharp one, for
Hugh was nothing Of wrestler, and
his adversary certainly was. Yet the
hold upon the collar told well. In a
very short time the man was checked
off, and as he lay on the ground, pant,