Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-09-24

very rummiest CO."
But to return to my story. left
town by the first train could, and, as
was rushing down to Portsmouth,
began to think over matters. l had
escaped going to prison, and had been
preserved nom the shame Of lOOsing
my commission because had disgrac-
ed Her Majesty's service, and had been
saved all the worse than annoyance of
Of public exposure, and so forth. But,
even now my position was not an en-
viable one. 1t was nearly three O'Clock.
My regiment had embarked at two
o'clock, and the unpleasant words of
my Colonel, as from time to time
again read his letter. made me feel very
uncomfortable. My commission SEEM
ed to be anything but safe. However,
after much calculation, l arrived at the
conclusion that though the regiment
might have embarked, the vessel could
hardly have sailed, and that l should
be In time. Alas! two or three hours
later, / stood on the pierat Portsmouth
and saw the trOop-ship Hiawatha,
with every sail set and fair wind,
miles away from land.
With heavy heart, turned away.
What could do? AS walked along,
with down cast head, l suddenly re-
ceived q volly Of abuse, and became
conscious that / had trodden on the
gOuty toes of some old naval captain.
He did not speak mildly to me. He
was not one of the new school, and he
rated me with coarse language as
soundly as II he had been on his own
quarterback, and had committed the
most heinOus offence imaginable. So
rough was his tongue, that, under any
other circumstances, | should have
been fairly angry. As it was, it was a
perfect chance whether | abused him or
apOlOgized. My good fortune prevail
ed.
~ beg your PARDON" | said; al WAS
too much occupied by my own miser-
able thoughts to see where l was go.
ing. Don't be too hard on a man that
is down." And walked away.
"Come here, yOungster," ne roared.
Miserable thoughts 'man that is
dOwn'-what do you mean by that
nonsense at your time of life?n And
then, reading in my distressed counte.
nance how really upset my mind was,
he spoke most kindly to me, and said ::
al suppose you have got into some
scrape. | have a boy about your age !;
| should be most thankful ifany one
helped him in difficulty; tell me all
about it."
/ | DID tell him all about it, merely
fs,ira, ,eesiug whot had happel in
"Yes . he said, ~ vii i9-. yolr
commission, TO n dead ceftalns, y
do not catch That ship and, 9y
you do catch her, you win prog
be at once put under arrest: But
up; / will see what | can do for
The vast probabilities are, that
, twenty-four hours are over, wei5
have an extremely severe sOutf I
gale. Very likely the HiawatlrH
be forced to put in at Plymouth.
happens, that, at Plymouth | IVA #
great influence-much more Il
have here. / am most intimate
quainted with the Port-Admir B
Plymouth. You must get doI \
that town az fast as you can by
. ing and rail go at once to the
Admiral and give him letter
! now write. I##t
: In the letter he begged his fri
; have loo out kept for the HiaV
Z and if within so many hours
not put into Plymouth, to send
mer and see if by any means she
: meet with the trOOp.ship and p III
! on board.
The predicted gale came on
, course Of a few hours. The Pc M
! miral at Plymouth not only re ~
J me most kindly, but gave me EH
to Col. -, which he said mi
| me good. To my great delight I IA
aWatha was driven into PlymOr
stress Of weather. need hardly
lost no time in getting on board. w
not report myself as Ensign T,
but asking for Col. - said
) miral = begged me togive y, thi
: letter." He read it. "Come d, ~ t,
my cabin, Mr.. Temple;n and eI
there, he continued:- 1.-THE iett yoI
, have given me from Admiral - i
one in which he begs, as q person. ia
vOr to himself, will not put your le
. arrest, and receive you favOraI il
, every way, if l can do so consistently
with my duty. You do not apper t
me to deserve any kindness. | trottet
you with unusual favor in allC M
you leave Of absence ur to the 9r!
last moment. In my letter to /
told you In plain language what Jull
, be the consequence If you did not cl
/ Portsmouth at the appointed ur
With plenty Of time before you w4tl
. certain results staring you in the fac
you chose to absent yourself from you
! regiment for q longer period than yOl
! were allowed; and, indeed, it is Onl.
by o mere chapter of accidents tina
! you were able to join your regiment Il
all. Now, before l make up my min,
. what to do, tell me plainly and truth
! fully everything connected with you
| absence. Do not attempt to make ex
cuses.n
; / told him everything, merely re
| spectfully requesting him that h
, would keep my escapade quite secret
! He attended to my tale, grew interer
] ested in my outside railway journey
, and all but laughed at my police ad
venture. To cut my story short,
will give his parting words to me:
"Mr. Temple, l had thought tina
probably dissipation or carelessness ha'
i detained you in town. For many rea
, sons will take no notice whatever 0
what has happened. II | took any no
, tice at all, it must be in very seriOu
, way. Report yourself to the Adjutant
or perhaps | had better take you to hin
myself and introduce you. Make wha
excuse you like to your brother officer
. for your nOn-appearance; and | viii
not exact o promise from you, but re
member you have got into this scrap
through drinking
"I was not ut all drunk, sir" said
"NO, l never said you were, AIE