The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-05

buo BoHJleLuen are wanted at the OIuce, ana
that You must please not one of you go with
the regiments"
''The devil ~ cried Danvers.
"Do you know if that order extends to all
the public ofices?" i asked.
II don't know, said the man, "but be-
lieve it do know there's messengers gone
round to all the clubs and luncheon bars to
look for the gentlemen; the Secretary says it's
quite impossible any one can be spared just
now, there's so much work to do; there's
orders Just come to send off our records to
Birmingham tonight"
did not wait to condole with Danvers
but just glancing up Whitehall to see if any
of our messengers were in pursuit ran off
as hard as l could for Westminster Bridge,
and SO to the Waterloo station.
The place had quite changed its aspect
since the morning. The regular service of
trains had ceased, and the station and ap-
proaches were full of troops, among them
the Guards and artillery. Everything was
very orderly; the men had piled arms and
were standing about in groups. 1 wanted
very much to run home and get my great
coat and knapsack, which l had bought O
few days ago, but feared to be left behind;
good-natured recruit volunteered to fetch
them for me, but he had not returned before
we started, and l began the campaign with
kit consisting of macintosh and small
pouch of tobacco.
1 was just stepping into a public house
with Travers, when who should drive up but
his pretty wife Most of our friends had
paid their adieus at the Surbiton station, but
she had driven up by the road in his
brougham, bringing their little boy to have
last look at papa. She had also brought his
knapsack and greatcoat, and, what was still
more acceptable, basket containing fowls,
tongue, bread and butter, and biscuits, and
NIA rs h0tfI Nfo ol@
luxuries they insisted on my sharing
In vain Travers begged his wife to go
home. She declared that, having come SO
far, she would stay and see the last of us.
The brougham had been sent away to a by
street, as it blocked up the road; SO he sat on
doorstep, she by him on the knapsack.
Little Arthur, who had been delighted at the
hustle and the uniforms, and in high spirits,
| became at last very cross, and eventually
| cried himself to sleep in his fathers arms
his golden hair and one little dimpled arm
hanging over his shoulder. Thus went on
the weary hours, till suddenly the assembly
sounded, and we all started up. We were to
return to Waterloo. The landing on the east
| was only feint-so ran the rumor-the real
attack was on the south. Anything seemed
better than indecision and delay, and, tired
| though we were, the march back was gladly
| hailed. Mrs. Travers, who made us take the
| Icuhlub VI tuc AuuCUoOn Will US, VIC l6IL TO
| look for her carriage; little Arthur, who was
| awake again, but very good and quiet, in her
| arms.
At the first sign of dawn the bugles of the
| regiments sounded the reveille, and we were
| ordered to fall in, and the roll was called.
| About twenty men were absent, who had
| fallen out sick the day before they had been
sent up to London by train during the night,
| l believe. After standing in column for
about half an hour, the brigade-major came
down with orders to pile arms and stand easy;
and perhaps half an hour afterwards we were
| told to get breakfast as quickly as possible,
and to cook o days food at the same time.
This operation was managed pretty much in
the same way as the evening before, except
| that we had our cooking pots and kettles
ready. Meantime there was leisure to look
around, and from whore we stood there was
| a commanding view of one of the most beau
tiful scenes in England. Our regiment was
drawn up on the extremity of the ridge which
runs from Guildford to Dorking. This is in
deed merely part of the great chalk range
which extends from beyond Aldershot east to
the Medway; but there is gap in the ridge
| just here where the little stream that runs
past Dorking turns suddenly to the north to
find its way to the Thames. Anybody, in
deed, might have been struck with the natu-
raj advantages of our position; but what, as /
remember, most impressed me was the peace
full beauty of the scene-the little town with
the outline of the houses obscured by blue
mist, the massive crispness of the foliage,
the outlines of the great trees lighted up by
the sun, and relieved by deep blue shade. So
thick was the timber here, rising up the
southern slopes of the valley, that it looked
almost as if it might have been primeval
forest The quiet of the scene was the more
! impressive because contrasted in the mind
/ with thu WA aYnantad fn fOllnW. and I
can remember, as if it were yesterday, the
sensation of bitter regret that it should now
be too late to avert this coming desecration of
our country, which might so easily have been
prevented. A little frmness, little provi-
sion on the part of our rulers, even little
common sense, and this great calamity would
have been rendered utterly impossible. Too
late, alas! We were like the foolish virgins in
the parable.
We had nothing to do except to change
our position, which we did every few minutes,
now moving up the hill farther to our right,
now taking ground lower down to our left, as
one order after another was brought down the
line; but the staff officers were galloping
about perpetually with orders, while the
rumble of the artillery as they moved about
from one part of the field to another went on
almost incessantly. At last the whole line
stood to arms, the bands struck up, and the
general commanding our army corps came
riding down with his staff. We had seen him
several times before, as we had been moving
frequently about the position during the
morning. but he now made sort of formal
inspection. He was a tall, thin man, with
long light hair, very well mounted, and as he
sat his horse with an erect seat, and came
prancing down the line, at little distance
he looked as if he might be fve-and-
twenty: but believe he had served more