Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-07-18
Richard iiOubledick.
BY CHARLES DICK KENS.

dick. His heart was in the right place,
but it was sealed up. lie had been be-
trothed 10 young and beautiful girl,
whom he had loved better than sheer
perhaps even he-believed; but in an evil
hour he had given her cause to say to him
solemnly, Richard, | will never marry
any other man l will live single for your
sake, but Mary Marshall's lips her
name was Mary Marshall" shall never
address another word to you on earth.
Go, Richard Heaven forgive you!" This
finished him. This brought him down to
Chatham. This made him Private Richard
Doubledick, with II determination to be
shot.
He associated with the dregs of every
regiment; he was seldom sober us he could
be, and was constantly under punishment.
1t became clear to the whole barracks that
Private Richard Doubledck would very
soon be tlogged.
Now the captain of Richard Double
dicks company was II young gentleman
not above five years his senior, whose eyes
had an expression in them which affected
Private Richard Doubledick in very re-
markable way. They were bright, hand
some, dark eyes-what are called laugh
ing eyes generally, and, when serious,
rather steady than scvere-but they were
the only eyes left in this narrowed world
that Private Richard Doubledick could not
stand. Unabashed by evil report and pun
ishment, defiant Of everything else and
everybody else, he had but to know that
those eyes looked at him for moment,
and he felt ashamed. He could not so
much as salute Capt Taunton in the street
like any other officer. lIe was reproach-
full and confused-troubled by the mere
possibility of the captains looking at him.
In his worst moments he would rather
turn back, and 90 any distance out of his
way, than encounter those handsome, dark,
bright, eyes.
One day, when Private Richard Double.
dick came out of the Black Hole, where he
had been passing the last eight and forty
hours, and in which retreat he spent a
good deal of his time, he was orderd to
betake himself to Capt. Taunton's quar-
ters In the stale and squalid state of a
man just out the Black Hole, he had less
fancy than ever for being seen by the cap
tain; but he was not so mad yet us to dis.
obey orders, and consequently went up tc
the terrace overlooking the parade ground,
where the officers quarters We're, twisting
and breaking in his hands, us he went
along, II bit of straw that had formed the
decorative furniture of the Black Hole.
Come in" said the captain, when he
Knocked with his knuckles at the door
priuntn RichnrJ Doul,lol;o1- ,,,lloJ "a, liz
cap, took stride forward, and felt very
conscious that he stood in the light of the
dark, bright eyes
There was q silent pause. Private
Richard Doubledick had put the straw in
his mouth, and was gradually doubling il
up into his windpipo and choking himself
Doubledick," said the captain, " dc
you know where you are going TOP"
ITO the devil, sr!" faltered Double.
dick
Private Richard DoubeGiGk turned the
straw of the Black Hole in his mouth an(
made a miserable salute of acquiescence.
Doubledick," said the captain, since
| entered his Majesty's service, u boy OF
seventeen, have been panied TO see many
men of promise going that road; but
have never been so panied to see mar
determined to make the shameful journey
us | have been, ever since you joined tho
regiment, to see YOU
Private Richard Doubledick began tC
find II film stealing over the floor mt whicl
he looked; also to find the legs of the cap
tain's breakfnst-table turning crooked as i
he saw them through water.
Il am only common soldier, sir,
said he. e 1t signifies very little wha
such poor brute comes to-"
You are u man, returned the captain
with grave Indignation, " of education ant
superior advantages; and if you say that
meaning what you say, you have sum
lower than had believed. How low tina
must be, leave you to consider; KNOWN,
what | know of your disgrace, and seein,
what | see."
81 hope to get shot soon, sir" sal
Private Richard Doubledick and the
the regiment and the world together vii
be rid of me-"
The legs of the table were becomin
very crooked. Doubedick, looking up I
steady his vision, met the eyes that had S
strong an influence over him. He put HI
) hand before his own eyes, aud the breas
of his disgrace jacket swelled as if
would fly asunder.
Il would rather" said the young cai
tain, see this in you, Doubedick, than /
see five thousand guineas counted out "
on this table for gift to my good motho
Have you Il mother?'
81 am thankful to say she is dead sir.
If your praises" returned the cal
tain, "were sounded from mouth to mout
through the whole regiment, through tt
n whole army, through tho whole countr,
G you would wish she had lived to say wit
S pride and joy, He is my sonn"
s Spare me, sir" said Doubledick
i "She would never have heard any good
h me. She would never have had any pric
+ and Joy in owning herself my mothe
o Love and compassion she might have ha,
a and would have always had, know; b,
S not. Spare me, sir! | am II broke
o wretch, quite at your mercy!' and /
e turned his face to the wall, and stretcht
out his imploring hand.
my FRIEND" began the captain.
God bless you, sir" sobbed Priva
A Richard Doubledick.
d "You are at the crisis of your fat
s. Hold your course unchanged, little Ion
d er, and you know what must happen.
d even better than you can imagine, tina
n after that has happened, you are lost. \
J. man who could shed those tears could be-
1t those marks"
l. II fully believe it, sir" in low, shi
l. ering voice, said Private Richard DoubI
10 dick.
k, but a man in any station can do 1
Il duty" said the young captain, land,
Y doing it, can earn his own respect, even
4 his case should be SO unfortunate and
it very rare that he can earn no other man
III A common soldier, poor brute though y
er called him just now, has this advanta
ii in the stormy times we live in, that he /
20 ways does his duty before n host of syl
III pathizing witnesses. Do you doubt til
20 he may SO do it as to be extoled through
ly whole regiment, through whole arm
ie through q whole country Turn VIII
p you may yet retrive the past, and try"
J II will! I ask for only one witne