Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-25
THE POOR SOLDIER.

On certain occasion, whilst walking
near the mall in st. James Park, as was
the fashion Of the mobiles and tops of his
time, his grace observed middle-aged
gentleman in a alf-military garb, decid-
edly the worse fer wear, but exceedingly
neat and precise withal in the cut and
arrangement of his dress. And 1t so
happened that two or three days running
he noticed the poor gentleman walking
at the same hour Of the day, in the same
place, with grave and solemn step, and
face evidently full of care. Becoming
interested in the gentleman appearance,
the duke caused inquiries to be made
about him, and with difficulty, through
one OF his gentlemen, found out some lit
tie portion OF his private history. He was
gentlemn from one of the
northern counties, who in early
lite had sold his estate in order to pur-
chase commission, and had served with
distinction, or at all events with credit,
in more than one foreign country, but
was now placed of necessity on half pay,
by reason Of the conclusion OF peace. He
learned, further, that the poor officer had
a wife and family down in Yorkshire
then nearly week distant from the me-
tropolis-to whom ne sent regularly half
his pay, whilst he supported himself In
poor lodgings near Charing Cross upon
the rest, living on from day to day IN the
hope that he might somehow or other
obtain an Office under the Government, or
from the Horse Guards, which would add
a little to his income.
The duke, having assured himself that
the veteran was worthy OF relief, deter
mined to make him happy quite In a
way of his own; so he sent his servant
with a polite invitation Tor him to come
and dine with his grace at Montague
House IN Whitehall. The unfortunate
officer stared IN amazement, as well he
might, at first thinking it was joke, Un-
til he saw the ducal crest on the top of
the seal of the note. He soon, however,
sufficiently recovered his possession
to reply that he thanked the duke for
his kindness, and would obey his sum
mons at the day and hour named by him.
Not the less, however, was he lost in
wonder how the duke had found him out,
and still more why he had chosen thus
to honor him
When the day fixed for the dinner had
arrived, the officer appeared at Montague
House, where the duke received him
with every sign OF courtesy, and even re-
spect; and when he expressed his surprise
at being so honored, the duke took him
quietly aside and told him, with an air of
great gravity and secrecy, that he had a
particular reason for his conduct. ITO
tell you the plain TRUTH" said his grace,
"there is IN my house lady who has
often seen you, and has become so much
interested in you and your fortunes that
she very much wishes for personal in-
terview with you, and am anxious for
reasons Of my own, to fall in with her
wishes. Upon my soul. she is most
worthy and excellent lady, and l think,
between you and me, that she looks upon
you with no slight regard"
The poor officer On this began to feel
little alarmed; for he did not like the
idea of being handed over to the tender
mercies Of strange WOman-a married
man, too, as he was, with children to
boot In his perplex.ty and distress,
therefore, he began to mutter his fears
that 'really there must be some mistake, I"
and added, "Some one or other has been
trying to impose on your grace, or else
on me. The fact IS that have wife
down in Yorkshire, and she is the only
person for whom care, or ever did care,
and know of No lady beside her who
has any right to feel any keen interest in
me-
"Never mind" replied the good-natur-
ed duke; "no harm shall happen to you;
only just follow me into the next apart
ment, my good friend And with these
words he led his guest into sumptuous
dining-room, into which he had no soon
er entered than he saw his wife and his
three rosy, countrlned children, for whom
the duke had sent down into Yorkshire,
and whom he had brought up to the great
metropolis to meet him. At first he felt
not only perplexed, but alarmed, for were
they his wife and children, or only their
ghosts and wraiths? a closer inspection,
however. soon treasured him that the OBJ
jects of his love and affection were pres
ent before him in the flesh; ana before
the third course of the dinner was over
the party was as happy and merry as
could be.
The officer was invited and pressed to
stay the night at Montague House in
stead of returning to lis dingy and I'M
comfortable lodgings, and to spend day
or two with his. wife and children there
before going home. He did so, and ex-
pressed his deep sense OF gratitude for
the hospitality so kindly and so unex
pectedly shown to him.
& few mornings afterward, when he
was packing up his traps preparatory to
his departure, the duke called the poor
officer into his study, and presented him
with a legal document which secured to
him comfortable annuity for life, re
marking at the same time that he need
really feel no hesitation in accepting It.
''You must know added his grace, with
smile, 81 am trying, though rather late
in life perhaps, to do the best that l can
with my money, of which l have more
than know what to do with; and | as
sure YOU that should not have done
what have done IN respect to yourself
if had known how else, OF where else, /
could have found more pleasure and sat