New-York tribune., 1882-02-19
"LET NOBODY PASS"
A GUARDSMAN'S STORY.


at top and bottom with silken ropes and had SAID,
Nobody must pass here This was at Dublin
Castle. and the Lord Lieutenant was giving pau
il usually is and there had lately been rumOrs of
plots and explosions. Officers were consequently
on the Htrctest alert as to their duties ana u cld
not occur to Archie McEwen that there could be n
twclod interpretation OF his tOOuels order.
Nobody must pass obviously meant that passage
must be allowed to nobody
80 the handsome young Guardsman stood on the
lanling where. being alone, IN full view of the
guests who were sW eeping through the VesllOule
below 10 a broader staircase on MS leit, he cut
gallant hgure lie ms bearskln. hIs gold sash
and belt: aud he held his drawn sword WIN It's
beautiful dauasqulned bl4ie caTelessly N hand.
RehIud him were some folding doors wide open,
which gave access to a large room brilliantly Hr,
intended, he supposed. as a resting chamber tor his
EXceIencys more dlslE eu>hed guests. As lie
mounted his guard McEWen received mauY u0ds
and smiles from ladies of his ACQUAINTANCE passing
below and some, pointing with heir fans TO the
staircase arched their eyebrows and inquired by
thi- pantOmIme whether they could ascend and
shorten their distance to the bail room. But Nc
Iwen had tC shake his head laughing. AZ last the
stately Counties, of Bear appeared, with those
lovely girls of hers. the Lady fIoia dh4 the La9y
Amabel Archie had often danced with the Lady
Amabel ard there had been some niue hlriatonS
between them ~ hch had not lcIi tue UudIu-iiah
quite heart W mole. Her young lady ~nlp now gave
him pretty nod wb ch he was gong ~ return,
wben To his confusion ne saw Lady Bellair CO. lly
duck under the silk rope at the f1o' OF the STAIR
case and bockOn her daughters 10 follow her
Lady BellaT was a sister OF me Loiq Leu
rank among tde most privileged guests. W NAT was
i am AFRAID. Lady Belair there is no admittance
this way he SAID very deicryntally, and standing
aside. so lot even t. seem as though he barred
'Gb' The order does not apply TO me- Mr Nc
Even answered her ady>hip goodnatured!y. 1t
was only given as % pre- cDi the mob OF people
from crushing through the private rooms, and 50
saying Lady BeiaT quietly 3nuoo"eI Tue IopI al
the top Of the staircase anu swept on with her
daughters.
What dragon you are' whispered Lady
Amabel ia the Gualdsluaus as she passed by.
Unhappy young scot! The ladies had scarcely
gone when he perceived the awkward position in
which they bau placed him. Many people had seen
them pass. Somebody unlocked the Toge down
stairs. and "a whole tLIoh2 now asccuCcl tie s'eps
having at Their head gantlt man IN .nusOr uni
form. attended 10y another in court dress
'COul0uud II, that's tic Chief Secretary NUT
tered Archie to himself; but thls time be stood lis
ground whilst he said politely am sorry can
But Lady Be.ar has just passed. answered the
statesman aston shed.
lIer ladNslIp va, an exception
4 should think / ought % ne an exception, too
suggested tie Chief Secretary, with shy smile;
but Mr. McEwen remained iru; ana lhIs dis
pleased the 81. .ht honorable gentleman. lie was
Parliamentary politician who knew little Of mill
tary WAYS: and having lately risen 10 office had
an exaggerated estimate Oh his own dl-uly. ] urn
Iug round ue Sass one Ol the Lord LIeutcndui $ J.
j.. IS at The foot OF the staircase and signed to
him to come mp. The A. ID. &. hastcncd. aud told
McEwen that Lee could let the a Lei Secretary pass.
But the young scot, CXoita lie alter the manner Of
hs cOuutryDrn, reminded hlu rather blunJy that
lie had 400 business 20 eve Orders,
'Get me "a written or er from my Colonel, or C!se
let the Colonel come and relieve me, ht answered
Otherwise. you know can le. nobody pass. lou
as q brother otcer, cu-nt To uphold me ID TINS.
The better dIspDsed persons had already turned
Their backs 10 20 down brit one OF those II. .-bted
fools who creep in everywhere and who are always
anxious to siLnalIze Themselves by misOehaN Or
thou -nt to show OF before some ladies' who we're
with bin. by leading a rush who should force their
way past the GuardsAIan. lie was horld IaIIlsJtr
with big whishers and cried laceuoGAy, Up
Guards and at en- while be threw down the
rope and charged across the landing WITH glrl on
his arm. But in one bound McEWen had reached
the door and barred il by stretching ont bis sword.
The sight OF the glIterlng steel had It's eHect on
don't s1rI,o.e vo1'vr rsceivpd orders TO cut down
LIs Exceleucys guests with your sabre
! am ashamed Of yOu. SIT cried McEWcn, VINO
had u1shed scarlet. You know ! am but soldier
executing my orders. ! request you TO 20 down
stars this instant
After thai the staircase was promptly cleared,
many ladies declaring. as they went that, after
all. the y0Glg GuarlsMan had been placed IN a
Ycry trying position and had behaved remarkably
well But soon afterward the rumOr Of what had
occurred amn,idcd and distorted hv the blathcr-
in-s OF the with the TLlskerS reached the ears
OF McEweu'> Colonel. and that worthy hurried TO
give hls Lieutenant a setting down.
THIS Colonel was not good soldier, nor good |
fellow. He was a tme-,ervlug court er, we'll
connected stupid person, very concerted ana YeAa-
tous In authority. lie had never seen service, and
wOnld have been sure to bunder If sent into action
All his mi.itaryIsm consisted IN pipe-clay; and IN
pOmpOus hall-screechlug tone. which he used in
adj lIas,rg Ms ,llborIinates he now asked NcEwen
why the ID the latter had been making an ass O1
himself!
An ass Of myeellr echoed Archie. coloring TO
tie roots OF his lair had your orders to lct no.
And you allowed Lady Belair to 20 by. Since
you dis0beyed NE 20 please yourself, you might
have had the sense to conclude that NV orders did
not apply to the Chief Secretary
Lady Iell1lr is Vie Lord Leutcnaut's sjs;er-in-
law repliei NcEwen. but admit. sir that was
f.f Itt.s A ftr Na fltf.
Wen. what about the Chief Secretary Don't
bandy words with me- sir. lou have made your
self r.diculOus. and me TOO. ! relieve You OF yunr
duty. GO aud dance-that's al you're DO for. I'll
put a sergeant here who Will understand my orders
better than yOu
his sword but ne not the man to stomach euch
a lecture from Crl0nel whom be little respected /
This affair of the guard slight matter IN /
itsef but IL formed the commencement OF a hope /
less misunderstanding between the pair McLwen !
treated his Colonel thenceiorth with oil the cold
ness Compatible with subOrdnatlOn; and the Col |
One who discharged his duties too III 10 brook the
presence Of a subaltern alive 10 his faults, began
% worry the Sco'chman With petty annoyances.
IN consequence Archie Mckwen soon applied for an /
exchange 1t should have been granted as /
matter or course. bat the Colonel pursuing his |
spite. cOntrived to raise obstacles, and thereupCn
tle young Guardsman threw up hls commission Ia
disgust.
He was younger son, however. and not over
ticn 50 that he did not know what 10 do with
LiuSti when he had lett the service. Animated /
Win the adventurous spirit OF ScotcLmen, be loved
soldering, and nothing bat the unmannery con-
duct OF has Colonel could Lave made HIM iOrsake
prOe e-sOn IN which he would have been pretty sure
10 acquire honor. But before long chance threw
into Ills way an unexpected chance of Duckling on
ihe sword again. AT party IN London McEwen
met Russian General, who knew his story and
drew him % talk about his wrongs Why
a0nt You entsr the Russian service asked this
foreigner Our two countries are not at war and
trust never will be- BHs in any case you would
never be required to bear arms against England