St. Landry democrat., 1885-05-16
But it is harder not to.

81 heard you say yesterday, she
said, "that you want to go to West
Point and be soldier. Soldiers have to
mind, and the quicker you learn how
the better"
"soldiers mind! Why, they COM
mand and fight.
Everybody in an army has to obey
orders but the Commander-in-Chief,
Clemmy, and he only gets to be one by
obeying from the awkward squad up.
Dear me, you can't imagine how strict
they are at West Point. and how severe
" the cadets are punished for the least
disobedience of rules. They say that
those get on best who have minded best
at home.
This was a new view of soldier life,
and rather dampening to youthful mill
tary ardor.
It'd like to be a Captain, anyhow, "
said Clemmy, refectiyely.
Captains have to mind, " said An
ge1icae ''Once the Duke of Wellington
was encamped with his army, expecting
a great battle next day, and he didn't
want the enemy to know he was there,
SO he forbade there being any lights in
the camp. After dark he was prowling
about-all muffied up to see what he
could see-when he espied faint light
in a Captains tent. In he went and
asked what it meant. The Captain said
he was writing to his wife and babies,
as he felt he might be killed next day.
write. the Iron Duke said, that you
will be shot at sunrise for disobeying
orders. y
but he wasn't?'' cried Clemmy.
Eyes he was. =
ssThe horrid, old, wicked, iron-hearted
thing!n exclaimed the boy.
1T was iron-hearted, that's true.
But Just think what if the enemy's
scouts had seen the light and the army
had been surprised in the night, and
perhaps destroyed. 1t would be better
to shoot one man and to make the
/ others afraid to disobey. Obedience is
a grand thing. 1t is hard to learn, but
when once learned it is easy and pleas
ant, too"
did you always obey at your
house?" asked Clemmy.
Owe were trained to it, so that it was
a habit, and like all habits it was easy. !"
That's a nice way to learn it, said
Clemmy, quick to see the bearing OF
the subject in her mind.
.After ALL" she said, as quick to
catch his self-iustifcation, ga body
can't be made to mind, unless he
he is dragged in chains. The more a
child is INDUCED, the more he ought to
try to mind, to show his love and graft
tude. Then he won't be like soldier
afraid of being shot, but like one eager
to do his part in the battle. And obedi-
ence is always so safe. "
did it keep you out of mussesP"
Twice at least it saved my life.
"How?"
'tOnce, when I was so little that can
lust remember it, was in the garden
when saw huge, strange dog crouch
ing at the gate. We always had dogs,
and | didn' t dream of being afraid, but
had started towards the creature when
I heard my mother say tAngy,' and
then she beckoned to me. As matter
of course ran to her, and she just had
time to catch me into the house and
slam the door when the great beast
came with horrid thud against it. 1t
was fierce bulldog that had broken
his chain, and he had to be killed be-
cause no one could catch him alive. A
moment more and should have been
too late. My mother hadn't dared to
call me loudly for fear of fastening his
spring. !"
..OR my!' said Clemmy. 'I'm
afraid I should have got caught. What
was the other time?n
1T was when I was quite alarge girl,
and we were spending the winter in the
West Indies. One day when we were
all on the veranda my father suddenly
said: Stand up Angelica Up I got as
quick as a soldier would shoulder arms,
and there dropped to the floor a seor-
pion. Father had seen it just as its
fangs were almost against my neck. Il
I had turned my head to ask why, ]
should have been stung, and as was
very delicate, might have died.
Ibid you always mind every timee'
mo, but / paid for it when | didn't.
One day the same winter my father
went away vary early one morning, and
told me not to 90 out till he came back,
as he should want me. I staid in till
the afternoon, though thought the day
endless, and decided that father had for
gotten all about me. At last party OF
friends came for me to go riding with
them. They were mounted on all sorts
of steeds--old horses, ponies and don.
keys, and my special boy friend led a don
key for me. Icouldn't, or didn't resist,
and went. Half an hour later my father
came with pony for me to see, and
to keep if | liked it He had devoted
the whole day to get it, and hadn' t told
me for fear Of disappointing me.
When / got home the pony had gone
back to its owner
''But you got it afterwards?''