The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1885-05-02
ALDERSHOT.
Arrival of Marching Orders at the, Great
English Military Camp.

Arrival of Marching Orders at the Great
English Military Camp.
Marching orders from tie Horse
Guards have arrived. Aldershot is in
state OF excitement and hustle, pre-
Parlng and mastering the forces for de-
Parture for the seat of war. and
Tommy, ever ready for fight, or a
change IN the monotony of his ..ailv
existence, is filed with enthusiasm and
eager for the fray.
1t is between 3 and o'clock in tbe
morning, and the gray light is lust
stealing through the mist of the gently
falling rain, as stand in the Earns
borough Station listening to the distant
cheering and the plantive strains of
''Auld Lang Syne," which betoken the
approach OF some departing regiment.
A long line OF railway carriages and
horse trucks. their wet top, glistening.
and the black smoke from the locomo-
tive curling over them, stands in readi-
ness alongside of the platform. Some
porters are engaged il taking off the
tarpaulins that have covered little
pile OF luggage, and are slowing it
away III one OF the vans, and the Sta
tion-master and lis assistants are hur-
rylng about, busy i'll tne:r i,;eparations
for the reception OF th~'r freight. Up
the station road two hor J.. en-, trot-
ting rapidly along loom up through the
mist; further behind them we can see a
dark mass moving slowly toward us,
and the sound of the music grows
louder and more distinct as the troops
come forward and halt on the brow of
the hill above the station. They are
cavalry, and as the leading squadron
breaks from the column and marches
through tue gates we see that thev are
hussars. The men are clad in their
campaign dresses--dark blue serge
blonses. white sun helmets and pug
garees," well-tilled haversacks and can
teens, untanned leather boots, carbines
and sabers. Their saddles are packed
in heavy marching order, and there is a
decidedly busirfess-like look about both
men and horses. They dismourt and
form their horses into line, unbucklo
their sabers, and together with their
carbines place them on the ground in
their rear, and Immediately commence
the business of embarking. One by
one the horses are lied for
ward, and driven, pushed and
forced into the trucks. Gradually
the lAclosure about the station is filling
up. A general officer with his aide and
o couple Of 0rderlies has arrived, Q
brake filed with officers who have come
to bid their friends farewell drives up,
and here aud there poor soldiers
wife, with tear-stained face, perhaps
two or three tow-headed children
clinging to her skirts, sobs on the
shoulder of some stalwart fellow. The
scene becomes ivelier as the awakening
day sheds fuller light on the busy
crowd, and troop after troop enters the
station Us the horses of the preceding
ones are put on board the train; bun
dies of hay and forage for the batting
of the horses during the journey to
the coast are handed into the cars from
the heavy wagons of the Army Service
Corps, luggage is slowed away under
the seats in the carriages, or corded
firmly under the tarpaulins on the
tops. Near the first-class carriage at
the head OF the train the officers are
smoking parting cigar with their
friends, sergeants and corporals and
busy orderlies are moving about, and
the men, picking up their weapons, are
falling in again preparatory to en-
barking IN their turn. The Colonel is
receiving few parting directions from
the General-a fine, aristocratic, mid
dle-aged gentleman, with soldierly
bearing and gray military mustache
and whiskers, the gold braided peak of
his cap drawn down over his eyes, and
his overcoat covering his plain. taste
full, undress uniform. The last horse
has been shut in; the las. Struggling
soldier has taken his place in the car
riages. the windows of, which are
crowded with heads; the last good
byes are said; sobbing women and chill
dren watch husband and father with
streaming eyes; the younger and more
thoughtless of the soldiers are crack
ing their parting jokes; the Colonel
touches his helmet, and, with a shake
of the Generals hand, turns to the
train. "Get on board. gentlemen
the officers. "All ready" The station
master raises his hand, the whistle of
the locomotive shrieks, the band on the
platform strikes up AUD Lang Syne"
again. Slowly the great driving
wheels of the engine begin 70 move:
Goodbye. Mary. Tom. Katie. God
bless you! Good luck! And amid load
cheers the long train gkdes down the
long line of glistening rails and disap-
pears around . acurve.-R. =. Z09bgttn,,
n Harper's Magasi'ae.' .hss r. 'stas
THE difference between youth and old
are is. that youth il crazy to 60 into
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