New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-18
A MILITARY INCIDENT.

was the turning point of my life. but today a.
change has come over me. Today mas pe'h ioi
me a happy day: one OF the happicSt, indeed, /
am an old fellow now and have served my
Queen COR MANY a long year. il many distant
land. H. has pleased God TO bless my career, anu
10 have enabled me TO do my duty TO the satlsiac-
lion of my superOls. ! have met with lar greater
rewards Tor my services than they merit. and To-
Gay has come my browning TRIUMPH. MY pTdciouS
Sovereign whom God ever bless ana preSefNe,,l
has this day sent me, with lellcr so kHluiS
and so sweet that it made my old eyes dim TO
read IT, the Grand Cross Of the Bath the soldier
blue ribbon of fame.
mantelpccc i'll the place OF honor over the niue
glass-protected case where hang my other uecoid
lions my five medals and most prlZSu OF
all-thc bronze Victoria Cross l won at DEM.
II hangs, glittering in its sllvery price where
my sweet daughter Ellie placed 1t tins evening"
amid the shouts of her curly headed niue ones.
Then how my darling addressed the pretty mob
about grandfather's new honor How her lace.
her figure. the tones of her voice, reminded me
OF her dead mother, my dear wife, whose absence
was the thing which dimmed the happiness
OF the day! A.
Could / help that feeling of choking in the
throat as / listened TO my Enies words as IN
tones which tremblcd now and again with hcr
love for her oil soldier Gather. she told them OF
the honor he had won. and babe the two sturdy
bInc-cyed lads, who gazed up at her with parted
Iips as She spoke. follow his footsteps and galn
like him, the love of all round HIM, the admlIa-
ton of his country, and the appreciation Oh HIS
Queen? ,,,.
deserts-but she spoke with the partial IecllnS
Of a loving daughter She told them once more
the story they had often heard, OF how the
Victoria Cross or the little shelf was won, ana
then. as she hung the last giitterins trophy on
the wall, she called on the little throng 10 give
three cheers for their dear old grandiatner' ana
the little childish trcblcS. as they cried out IN
my honor. moved me more than the cheers or
the Thousands who were welcoming back the de-
feeders of Harounabad, and | could only CLASP
my Ellie to my heart as She cred WIN hef klhuiA
emotion And now the old house is quiet; the
nursery banquet is over and the little Jewellers
are in bed. ! sit alone in my room, ana thlnk.
and think. And more NivldlN than 1Or many
wears comes up in my mind the memory OF That
evening now long ago, when. nat Tor HOd
nicrcy-for never will call II or think II Chance
] should not have been living now ENJOYING an
honorable old age. surrounded by loving children
Many time since then have looked death
I'm tho face hut it was always honorable death
Numerous have been my perlls ana hairDicadlh
my escapcs but never was | nearer death, ana
shameful DEATH than that evening.
have said none has ever heard the story; ana
none shall ever know it while | am alive. but /
shall seal this and place 1t III my desk 80 tll1i
il will not be read until after my death. could
not bear to tell Efiic of IT. but know she VIII
forgive me anything after am gone from her
Here is my story: it may be that some may
When | was lad | Joined as an ensign the
nd Pesiment OF Foot My father was not a
lich man but was yet able 10 give me an allow
anca which should have been ample for my needs
had happy home my mo,hGp Tus oif b ol oo
little over indugent to me was l3d oil :,
somewhat impctuouS temperament; cXcltahic ana
hcadStropg; | had never learned the value OF
self-contfo and too much given 70 sell
Indulgence. Gifted with 4 Strone imagination
fLcr, was a romantic vein i'm my nature which
led me T. find the kccncSt enjoyment in adventure
The Youngsters Of the regiment were rather loose
1t and were considered by the other corps IN the
garrison as being a decidedly fast set OF men
hut even among these | soon acquired a naI
cmincn,c." and. with ore exception, | was looked
upon as the worst Of the lot.
This exception, Claude llclmsdoIt, was nay
most intimate friend. lie was German by
blood. lut his parents were natural
izcd English people. There was tia; in Claude, i
disposition which cndcarcd him 10 me above all
my companions. His tastes were the same. ana
lc had The same half-Scntmcntai, h"li-groteSl uc
sort of philosophy which made me something OIL
an enigma Tor my OTHER more matteroi-fact com
IadcS.
We were neither of ~ happy without excite
mont The Gull monotony o. garrison NE ~
GIBRALTAR where the regiment was quaItcrcd, gave
iiS scant openings. lat what Wc could do We did
DrinkinG, gambling and other kindred wees, -
far as mean, were available we INDUCED IN with
ont stint. Occasionally we used 10 20 on ShoT,
leave INTO Spain. where, IN somewhat less STREE
soci-ty. We could plunge more deeply into on
taVoriir vices We got INTO numerous scrapcs
some Of them very serious ones. More than once
We nearly lost our lives in mad cscapadcs after
women On these occasions each had found tbs
other trup rs steel and our mutual affection grew
daily stronger ant stronger Pleasures such ~
those which alone had any lcS fer ms cannot n'
obtained for "Otiiin". and after two years Of ihl'
life money troubles began to hara>S MS. Now
and then a lucky coup at Tie gaming-table. woulc
Keep matters straight for short whilc but Tho
luck would soon turn, and again the camOrlng VI
creditors would GSgaIl Us.
No troubles wear down mans courage ant
patience like money troubles, ana on my eAcltaDl'
and cno; iona nature the long strain began 10 tell
] grew morO>c and gloomy, and had fits OF Ter
rihle mental depression, which did not escape th'
notice %: those about me-. ] knew II was Wits
uercd that IlemSdori and ! letting int,
serious difficulties. ard tins knowledge was eal
and NORWOOD 70 me. Al last ! wrote, IN dcs
ppration TO my father. | sent him peniten
- II
money. finally implOrng help limiting that my
reputation and the retention oil my fonimsSloi
ccpendcd on n favorable answer. Once before, II
less serious crisis OF. my affairs, had made ~
appeal which WIS successful. but my father
while granting my request had written in terms
which made me feel far from hopeful when writ
ing the second tllnc.
My iorcbodings proved true: ono dull, dark after
noon lIelmSdori found me in my room IN the case
mate barracks reading my Gathcr 5 answer IL hat
come overland, and, as was not unusual III th'
dilatOry Spanish post of that time was son'
DAYS overdue | looked mp a Claude entered
! remember his face well as if it had all taici
place Yesterday it, was draw1, hagGard an'
Pinched his eyes were nT add hrht ana resi-
" Bad news, eh p he asked quietly, but with
kind Of bitter laugh.
handed him the letter, which ne read aloud
NV dear Edward: The last time you wrote
10 me- 10 sly YOU were IL difficulties, managed al
considerable inconvenience 10 myself 10 send YOU
the sum you asked for Al the same time
warned YOU that You mast not expect me 10 hell
YOU again ] am poor man. as you well know
and such money as have need for myself, Noul
mother and Your sister. lou cannot expect thai
am GOING % cause them discomfort in oIder to
supply you with Injuries. Your being placed in
the army contrary 10 my judgment cost me a
larger sum of money than felt justified in spend
ing gave YOU an allowance which ] had land
still have good reason 10 believe sufficient for
young officers of your standing, even without
stinting themselves extraordinarily
You exceeded this allowance very considerably
wear ago and wrote 10 me for assistance, which
] gave. You now write 20 me for = far larger
Il regret that | must refuse your request.
Were richer, | DO not know that | should De
wise to grant IL rs il is / cannot You have
bitterly Disappointed"
"Pshaw!" cried lelmsdorf throwing the letter
on the floor. never mind the sermOniZing part.
The main thing is, he refuses to help. Now,
what are you going to do?"