Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-24
wife, whose absence was the one thing which


dimmed the happiness of the day.
Could help that feeling OF choking in the
throat as listened to my Effie's words as,
in tones which trembled now and again with
her love for her old soldier father, she told
them of the honor he had won, and bade the
two sturdy blue-eyed lads, who gazed up at
her with parted lips as she spoke, follow his
footsteps and gain, like him, the love of all
round him, the admiration of his country,
and the appreciation of his Queen?
Much she said-far too much for my
humble deserts-but she spoke with the
partial feeling of loving daughter. She
told them once more the story they had so
often beard, of how the Victoria Cross on
the little shelf was won, and then, as she
hung the last glittering trophy on the wall.
she called on the little throng to give three
cheers for their dear old grandfather; and
the little childish trebles, as they cried out
in my honor, moved me more than the cheers
of the thousands who were welcoming back
the defenders of Harounabad, and l could
only clasp my Effie to my heart as she cried
with her kindly emotion. And now the old
house is quiet; the nursery banquet is over
ard the little jewellers are in bed. / sit
alone in my room, and think, and think.
And more vividly than for many years
comes up in my mind the memory OF that
evening, now so long ago, when, but for
Gods mercy-for never will call it or think
it chance-I should not have been living
now, enjoying an honorable old age, sur
rounded By loving children.
Many a time since then have L looked
death in the face, but it was always honor
able death. Numerous have been my perils
and hairbreadth MY escapes, but never was
L nearer death, and shameful death, than
that evening.
have said none has ever heard the story,
and none shall ever know it while am
alive. but shall seal this and place it in my
desk. so that it will not be read until alter
INV death. I could not bear to tell Effie of
it. but know she will forgive me anything
after am gone from her.
Here is my story; it may be that some may
learn lesson from it:
When was lad Joined as an ensign the
md Regiment of Foot My father was not
a rich man, but was yet able TO give me an
allowance which should have been ample
for nv needs. had happy home, my
mother was one of the best of women,
though it may be she had been little
over-indulgent to me. was lad of some
what impetuous temperament, excitable and
headstrong; had never learned the
value of self-control and was too much
given to self-indulgence. Gifted with
strong Imagination there was romantic
vein in my nature which led me to find the
keenest enjoyment in adventure. The
Youngsters of the regiment were rather
loose lot and were considered by the other
corps in the garrison as being decidedly
"fast" set of men, but even among these 1
soon ACQUIRED a "bad eminence," and, with
one exception, was looked upon as the
worst of the lot.
This exception, Claude Helmsdorf, was
nv most intimate friend. He waSa German
by blood, but his parents were naturaiized
English people. There was that in Claude's
disposition which endeared him to me above
all my companions. HIS tastes were the
same, and he had the same half-sentimental,
hals-grotesque sort of philosophy which
made me something of an enigma to my
other more matter-of-fact comrades.
We were neither of us happy without ex-
citement. The dull monotony of garrison
life at Gibraltar, where the regiment was
quartered, gave us scant openings, but what
we could do we did. Drinking. gambling
and other kindred vices, SO far as means
were available, we INDUCED in without
stint. Occasionally we used to 60 on short
leave into Spain, where, in a somewhat less
strict society, we could plunge more deeply
into our favorite vices. We got into numer-
GUS scrapes, some of them very serious ones.
More than once we nearly lost our lives in
mad escapades after women. On these oc-
casons each had found the other true as
steel, and our mutual affection grew daily
stronger and stronger. Pleasures such as
those which alone had any zest for us can
not be obtained for nothing, and after two
years of this life money troubles began to
harrass us. Now and then lucky coup at
the gaming table would keep matters
straight for short while, but the luck
would soon turn, and again the clamoring
OF creditors would assail US.
No troubles wear down mans courage
and patience like money troubles, and on my