Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-11-01
AN EXPERIMENT..


called it-not for Glove and euphony," for
we hated the place, but because the word
In its entirety we English did not know
bow to pronounce. The nearest approach
we could get to it was Efilefechan, but
there were many more consonants in it
and fewer voweis. It was in what Is now
called gallant little Wales" but the
principality was not just then very
popular because of the Rebeccaites, and
this was especially the case with the
military, who were quartered in out of the
way spots, never intended for gay young
fellows to dwell in, in order to restrain
these gentlemen OF the road" from their
high handed proceedings.
Why they were called after Rebecca more
than any other lady never knew, but
when engaged in their mission, which was
to destroy turnpike gates, they were al
ways attired in women's clothes. SentTies
were stationed at these gates, of which
there were half dozen in the neighbor-
hood, and every night it was the duty Of
one of us subalterns to visit them. There
were three Of us, Brown, Jones and Robin
son (myself), who with the captain, Miles,
and Maxwell, the surgeon, made up our
little mess
1t was the worst country quarters we
there were no gentry to entertain US, NC
>gayety Of any kind going on, and we were
thrown almost entirely on our own re-
sources, which, i must confess, were not
strong enough for the strain.
The country indeed was picturesque
enough when we could get out into il, but
the weather was habituauy wet, and the
rides and walks over the mountains were
spoiled for us by "spates" and boys. More
over, we were not popular with the natives,
who wanted their roads free from toll and
sympathized with the Rebeccaites, and
whenever we spoke to them shook their
heads to imply quite falsely, which made
il more disagreeable) that they could not
speak the English tongue.
The only country gentleman who was
our neighbor-Cadwallader Pryce-was
unhappily a bachelor, 80 that we were alb
solutely without female society of our own
class and though he was hospitality itself
he lived some miles away, and the increas-
ing downpour generally prevented our en-
joying it. But what did we do2 1t may be
asked. Well, we imbibed good deal of
brandy and soda, and smoked more than
was good for us, and played great many
rubbers Of such whist as would not be
thought highly Of at the Portland club.
We were, however, after a fashion, scien-
tifc. Our captain was an enthusiast about
mesmerism, and was never tired Of lectur
ing on it and making the experimentum in
corpore viii upon us subalterns. At that
time the fad Of throwing people into a state
of coma (Which sometimes ends in full
stop, when the amateur regrets the posses
sion Of his magic powers) was compare
lively new thing. The more advanced
stages of what was almost considered a
black art were unknown. Hypnotism
which, as it's name implies, is TO mesmer-
ism what sciatica is to lumbago, was not
dreamed Of, and Miles made quite q sensa-
ton among US.
Perhaps there was something in his being
in command Of the party which made us
as clay TO the potter, but we all three
went off" under his hands with ease, and
were pronounced by him TO be, what the
Rebeccaites certainly were not, excellent
subjects" But the doctor, a canny Scotch
man, who was more independent OF his
military sway, was less sensitive to his
passes" and Cadwallader Pryce held the
opinion and expressed 1t, and unfortu-
nately not In the Welsh language, that "the
whole thing was internal rubbish" This
caused a breach between that gentleman
and the captain, who even gave up accept
ing his invitations, and so far (for his din
ners were very good ones) proved himself
martyr to science.
Soon after we arrived at Eff Though IL
seemed long enough, so weary had we be-
come Of the place. Jones got an exchange
we never knew how, but could easily i'm
agine that he used all the influence he had
to escape, and instead of him there arrived
one Podgers, an ensign who had Just Joined
the regiment. He was very fat, and looked
rather dull, though his eyes had n shrewd
twinkle in them, and from shyness or nat
ural reticence it was difficult to get a word
out of him. We thought him a very bad
substitute for Jones, and Brown, who had
very pretty wit, at once nicknamed him
Podgy. But the captain at first thought
better OF him, for no other reason, be
lieve, than because being Of so lethargic q
disposition he concluded the new arrival
would fall an easy victim TO his magic
powers. This, however was so far from
the case that Podgy would have nothing
10 do with them, declining to have expert
ments made upon him, behavior which, In
the captains eyes, was little short OF mu
tinous
Miles was in truth very good fellow
but had severe ideas OF discipline and
general notion that his subordinates wer,
intended by nature, or At all events 9Th,
regulations" TO save him from every un
pleasant duty by performing IL them
selves. He visited the posts land gates IL
the daytime and in fine weather, but a
night or when il was wet the ubalterns haC
70 do it, and though don't mean to imply
that he took it out" of Podgy because h
would not submit to be experimental
upon, il is certain that the new arriva
had good deal of night work and got ex
ceedingly wet.
On the other hand, Cadwalladar Pryce
whose Christian name the captain abbre
waited very unjustly) TO its first syllable
took Podgy up for the very reason tina
Miles disliked him-for his skepticisn
about "emanations'i-and invited him Il
dinner more often than any Of us. Per
haps Pryce's society. as the captain said |
did, made our stout ensign more stubborn
in his unbelief, and certainly the last thin
80 Ioolro1 To- ,rao hfa couvarcior, uhfcl