, 1896-03-13
LOVE MY DOG.

Duffy was The property Of Caldwell
of the Tenth, and WAS looked upon i'll
the light of an inheritance, having come
down TO him from Wcntworth-of the
same-when the latter had been ordered
away.
Caldwell went into Wcntworth's
quarters at once and found Duffy rub.
bling up a pair of his ex-mastcr's dis
carded boots. with a view to using them
himself. He liked the mans looks, and
he liked the condition of the vacated
quarters, with their slate gray painted
woodwork, so he took the quarters and
agreed to take Duffy at a striker S usual
rate of remuneration.
Duffy entered promptly upon his du-
ties, and was entirely satisfactory. He
had 10 membranes i'll the way of fam
lily or sweethearts, and he was faithful
to q degree that was occasionally eXas-
perating. For six months he served
Caldwell in singleness of purpose, hay
ing in that time been incapacitated only
for six days-that is, for As hours after
each of the paymaster's visits, and
Caldwell, knowing the ways Of strikers,
made no objection. Duffy slept uproar-
iously in his looms, and Caldwell made
his Owl fires, and brushed his own
clothes, ard wen with unblacked boots.
In the interim no huur WAS too early for
rising, one too late to sit up and keep
logs on the andirons that the rooms
might be warn and cheerful for the
"1eftinant, lie duty imposed too ardu-
GUS provided it served Caldwell's ends.
Blackstone, seeing the excellence Of
Duffy, departed from the strict code of
honesty in the matter Of servants which
governs the army and made ovortures
to the model striker. Blackstone had no
business to do it, and Duffy knew it.,
and II fine and inscrutable grin came
upon his Hibernian mouth.
Blackstone had said, with an assump-
ton of off h~andedness, Duffy, what do
you get?'
Having due regard for his employers
credit in the world, he answered calm
ly, "Twinty dollars, sor."
"Get out! - said Blackstone.
"Yes, sor," replied Duffy.
II want to know the truth, not lies
like that"
You'd best ask the leftinant, sor. I
disremember."
"He works you deuced hard"
docs he, then?"
my man is no good. Suppose you
come to me. You won't have to sit up
to all hours for me-"
Duffy only smiled, but the smile was
not pleasing.
"What do you think of it, Duffy"
Il niver think, sor. The leftinant
says I'm to do as I'm told and not
think"
Upon this Blackstone vel away, and
Duffy saluted him respectfully. In JUS
tice to the officers common sense, it
must be said that it was only partial in.
toxication which could have led him to
place himself i'll such a position toward
o soldier.
Duffy did not repeat the conversation
to Caldwell, because he knew it would
make trouble between the two men, and
Caldwell-whose disposition was not of
the mildest-had several quarrels on his
hands ~ it was.
The lieutenant fell into the habit of
keeping the striker up very late, night
after night, SO Duffy inspected his peck
cts several times i'll succession while
Caldwell was sleeping as soundly as if
justice had been the soporiiic, and not,
as was the case, suffers whisky, and he
judged, from the fact that sometimes
there was much loose change and again
almost nothing. that his master was play
ing too much at cards. There was moth
ing to be done. Duffy did not consider
that his dnties AS striker included the
moral guidance of his superior. He re-
Elected that it would be a good thing if
Caldwell should get married; only then
he, Duffy. would very likely lose his
place. So he sat up night after night,
and it grew monotonous.
Just at this period there came into
Duffy's life a yellow and white dog.
Exactly why it should have wandered
to the door upon ut wet and freezing
night, when Duffy was in a particularly
weary frame of mind, and where it
came from he never knew. It was we'll
after midnight and Duffy wa sprawled
in a leather chair of the troop saddler's
manufacture. doing, with both gar
open. when there came scratching at
the door. Duffy thought it was the lieu
tenant trying to find the knob. It had
never been so bad as that yet neverthe-
less the striker Went and opened the
door, to be rewarded by the sight Of an
extremely small and miserable dog.
with piteous eyes.
Now, Duffy was only a soldier. and n
soldier loves nothing on earth or in
heaven as he hoes q cur. So Duffy called
the dog in and warmed it and fed it
and watched it with satisfaction beam
t.. all ,,or b;c f,ra I. WINS spottp,i