The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-03-04

Du1y 6aluGod 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 in such a position toward
a 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 as it was.
The lieutenant fell into the habit of
keeping the striker up very late, night
after night, SO Duffy inspected his pock-
cts several times in succession while
Caldwell was sleeping as soundly as if
justice had been the soporifc, 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 duties as striker included the
moral guidance of his superior. He re-
flected that it would be. 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 yellow and white dog.
Exactly why it should have wandered
to the door upon one wet and freezing
night, when Duffy WIS in particularly
weary frame of mind, and where it
came from he never knew. It was we'll
after midnight and Duffy was sprawled
in a leather chair of the troop saddlers
manufacture, doing, with both ears
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 soldier, and q
heaven as no does cur. So Duffy calico
thu dog in and warmed it and fed it
and watched it with satisfaction beam.
ing all oveT his face It was spotted
and dirty and wounded and woefully
thin, but Duffy took it to his heart. He
spent three nights before the fire, no
longer lonely, contentedly trying to find
a name for that dog. At last he deter
mined to call it ''Bessie," after the
much admired daughter Of the COM
manding officer and with complete
disregard for the entire inappropriate
ness Of the name.
After he had settled this to his salts
faction he tried to discover accomplish
ments in the creature. "Here, Bessie,
old boy. Set up now, set up. Can't you
set up? Well, then, give us your paw,
here, paw, paw, now. Can't you give
us your paw? Well, then, lie down.
Charge, charge, charge. Down, lie
down, down. Can't you charge? Well,
then, speak, speak, Bessie, speak,
speak now Vow Speak" But Bessie
could only follow him with his BRIGHT
curious eyes and come when called So
the solace of many more hours of pa
tient waiting lay in teaching Bessie
these and many other tricks until he
was the most accomplished dog in all
the garrison and greatly beloved at the
barracks. Duffy was little annoyed
about the comment the inappropriate
name called forth, but he insisted that
it was as good as another, and the in
congruity was soon lost in Bessie's pop