Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-04-30

clothes, and went with unblacked boots.
In the interim no hour was too early for
rising, none too late to sit up and keep
logs ON the andirons that the rooms
might be warm and cheerful for the
'leftinant, no 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 overtures
to the model striker. Blackstone had no
business to do it, and Duffy knew it,
and fine and inscrutable grin came
upon his Hibernian mouth.
Blackstone had said, with an assump-
tion of off handedness, Duffy, what do
you get?''
Having due regard for his employers 8
credit i'll 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.
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"
II niver think, sor. The leftinant
says I'm to do as I'm told and not
think"
Upon this Blackstone went 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 in such a position toward
q 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 soporific, 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-
fected 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
Dutfy's life yellow and white dog.
Exactly why it should have wandered
to the door upon one wet and freezing
night, when Duffy was in particularly
weary frame of mind, and where it
came from he never knew. 1t was we'll
after midnight and Duffy was sprawled
in leather chair of the troop saddler's
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. 1t 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
soldier loves nothing ON earth or in
heaven as he does cur. So Duffy called
the dog in and warmed it and fed it.
and watched il with satisfaction beam.
ing all over his face. 1t 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 no 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