Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-03-20
LOVE MY DOG.

LOVE MY DOG.
Duffy was the property Of Caldwell
of the Tenth, and was looked upon in
the light of an inheritance, having come
down to him from Wentworth-of the
same-when the latter had been ordered
away.
Caldwell went into Wentworth s
quarters at once and found Duffy rub
bling up pair of his ex-master's dis
carded boots. with 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 striker usual
rate of remuneration.
Duffy entered promptly upon his du-
ties, and was entirely satisfactory. He
had no cumbrances in the way Of fam
lily or sweethearts, and he was faithful
to degree that was occasionally exas-
perating. For six months he served
Caldwell in singleness Of purpose, hav
ing in that time been incapacitated only
for six days-that is, for 48 hours after
each of the paymaster's visits, and
Caldwell, knowing the ways Of strikers,
made no objection. Duffy slept uproar-
iously in his rooms, and Caldwell made
his own fires, and brushed his own
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-
ton of off handedness, ''Duffy, what dc
you get?''
Having due regard for his employers
credit in the world, he answered calm
~, "Twinty dollars, sor.''
sect out /" said Blackstone.
'Yes, sor,' replied Duffy.
81 want to know the truth, not lies
like that"
"You'd best ask the leftinant, sor. I
disremember. -
''He works you deuced hard"
"Does he, them"
''My man is no good. Suppose you
I,ox, In ,;k 70
to all hours for me.
Duffy only smiled, but the smile was
not pleasing.
"What do you think of it, Duffy"
81 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 position toward
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 bis duties as striker included the
moral guidance Of his superior. He re-
fected 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
DuFy's life yellow and white dog.
Exactly why it should have wandered
to the door npon 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 saddlef's
manufacture, doing, with both ears
open, when there came scratching at
the door. Duffy thought it was the lieu
tenant try ing to find the knob. 1t haa
never been SO bad as that yet; neverthe-
less the striker went and opened the
door, to be rewarded by the sight Of ap
extremely small and miserable dog,
with piteous eyes.
Noy. Duffy was only soldier, and a
sosaasr loves nothing on earth or in
heaven as he does cur. So Duffy called
the dog in and EFarmed it and fed IT.
and watched it with satisfaction BEAM
sng 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 he deter
mined to call it Bessie" after the
much admired daughter Of the COM
manding officer and with complete
disregard Tor tne entlfe 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 charger Well,
then. speak, speak, Bessie, speak,
speak now. Wowl 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