Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-04-03
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 q
quarters at once and found Duffy rub
bing up pair Of his ex-masters 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 strikers usual
rate Of remuneration.
Duffy entered promptly upon his du-
ties, and was entirely satisfactory. He
had no membranes 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 unblaoked 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 a fine and inscrutable grin came
upon his Hibernian mouth.
Blackstone had said, with all assump.
ton Of off handedness, Duffy, what do
you get?"
Having due regard for his employers
credit in the world, he answered calm
~, "Twinty dollars. sor.'
"Get out !" said Blackstone.
eyes, 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"
"Does 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, Duffy2'
II niver think, sor. The leftinant
says TIM 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
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 good thing il
Caldwell should get married only then
he, Duffy, would very likely lose his
place. So he sat up night after night,
and it grew HOMOGENEOUS.
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 was in q particularly
weary frame Of mind, and where L
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 o scratching at
the door. Duffy thought 1t was the lieu
tenant trying to find the knob. It hsa
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, Duty was only q soldier. and q
soldier loves nothing on earth or In
heaven a. be does a cur. So Duty called
the dog Ii and warmed II and fed 1t
and watched II with Satisfaction beam.