The Forrest City times., 1896-02-21
LOVE MY DOG.
BY GwENDOLEN OyERTON.

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 quar-
ters at once, and found Duffy rubbing
up pair of his ex-master's discarded
boots, with a view to using them him
self. He liked the mans looks and he
liked the condition OF the vacated quar-
ters, 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
duties, and was entirely satisfactory.
He had no membranes in the way of
family or sweethearts, and he was faith
full to degree that was occasionally ex-
asperating. For six months he served
Caldwell in singleness of purpose, hav
ing in that time been incapaciated 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 room, and Caldwell made
his own fires, and brushed his own
clothes, and went with unblacked boots.
In the interim, no hour was too early
Tor 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
arduous, 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 an assump-
ton OF off-handedncss: Duffy, what
do you get?"
Having due regard for his employers
credit in the world, he answered, calm
ly: "Twinty dollars, sor.'
sect out!" said Blackstone.
"Yes, sor," replied Duffy.
81 want to know the truth, not lies
like that"
"Ye'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
tn 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
saws I'm to do as I'm told and not
think"
Upon this Blackstone went away, and
Duffy saluted him respectfully. In
Justice to the officers common sense,
II must be said that it was only partial
intoxication which could have led him
to place himself in such position to-
ward a soldier.
Duffy did not repeat the conversation
to Caldwell, because he knew 1T would
make trouble between the two men, ana
Caldwell-whose disposition was not OF
the mlldeSu-ndu sC'oi"i
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 potk-
ets several times in succession Whlle
Caldwell was sleeping as soundiy as IL
Justice had been the soporific, and not,
as was the case, suffers whisky; anu
he Judged, from the fact that sometimes
there was much loose change and again
almost nothing, that his master was
nlaving too much at cards. There was
nothing to be done. Duffy did not con-