The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-27
S0FTY.

took all for gospel did such silly things.
We made him step out of the ranks on
parade, complain that the men had ONLY
five nights in bed, and when the chief said
it was no dashed business of his, to saw
that every man should be like the sergeant
majors wife. One night at an inspection
dinner we persuaded him to go up to the
general and ask him whether he thought
that Julius Caesar had first invented the
order of attack. The general who was a
jolly old cock, saw us all grinning, and said
he'd let us know next day, when he so har-
ried and hunted us about the drill field that
we wished we had left the order for attack
alone
He was the best tempered chap in the
world. You could see it in his face; fair
and chubby and child-lke-when we first
knew him; his blue eyes Were so round and
wide open, as if with surprise and astonish-
ment-and he was a good deal surprised
sometimes. Nothing hardly put him out
He would laugh with the rest of US, and
shout, 'Oh, say"' when he saw-not very
quickly--that we had done him again. Only
once he got really into a rage, and that was
when we drew him" He never minded it
as a rule, but that night some one fell foul
of a Photographic lady, young, pretty,
regal ripperAand cried: Here boys, look!
She's Softy's mashr'
Softly made one rush His eyes were blaz-
ing and his face was first crimson, then
dead white. Drop that, Mortimer. Drop
it. or TITS my mother. She is dead
Mortimer was a great hulking rough fell
low. But he knew how to behave.
Beg your pardon, old chap; of course
I'd no idea" he said handing him the
photograph and we all went quietly away
AS you may suppose, we got very fond of
Softly. He wasn't a bit of a soft in other
ways; he could do lots of things we'll He
was a nice light weight and could ride
above bit; he was smart field at cricket,
and was tough to handle with single sticks
or the gloves.
We were soldering those days in Halifax,
Nova Scotia. 1t is some time ago, so
daresay many. of the old landmarks are
gone. The only place of amusement was
a theater known as "I.udovicis Lyceum,"
a glorifed barn, nothing more. and the
company of merest strollers. But Ludo-
vici was d character in his way, an un-
recognized genius according to himself
but with the making of a great actor. This
making was, however, long delayed, and
so was the fortune it was to bring.
The Lyceum did not get much patronage
beyond that of the regiment and Ludovici
never had a really good season. AT last
he all but came to conspicuous grief; he
owed for the barn, the ghost never
walked" and ruin stared him in the face.
1t was Softly who found this out. He had
always a hankering after the stage, and
seldom missed a night at the Lyceum
Ludovici and he scraped acquaintance.
Softy's idea was that we should give the
manager a benefit to help him through his
troubles; an amateur performance, assisted
by the professionals. We rather pooh
poohed the idea, but Softly was pertina-
cious This was the first evidence of that
logged persistence about him which helped
him so greatly in after fife, and in the end
we chose the Heir at-Law," with Ludovici
as DR.. Pangloss and Softly as Lady Duber-
ly, by particular request" of his brother
subs, who thought to take a rise out of him
when figged out in petticoats and patches
and pearl powder.
At mess. fellows said that Softly was
stage struck" and money was offered and
taken that he would cut the service and
go into partnership with old LOO" For a
was both before and after the theatricals
1t natural enough at first, account
of rehearsals, and all that, but afterwards
why was he so much taken up with Luz
dovici? What had he seen in the chap?
We never quite got the rights of it, until
one day Softly came to mel was one of his
best pals-and said he was going to ex-
change
Il want to get to India A fellow has
know, and all that, and I'm sick of this
peace business. I shall try the shiny. Tul
Is offering $500 to get into ours I'd like
1 smelt rat and pressed him. Why was
he 50 keen about collaring the stuff? He
was not such a wastrel; didn't bet or swag-
ger or drink or waste his substance. How
or why was he so hard up?
After a bit 1 squeezed it out of him. He
hoh Arnr m Ian r a of
hundred pounds. He had squared it with
Cox, the army agents, but only on the
condition that he exchanged and repaid the
overdraft with the bonus paid.
him hot What? Were we TO lose the best
boy that had Joined US for years, all for
this scheming, swindling old scoundrel?
I found out where the Ludovicis hung
out, and went straight to the house. They
were rather poor lodgings in a frame house.
An old slatternly negro woman opened the
door and showed me straight upstairs. >,
dren, clean and tidy. round a tea table
spread with rather a meager meal. The
grateful age" tall and gawky, with a pale,
salow face, framed by a great mass of
raven black hair and lightened by magnifi-
cent dark italian eyes rose and came to
Il wanted to see Mr.. Ludivici," I said,
ers t'tle brother of5eeG officer Of Mr.. seymours
At the sound of Seymour's name q pretty
color rose to her cheek, and something in
Il
her fine dark eyes.
Mr.. Seynours friends are our friends
she said with matrons self-possesslon,
putting out her little brown hand. He has
been very good to us.
L love Mithter Theemoore, cried a small
voice with her mouth full of bread and
butter. and the remark was echoed round
the table ending with, And Polite lovth
NIithter Theemoore," from the first speak
err Polite. who was the lanky eldest child
of the party, laughed a little consciously;
then sternly chided them, and bade them
be quiet
In the midst of it all Mr.. Ludovici and
Softly came in together.
Rex cried the latter. looking at me
with more anger in his face than thought
he could show, what on earth brings you
here?"
Il came to speak TO Mr.. Ludovici on a
private NATTER l stammered out, rather
disconnected.
Softly came nearer and whispered fierce
ly: Il don't know what it means, but If
you are interfering in my affairs, Captain
king / beg you will drop it. There!
But the old actor had taken me by the
arm and was motioning Softly away.
This is my private sanctum, he said,
leading me into squalid, unttdy room
where he slept. There was a bed in one
corner, and this bed with every other part
OF the room. was Uttered about with rub
bish belonging to his business; old play
bills, properties, rouge pots, battered Wigs,
tin swords, 4 helmet. high boots.
Il can guess, sir, that you have heard of
our young friends generosity. and that you
6fS9OprpXr Relieve not.