Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-11-24

The popular Imagination, seems 10 be
next 10 taking the queens handouts.
II Is true that some Of the young fel-
lows looked almost happy, having
crossed the RubiCOn, having taken the
great resolution. y few We're evident
ly young men of good family, having
ComHIitted "IndIscI etIouS.' But these
did not have TO huger long in the re-
cruiting hail. The plunge was made
the form. whispered the sergeant VINO
had brought uc IN, puillns at my coat
sleeve slguIn"antly.
II was blue paper, constituting the
demand To enlist, containing questions
as to age name, place OF birth, mar
ried or singie, previous enlistmcnts,
honorable OF disnUnOrable discharges.
| saw nothing of the shilling. | thought
10 gain time, and, forgetting | was not
in red tape France, objected that |
had not brought my papers. What
do you want papers for| inquired the
sergeant, almost trOwning.
"N ny, do you accept my word with
out any written proofs OF my idenu-
W." That's between you and the
DOCTOR" he said neglgently. IF you
are beyond the age, the doctor will lind
it out or else he won't 1t is his ar,
fair If you misrcpresent yourself in
any other particular, its your affair.
You have perjured yourself, and there
is a penalty Of three months hard la
bor."
Listen" | said TO the sergeant, Il
am not quite decided. We viii talk ii
over with a glass Of Scotch cold or
Irish hot" And | showed TO him 3
half crown, pcrCciving readily that my
simple word would so further on the
queens blue paper than in the ser
geant's mind when there was question
of paying for the drinks. Seeing the
coin. his face lit up.
At the Star and Garter, which Is in
st. Martins lane, it was Irish hot, an
excellent remedy against the fog, The
sergeant explained the various adyan-
tages of the various arms. For the
convenience of the reader | make the
sergeant talk of dollars and cents.
Listen" he said. In the cavalry
the euga cement Is for nine years, with
five years in the reserve. In the line
and the artillery ii is only seven years,
with the same in the reserve. There
is even now in the infantry short
three years engagement, with nine
years in the reserve. But don't ad-
wise it: you get less. with the long
service. taking your pay ana canteen
ana grocery allowance together you
get u cents dn!' OF "IllcA l. cents
red ana well cared l"F' lhF'e H4e"lS
Day three'qu"rtcFs OF P"uh" ol
meat your pot Oh oe'F louI tL'eS
week, lootoalI an" cfIchet EEo"HuS
ana l"oN"'- glass IL your uru'oo'li !.
And, do yon Know that aI'eF u years
SerVlce-'ha' Is 10 say II you nave Se-
enlisted three tmeS--you get accord
ing 10 your grade a pension 'h"' can
go from 10 cents 10 @l.~o
y va! "t'h' ~" i''9
ui"Hue"' ~" '"o" Say
10 nioh'ns' Vi Ee"' DIT ''"S' NN"
sergeant
"lhfee years pu' that maEuIncen''
Almost oo cents uay' 'ooEeu ''Me
prince, win the fish' 10 marry lour
wlle ana chiuren transported s'"'iS 10
the colollicS ana all KIM Vi Ihuclilul''eS
for the little ones. AS Tor the honcoul'
officers me@%-why, there Is silver
ware.
ordered another irish not Inc
sergeant became more communicative.
He said to me: Sign the paper You
are q gentleman. CIhe subtle latter
erJ Tomorrow or the day AFTER II
you think worse OF 1t, you can uhilSt
for 81. just the amount make by en-
listing you. During three months you
can still buy off for 500. Then II Is
dearer-%9O'
"sergeant,' | SAID, we are TWO Sood
! friends. lie graSped my hand. Il
| don't want to deceive you. am an
American"
What harm is that? Weren't there
plenty of Englishmen and lriShmen at
Santiago? And I'll tell you something
elsa supposition. Suppose the doc
tor should refuse you at his cXamina-
ton. You just go and give fl to one
of those boys who is sure to pass. He
will slip you his paper"
And he takes my nameF For
three minutes" And ! am to serve
under his nameT Naturally, as you
have his paper And draw my pen
sion after 81 years under false
name?" why notT
Such is the singular and truthful con
verSation | had with recruiting ser
! geant of her majesty the queen OF Eng
land on wet October day just out
side the National gallery. And the
| mode Of rpCrnitlnr therein described