The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-19
The Soldiers Mother

horses were two and two, and the men
not Because each man was riding one
horse and leading auother-to exercise
them. They came from Chatham Barracks.
We all drew up in a line outside the
churchyard wall and saluted them as they
went by. though we had net read "Toady
Lion then. We have since. 1t is the
incest book have read, written by "Toady
Lions" author. In Sir Toady Lion" the
officer salutes the child. There was only
lieutenant with these soldiers, and he
did not salute me. He kissed his hand TO
the girls, and lot of the soldiers behind
kissed theirs too. We kissed ours back.
Next day we made a Union Jack out Of
pocket handkerchiefs. and part OF a red
flannel petdcoat of my sister Dora. which
she did not want just then, and some blue
ribbon we got at the village shop.
Then we watched for the soldiers. and
after three days they went by again, by
twos and twos as before. 1t was A l. We
waved our flag and we shouted. We gave
them ahree cheers. Oswald can shout
loudest; SO as soon as the first man was
level with us mot the advance guard but
the first Of the battery Oswald shouted:
Three cheers for the Queen and the Brit
ish Army" And then we waved the flag
and beloved. Oswald stood on the wall
to below better, and Alice and Dora wav-
ed the flag, because they are girls. and so
politeness makes US let them enjoy the
fat of whatever there is going.
The soldiers did not cheer that day
they only grinned and kissed their hands
The next day We all got up as much like
soldiers as We could II. o. and Noel have
tin swords, but we asked father to let US
wear some of the real arms that are on
the wall in the dining-room. And he said.
Yes, il We would clean them up afterward
Bat we jolly well cleaned them up first,
with Brooke's soap. and brickdust and
vinegar, and the knife polish Invented by
the great and immortal Duke OF Yelling
ton in his spare time when he was not
conqeeTing Napoleon: three cheers for the
late Iron Dukei) and with emery and
washleather and whitening. Oswald wore
q cavalry sabre in its sheath Alice and
my brother Noel had pistols in their belts;
large old flint-locks, with bits of red fan
mel behind the fints. Dicky had a naval
cutlass-a very beautiful blade. and old
enough TO have been at Trafalgar. l hope
II was. The others had French sword
bayonets, that were used in the Franco
German war. They are very bright when
you get them bright, but the sheaths are
hard to polish. Each sword bayonet has
the name. on the blade, of the warrior who
once welded it, / wonder where they are
now. Perhaps some of them died in the
war-poor chaps, But it is very long
time ago.
should like to be a soldier. 1t is bet
ter than going to the best schools, and
TO Oxford afterwaT i-even IL it is Balliol
you so TO. Oswald wanted to go to South
Africa for a bugler. But father would not
not yet know how to bugle though he can
play the infantry Advanced" and the
''Charge!" and the Halt" on penny
whistle. Alice taught them to him with |
the piano out of the grey book father |
had when he was in the Artists Oswald /
cannot play the RETIRE." and he would I
scisrn to do so. But I suppose a bugler has |
ID play what he is told. no matter how
Calling to the young boys proud spirit
The next day. being thoroughly armed, |
We put on everything red, white, and blue |
that We could think of-night shirts are |
good for white, and you don't know what |
YES can do with red socks and blue Jerseys I
till you try. And we waited by the church /
yard wall for the soldiers. The garden OF I
the house we were staying at joins right /
on TO the churchyard. When the advance
guard, or whatever you call it for artil-
that for the infantry, 1 know
man Of the first battery was level with US
Oswald played the Advance and the
,Charge!" on his penny whistle. and then
shouted:
Three cheers for the Queen and the
British ARMY"
This time they had the guns with them.
md every man of the battery cheered. to
Il was glorious. 1t made me tremble all
over. The girls said It made them want to
~ No rz- 20 ]
It were true. Il is babyIsh to cry; but it
was all glorious. and Oswald felt different
10 what he ever did before.
Then suddenly the officer in front said
Battery, halt and gave an order, and
all the soldiers pulled their horses up
The great guns stopped too; then the
officer said, sit at ease" and something
else, and the sergeant repeated it, and some
o. the men got off their horses. and some
III their pipes and some sat down on the
grass of the road, holding their horses
brides.
We could see all the arms and accoutre-
meats as plain as plain.
Then the officer came up to us-we were
all standing on the wall that day, Dora
had the three-edged rapier to wear, and
The blunderbuss TO hold as well; II has a
brass mouth, and is like in Mr. CaIde-
rott's pictures.
He was beautiful man. the officer. Like
a Viking. Very tall and fair. with mus
aches very long. and bright blue eyes.
He said. Good morning.
So did we.
Then he said, You seem to be a military
ot
We said VIC wished we were.
And patriotic" said he
Alice said she should jolly well think so.
Then he said he had noticed US there
Tor several d1ys. and he had halted his bat
cry because he thought We might like to
ook at the guns.
Alasi there are but too few grown-up
'eopel so fsr-seeing and thoughtful as this
brave and distinguished officer.
We said. "oh yes" and then we got off
he wall. and that good and noble man
showed Us the string that moves the de-
tonator and the breech- block (when YOU
lake it out and carry it away. the gun Is
n vain TO the enemy even If he falas a., Z
and be let US look down the gun to see
The rifiing. all clean and shiny, and he
showed US the ammunition boxes but there
was nothing In them. He also told US how
the gun was unlimbered (this means sep
lrating the gun from the ammunition car
-iagei and how quickly II could be done,
but he did not make the men do this. be-
,ause they were resting There were six
guns. Each had painted on the carriage.
n white letters. Is Pr. which the captain
old US meant 15-pounder.
81 should have thought the gun weigh
ID more than fifteen pounds" Dora said
And the officer explained to her, very
1indly and patiently. that Is Pr. meant
he gun could throw a shell weighing if
zen pounds.
When we had told him how jolly It was
o see the soldiers go by so often. he said: |
You wont see US many more times; we
IRE ordered TO the front We sail on Tues
lay week, and the guns will be painted