The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-29
PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANeEmnNr1
HE ~SUBJUCATION
OF 'MELIA
BY L. PRESCOTT
Copyright, 1901, by Z. Livingston Prssoo..

my dazed eyes. The steady hiss and glare
OF the unsheltered gas jets. the unfamiliar
clatter OF metal and varied sounds Of fric-
ton. added to the bewildering dream.
Though by no means small, 1 felt myself
a feeble unit amongst the big men whose
big voices and loud laughter echoed from
the w~hitewashe walls and uncurtained
windows. At this period OF a checkered
career IL was my lot to become that much
abused and much idealized being a gentle
man ranker. The scene indicated was an
apartment in the barracks OF one of the
regiments of Household Cavalry. and I was
the last-jOinted recruit. But my own ad-
ventures are not the theme of this narra-
tive. When once L had discovered-to speak
emblematically-that barrack rooms are
not washed out with rose water, 1 man
aged to jog along pretty well.
Though it was a little trying to the
nephew OF a country baronet to find him
self, in the character of "A simple trooper.
according strict respect and obedience to a
corporal of horse, the son of that baronet's
gardener, yet the discovery Of how like one
man is TO another when adventurous bar
riers are temporarily removed was not I'M
salutary.
My first night was, nevertheless after
life at a private tutors and a quiet country
house, a distinct trial. and L sat staring
rather wildly as my brothers-in-arms
talked TO one another with admirable good
humOr and withoUt-tO say the least Of it
the very slightest constraint. There was
some big function on the morrow, and the
room was fun of men getting ready for
duty. U~nluckily. the old soldier to whom
the regimental corporal major had COM
~ffta1 ~ ura- 81. s-nrr~,Lra - VIE
no doubt, sundry winks which escaped my
dazed vision. ne was proceeding to furnish
me with apocryphal details of the duties
and dangers of a trooper of cuirassiers,
when a newcomer strobe up between the
busy ranks. unbuttoning his jacket as he
came He stood listening for a moment to
the brilliant periods of ny instructor, then
growled gOod-humOredly-
Here, chuck it, Johnny, an gle this
young 'un a chance, You forgets you was
like it yourself once. Besides. we're bed
chums. III pal in WI him a bit, till he
knows is 'eaG from is 'eels."
He seated himself near, and. producing
strange condiments. began to clean assidu-
ously what appeared to me to need no
cleaning.
Teach YOU what's what ne said, ex-
hibiting a shining cuirass. When 1 ex-
pressed unmeasured admiration, he re-
turned, tersely: Filthy, L call it,"
The artlessness of my sentiment appeared
to amuse him. and he burst into a benevo-
lent guffaw. lie was, like all the rest, tall,
and. like most. broad-shOuldered His face
was fair and square, with strictly abbre-
Waited yellow hair, which curled closely
about his head. a pair of small hazel eyes
with a jolly twinkle in them, and a set of
solid white teeth. frequently displayed In
spite OF a well-grOWn mustache and a line
or two on his forehead, there was some
thing childhke in his look. His name, he
stated. was Merrick. his age twenty-seven,
and NJ had been nine years in the regiment.
He proceeded 10 inform my mind after a
different fashion TO nay first Instructors,
seeming To understand an occasional men
tai vince ON my part.
Its a ough-an'-tumble life, y'know"
with a glance around-"but it amt by no
means bad, if you amt too blamed soft.
Only, don't YOU be in a 'urry TO accept no
invitations-dry or veto so out with no
one. III show you round myself when I've
time." In vain l assured him knew Lon
don. An If you've got a shillin' or two,
don't you let on about it,"
1t was not really dark after lights out
and d few witty remarks were made on a
man who knelt at his bedside. This Incl
dent elected a further grumble from Mer-
rick:
Come from a good 'ome, amt ye? An
got a mother, 1 dessay. Do as she's told
you an you won't come to no arm. Not as
l ave, more shame TO me, Still, I'm as
sweet on the old girl as if 1 had; a lot more
than I am on my young woman. I tell 'er
straight as 1 wallys my mother most. An
you wally yourn-hear?"
learned at any rate to "wally" Merrick's
friendship, which. after a week or two's
trial Of my qualities. he definitely conferred
on me over a cup of coffee, being at this
time ftfully teetCtal. He gave me many
useful hints, with a g-OOd-humored twinkle
of superior wisdom, and also what he de-
scribed as a dressing down when he con-
sidered 1 required it. and, though L was
twenty-fOuT, invariably called me young
'un." He viewed with alarm and suspicion
my choice Of books from the regimental
library. himself selecting those with the
largest type. and. if possible, pictures. as
GASES in a barren desert of print. Even
thus. reading was a superstition rather
than a pursuit to him; a v%irtuous exercise.
painfully bracing to the morals. At inter
walls he yawned widely. straddled aimlessly
over the DencneS OF hnOCheu dDoul NHS
bagatelle balls.
One evening he entered with an air of
profound purpose. After hanging around,
making htful remarks and laughin arti-
fcially, he sided close up to my shoulder
and murmured, shyly rendering a sheet OF
paper:
This is to- Melia. Want 'er to keep
ccmp'ny-downright-wi me-. An'-look
ere. young uni You're a good scholar.
You might gle US a hand. I've never wrote
to 'er yet"
Merrick could write himself, but 1t was III
the fashion of an intoxicated spider taking
exercise; a spider mysteriOusly connected
With Merrick's tongue. which always ap-
peared on such occasions to guide or pursue
the pen.
.She thinks a lot of eddication. Melia dc
always been in good service. So We see
with a cunning smile-"I don't want &c
write TO 'er myself till she's got more used
10 me. Mightn't think 1 was genteel
enough. no. no, Not up 10 'er weight in
no'trv an that. But 1 love 'er. true"
I wrote that letter according TO orders. II
was a Aorid composition ~interspersed Will
GEMS from the poets and breathing a lofty
devotion which knew the real author &c
o-ab1e Of feeling as he was incapable