The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-10-15
By CHARLES DICKENS

entered his majesty's service, a boy
of seventeen, have been panied to
see many men Of promise going that
road, but have never been so panied
to see man determined to make the
shameful journey as have been, ever
, since you joined the regiment, to see
you"
Private Richard DOubledick began to
find film stealing over the floor at
Of the captains breakfast table turn
ing crooked. as If he saw them through
water.
81 am only common soldier, sill"
said he. "It signifies very little what
such q poor brute comes to-"
"You are man." returned the cap
tain, with grave Indignation, ''of educa-
ton and superior advantages. and IL
you say that, meaning what you say.
you have sunk lower than l had be-
lieved. How low that must be leave
you to consider. knowing what know
Of your disgrace and seeing what l
see.''
81 hope to get shot soon, sir" said
Private Richard D0ubledick, land then
the regiment and the world together
will be rid of me-"
The legs of the table were becoming
very crooked. Doubledick. looking up
to steady his vision, met the eyes that
had so strong an influence over him.
He put his hand before his own eyes,
and the breast of his disgrace jacket
swelled as IL 1t would fly asunder.
81 would rather" said the young cap
tain, "see this in you, D0ubledick, than
l would see 5000 guineas counted out
upon this table for a gift to my good
mother. Have you mother?'
II am thankful to say she is dead.
sir"
'If your praises" returned the cap
tain, "were sounded from mouth to
mouth through the whole regiment,
through the whole army, through the
whole country, you would wish she
had lived to say. with pride and joy.
He is my son."
Spare me. sir" said Doubledick.
"She would never have heard any good
Of me. She would never have had
any pride and joy in owning herself
my mother Love and compassion she
might have had. and would have al
ways had, know, but not-spare me,
sir! l am broken wretch, quite at
your mercyr' And he turned his face
to the wall and stretched out his i'm
ploring hand.
my friend began the captain.
God bless you. sirv' sobbed Private
Richard Doubledick.
"You are at the crisis Of your fate.
Hold your course unchanged q little
longer and you know what must hap
pen. know even better than you can
imagine. that. after that has happened,
you are lost. No man who could shed
those tears could bear those marks"
81 fully believe 1t. sir" in low.
shivering voice said Private Richard
Doubledick.
But man in any station can do
his duty" said the young captain, "and
in doing it can earn his own respect,
even If his case should be so very un-
fortunate and SO very rare that he can
earn no other mans. A common SOL
der, poor brute though you called him
just now, has this advantage In the
stormy times we live In. that he al
ways does his duty before host Of
sympathizing witnesses. Do you doubt
that he may so do 1t as to be ext0lled
through a whole regiment, through q
whole army. through whole country?
Turn while you may yet retrieve the
past and try"
IT will. l ask for only one witness.
SIR" cried Richard. with a bursting
heart.
II understand you. will be a
watchful and faithful one"
1 have heard from Private Richard
Doubledick's own lips that he dropped
down upon his knee, kissed that OH
GERS hand. arose and went out Of the
light Of the dark, bright eyes an al
tered man.
In that year. 1899. the French were
in Egypt, in Italy. in Germany-where
not? Napoleon Bonaparte had like
wise begun to stir against Us in India,
and most men could read the signs Of
the great troubles that were coming
on. In the very next year. when we
formed an alliance with Austria
against him. Captain Taunton's regi-
ment was on service in India. And
there was not finer noncommissioned
officer IN it-no. nor in the whole line
than Corporal Richard Doubledick.
In 1901 the Indian army were on the
coast Of Egypt. Next year was the
year Of the proclamation Of the short
peace. and they were recalled. It had
then become we'll known to thousands
Of men that wherever Captain Taun-