The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-02


said he. ut signifies very little what
such a poor brute comes to-"
! you are a man." returned the cap
/ tain, with grave indignation, ''of educa-
ton and superior advantages, and if
you say that, meaning what you say.
you have sunk lower than l had be-
/ lieved. How low that must be 1 leave
/ you to consider. knowing what know
/ of your disgrace and seeing what /
/ see"
! 81 hope to get shot soon. sir" said
Private Richard Doubledick. 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 if it would fly asunder.
II would rather" said the young cap
tain, "see this In you. DOubledick. than
1 would see 5000 guineas counted out
upon this table for a gift to my good
mother. Have you a mother?'
Il am thankful to say she is dead.
/ sir"
/ eff 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 SOM"
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 a 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. sirp' sobbed Private
Richard Doubledick.
"You are at the crisis of your fate.
| Hold your course unchanged a little
longer and you know what must hap
pen. 1 know even better than you can
imagine, that. after that has happened,
| you lOSl. NJ u1etn WIZ NOulO ShSN
those tears could bear those marks"
'1 fully believe it. SIR" in a low,
shivering voice said Private Richard
Doubledick.
But a man in any station can do
his duty" said the young captain. land
in doing it can earn his own respect.
even if his case should be so very I'M
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 a host of
sympathizing witnesses. Do you doubt
that he may so do it as to be extolled
through a whole regiment through a
whole army. through a whole country /?
Turn while you may yet retrieve the
past and Try
sir" cried Richard. with bursting
heart.
at understand you. l will be a
watchful and a faithful one"
have heard from Private Richard
Doubledick's own lips that he dropped
down upon his knee. kissed that off,
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 a 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 1t had
/ then become well known to thousands
Of men that wherever Captain Tam
ton, with the dark, bright eyes, led
there, close to him, ever at his side,
firm as a rock, true as the sun and
brave as Mars, would be certain to be
found while life beats In their hearts
that famous soldier. Sergeant Richard
Doublehick.
Eighteen hundred and five, besides
being the great year of Trafalgar. was
year of hard lighting in India. That
year saw such wonders done by a ser
| geant major who cut his way single
handed through solid mass Of men.
recovered the colors of his regiment
which had been seized from the hand
of poor boy shot through the heart
and rescued his wounded captain, who
was down and in very jungle Of
horses hoofs and sabers-saw such
wonders done, | say, by this brave SER
| geant major that be was specially
made the bearer OF the coiors he had
won, and Ensign Richard DoubIedick
had risen from the ranks
sorely cut up IN every battle. but al
ways REINFORCED BY the bravest OF men
for the fame Of following the old coli
ors. shot through and through. which
Ensign Richard DoubIeliicIr had sawed,
inspired ali breasts-lthis reziutr<