The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-08-13

~ - 40 u AONAS ~ uO 90 UAV Suu duu
brave as Mars. would be certain to be
found while life beats in their hearts
that famous soldier. Sergeant Richard
Doubledick. rN
Eighteen hundred and five, besides
being the great year Of Trafalgar, was
q year of hard fighting in India. That
year saw such wonders done by SER
geant major who cut his way single
handed through a 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 he was specially
made the bearer Of the colors he had
won, and Ensign Richard Doubledick
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 col
ors, shot through and through, which
Ensign Richard Doubledick had saved,
inspired all breasts-this regiment
fought it's way through the peninsular
war up to the investment of Badajos
in 1912. Again and again it had been
cheered through the British ranks until
the tears had sprung into mems eyes
at the mere hearing of the mighty
and there was not a drummer boy but
knew the legend that wherever the
two friends, Major Taunton, with the
dark, bright eyes. and Ensign Richard
Doubledick. who was devoted to him,
| were seen to go, there the boldest
spirits in the English army became
wild to follow.
One day at Badajos-not in the great
storming. but in repelling a hot sally
! of the besieged upon our men at work
| in the trenches, who had given way
| the two officers found themselves run
ming forward, face to face, against a
! party of French infantry, who made
a stand. There was an officer at their
head encouraging his men-a coura-
geous, handsome, gallant officer of five
and thirty. whom Doubledick saw hur-
riedly, almost momentarily, but saw
we'll. He particularly noticed this Off
Ger waving his sword and rallying his
men with an eager and excited cry
when they fired in obedience to ges-
ture and Major Taunton dropped.
It was over in ten minutes more and
Doubledick returned to the spot where
he had laid the best friend man ever
had on coat spread upon the wet
| clay. Major Taunton's uniform was
opened at the breast and on his shirt
were three little spots of blood.
| "Dear Doubledick," said he. II am
dying"
"For the love OF heaven. nor ex-
claimed the other, kneeling down be-
side him and passing his arm round
his neck to raise his head. Taunton!
My preserver, my guardian angel, my
Witness. Dearest. truest, kindest Of
human beings! Taunton! For Gods
sake!'
The bright. dark eyes-so very, very
dark now in the pale face-smiled
upon him. and the hand he had kissed
thirteen years ago laid itself fondly on
his breast.
write to my mother. You will see
home again. Tell her how we became
friends. 1t will comfort her. as it COM
forts me-.
He spoke no more, but family signed
for a moment towards his hair as it
futtered in the wind. The ensign un-
derstood him. He smiled again when
he saw that and gently turning his
face over on the supporting arm as If
for rest. died, with his hand upon the
breast in which he had revived soul.
No dry eye looked on Ensign Richard
Doubedick that melancholy day. He
buried his friend on the field and be-
came a lone. bereaved man. Beyond
his duty he appeared to have but two
remaining cares in life-one. to pre-
serve the little packet of hair he was
to give Taunton's mother: the other, tc
encounter that French officer who had
rallied the men under whose fire Taun
ton fell. A new legend now began tc
circulate among our troops. and it was
that when he and the French officer
came face to face once more there
would be weeping in France.
The war went on. and through il
went the exact picture Of the French
officer on the one side and the bodily
reality upon Che other. until the battle
of Toulouse was fought. In the re
turns sent home appeared these words
"Severely wounded, but not dangerous
~, Lieutenant Richard Doubledick.''
At midsummer time in the year 49,
Lieutenant Richard Doubledick, now
Drowned soldier seven and thirty year!
Of age. came home to England inva
lided. he brought the hair with him
near his heart. Many Il French Office
had he seen since that day; many
dreadful night. in searching with mel
and lanterns for his wounded. had b.
relieved French officers lying disabled
but the mental picture and the realit.
had never come together.
Though he was weak and sufere'
pain, he lost not an hour in gettin:
down to Frome. in Scmersetshire