The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-24

| uTiH Us Il TOCh. true as tue sun anu
brave as Mars would be certain to be
found while life beats in their hearts
that famous soldier. Sergeant Richard
| Doubledick
Eighteen hundred and five, besides
being the great year of -dfalgar. was
a year of hard fighting 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 a 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 re-enforced 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
British voice so exultant in their valOr.
and there was not Il 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 Bada jos-not in the great
storming. but In repe!ling a hot sally
of the besieged upon our men at work
in the trenches. who had given way
the two officers found themselves rum
ming forward. face to face. against a
I-rty of French infantry. who made
q 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 monentarily. but saw
well. He particularly noticed this Off
Ger waving his sword and rallytng his
men with an eager and excited cry
when they fred in obedience to ges-
ture and Major Taunton dropped.
1t 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. 81 am
dying"
Of hoe
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 moment towards his hair as 1t
futtered in the wind The ensign I'M
derstoOd him. He smiled again when
he saw that and. gently turning his
face over on the supporting arm as II
for rest. died. with his hand upon the
breast in which he had revived a soul
No dry eve looked on Ensign Richard
Doubledick that melancholy day. He
buried his friend on the field and be-
came 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, to
encounter that French officer who had
rallied the men under whose fire Taun-
ton fell. A new legend now began to
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 1
The war went on. and through it
went the exact picture Of the French
officer on the one side and the bodily
reality upon the 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 1914
Lieutenant Richard Doubledick, now a
Drowned soldier seven and thirty years
of age. came home to England inva-
ided. He brought the hair with him.
Aear his heart. Many French officer
had he seen since that day; many
dreadful night. in searching with men
and lanterns for his wounded. had he
relieved French officers lying disa bled.
but the mental picture and the reality
had never come together.
Though he was weak and suffered
pain. he lost not an hour In getting