Year: 1874

England. Ny duties consisted of the
usual round of morning and afternoon
paTades, visiting the mems dinners
and teas, and Otner regular work. In
addition to this We had occasionally
to mount guard and to pass twenty
four hours in sort Of half imprisOn-
ment.


1t Is one OF the regulations of the
service that when officers or men are
on guard they should always be in q
state of readiness to "fall in" on parade
at u moments notice. If you feel
very sleepy and desire rest you must
take il whist you are buttoned up to
the throat and strapped down at the
heels. A lounge in an armchair, or
probably q little horizontal refresh
ment upon a sofa, is the extent of rest
which an officer On guard Is supposed
to indulge in.


Among my brother subalterns In
garrison IL was our usual practice to
| infringe upon this strict letter of the
law, and when the principal part of
our duty had been accomplished, we
used to indulge ourselves by divestiDg
our limbs of their armor and seeking
retrenehment between the sheets of
little camp bed that was placed in the
inner guard room.


It was part of the duties Of an officer
on guard to visit all the sentries dur
ing the night, the time for visiting
them being usually an hour or SO after
the field officer had visited the guari;
the field officer being colonel or major
who was on duty for the day, and
who came once by day and once by
night to see the guards and to see that
lal ruQ I eli ha uvo m
exact limit to the number of times
that the field officer might visit the
guards, but 1t was the usual thing, and
had become almost custom, for him
to come once by day and once by
night, so that after the last visit the
subaltern usually waited an hour or
so, walked round the limits of his |
post, visited all his sentries, and then |
turned into bed.


1t was a bitter cold morning in !
Januaey that my turn for guard came |
on. marched my men to the post, |
relieved the old guard, and then, hav-
ing gone through the regular duty and |
dined, endeavOred to pass the time
until the field officer had visited me. |
The previous evening had been at
ball In town, and in consequence was
very tired and sleepy, and looked With
considerable longing to the period
when could refresh myself by un-
rObing and enjoying a good snooZe.


At length heard the welcome chRl-
lenge, "Who comes there ?" which
was answered by the response, "Grand
rounds, and "Guard. turn out ~ was
signal which willingly obeyed, for
knew that in an hour afterwards /
should be in the arms of the god of
sleep.


Slipping on my cloak and cap, and
grasping my sword, placed myself
in front of the guard and received the
field officer, who briefly asked me If
everything was correct, directed me
to dismiss my guard, and rode off
without saying "Good night,u pro-
ceeding that thought very formal.


Giving directions TO the sergeant to
call me in an hour, for the purpose of
visiting the sentries, 1 threw myself
into my arm chair and tried to read a
novel. The time passed very quickly,
as had nap or two, and the ser
geant soon appeared with lantern to
conduct me round the sentries.


1t was a terrible night, the wind
blowing bard, whilst the snow and
sleet were driving along before it.
The thermometer was several degrees
below freezing, and l felt that / de-
served much from my country for
performing so cOnscientously my ar
duous duties. The sentries were very
much scattered, and 1 had to walk
nearly two miles to visit them all.
accomplished my task, however, aud
returned to the guard room, where /
treated myself to n stiff glass of grog,
and throwing off my regimentals L
jumped into bed, feeling tnat l really
deserved the luxury. In few mo-
ments / was fast asleep, not even
dreaming of any OF my lair partners
of the ball, but sound asleep. Sud-
denly became conscious of a great
noise, which sounded like drum
being beaten.


At first l did not realize my posi-
ton, and could not remember where
1 was, but at last it flashed across me
that was on guard, and that some
thing wss the matter. Jumping out
Of bed, 1 called to know who was
there.


The sergeant answered in great
hurry, saying:


''Sir, the field officer of the day is
coming, and the guard is turning
out"


rushed for my boots, pulled them
on over my unsrockinged feet thrust
my sword-arm into my large regi-
mental cloak, which I pulled over me;
jammed my forage cap on my
head, and grasping my sword, looked
to the outward observer as though
aft for parade"


was Just in time to receive the
Hald ,fT7 hn If
my guard was correct. l answered,
rather in q tone of surprise, and said
"Yes, sir, all correct


I could not imagine why my guard
should be visited twice, as such = pro-
ceeding was unusual, and perhaps my
tone seemed to imply that 4 was sur
prised. Whether it was that, or
whether q treacherous gust of wind
removed the fold of my cloak and ex-
hibited the slightest taste in life Of the
end of the night-shirt, 1 know not /;
but the field officer when he had re-
ceived my answer, turned his horses
head in the opposite direction and
said 4:


"Now, sir, L want you to accompany
me around the sentries."


Had he told me that he wanted me
to accompany him to the region be-
low should scarce have been more
horror-struck, for already had found
the change of temperature between q
warm bed in q warm room, and the
outside air-and to walk two miles on
q windy, frosty night, with no raj
ment besides boots, night shirt,
and cloak, was really suffering for
ones country and no mistake. l
dared not show the slightest hes1-
tation, however, for fear the state
of my attire might be suspected,
though would have given weeks
pay to have escaped for only five
minutes. A AnoncCmmissioned officer
was ready with a lantern, and we
started on our tour of inspection.


The field officer asked several ques-
tions connected with the position and
duties of the sentries, to which /
gave answers as well as the chatter
ing of my teeth would permit me.
The most nervous work, however
was passing the gas lamps, which
were placed at intervals of one or
two hundred yards. The wind was
blowing so fresh that it was with
difficulty I could hold my clock
around me. Every now and then an
extra gust of wind would come around
q corner, and quite defeat all the
precautions which 1 had adopted to
encounter the heavy gale. I man
aged to dodge in the shade as much
as possible, and more than once ran
the risk of being kicked by the field
officers horse, as I skunk behind
him when the gas might reveal too
much.


It was terribly cold, to be sure, the
wind and snow almost numbing my
limbs. had a kind of faint hope
that the field officer might think thst
1 belonged to q Highland regiment,
and il he did observe the scsnti-
ness of my attire, might believe that
the kilt would explain it. 1 strug-
gled and sbivered on, knowing that
all things must have an end, and