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Show H AiN ANXIOUS NIGHT. W Hj IlitJt when n Ifoy, nhrnysnu InrllnL H tlontoben toMIrr, nnl at 1 ttttvf up H this .re lncrnftml wllh tuy prowlh. H Mypftttntji ro rut wwilthy enough H tumul in t ) a inlliliry oullw, oIdo H, I cttal tn mllst noil cn-lKtur toobtalu n H com in In Ion from tln rinks, , At (lie tiint H lft)lltl HnKtinJ was on th rrrtftuf H I stroll with ItiiAsIa ami recruiting wat H rrrylrisb. I liftd no (Hdoilty In pa H I injf th tuedU h1 ordeal, rind s a hIIovtmI K to choose my rfgltnenL I chos th 1 Kin. ty-M-ml (Iho Oonlon Highlandm), H tliluklnjt that, being criclt f.Kbtlng H corps. It woul 1 1h most like) to Ut one H I of tli first to 1j nt to tho front. H ' After joining my regiment nn 1 awing B through thrt liiontlu'rrcrnitilnlli the Hj rntaln rf iny cnmpmjr, finding that H win better nlncnlwl It inn th general H run of recruits, aimI that I took gn it In terwt lnmydntfos, rrcormacndtHl uiofot H promotion, nn 1 1 wm wad n lance cor Iurtil,H my first tup on the la 1 If r ol H fume, I wm iiruulof It, nnl wruto to H luy parent such UiUrn of Impel I ni H mmt plcturrJ myelf with lUomni H commtwlon lu my lifttul Hat ouch li not ununanl with nowly H mads !ionconiniiIonl ofnours. Thty H don't H-tn to think tlmt Ihoynro Ilk H JontiR 1rm, with nil their tnml.Im - H firothem. I fuunJ liter tint I lutiln trnit deal of reponMbl1lty to rontenl i with, ntthoutch my ruk ai )it ill J not i amount to much NcrertheleM, tho cfflceri rpokfl of m b ' m n jiroinliliii; "noncom," nu 1 iiji to tba limn At which my tiirratirn Iwltm I lin 1 H tfvenlliein norAiiso to think othcmlM. M lint on the nltrht of Dec 31, 1?-, I wni within An c of beinx caught tripjiinjf H Mul of being put back for a court inAr H tlal H Cliriitmat In Kn3ll.l1 refftmenU U tli H Hay tft Apart for feontlnj An) mo-rt B loent, bnt thf Scotch colabrattt tliu new H jmr. DiAclpllne it rclAirJ to n creat H ' extuntm thatd-y, an toMiers may ilo things then fur w lilch nt any other tlm they wouU Wieerely punlkhM. On tlm morning of Dec. 31 1 wm V- j ;t talle-1 as corporal of n Raarlof tlmt) H i I men. It was my first gtunl, ami I mis ij trnttediny allllty to pull throngh this H (W lmporUiit duty without asilttauco, Oo H ' of tlit pri rates of my guard was a veti r H an. He hud len 3 ear In IhonrTlc H and lis 1 Uen formerly n, color kergrant, H but tlirough intemperate habit had H graJuatly bnen reduced to th rank. B This man roluntcered to give mo point H (rsM&nd com to my uulttatico In caw H of need. I accepted his kind offorgla lly, H and resolve i to be m la lulgi nt as 1 yxm M slbly could with him and his tomro'les H during the twenty-four honrs that wo H would have to rtinain on daty. H At about 3 o'clock la the afternoon H everything had gono on without a bitch H until then this man, llcDonuld by name H lame to ue as 1 w as slttlug by the guard H room fire, and banding tiio a bottlj, said 1 H IUve a op out of this, corporal Dons be afrallof itilt'a only whisky H 1111 do you good this cold wuither uud H warm yon H "Why, McDonald," I replied! "you H onght to know better ttwu to bring ldjuor H Into the guirdroom. You know vtry well H it' agaimt the rules, and that) ou a-rr 1 Kulng the right wuy to get us till Into H 'Not a bit of it," he answered. "If H Hew Year's ere, corporal. Wltou you've H tren in the regiment as lon as 1 have 1 you'll not bo so HqucimUh about auch H- amall matters as that. Ive been eighteen Hi yeara in the striice, and when 1 was a 'noncom ou guard of n New Yiar'a err, i I neitr objctel to allowing thomtn Shave n w eo t wtu, as long oj they dl 1 not I orcrdo lU Of couto everyldy knows I It lxn't aIIowM to thegmird, but bleiw your soul, corporal. It's wluked ut on H Hew Years." H I did not like to o mnrn sorrre with ) the mtit tiiim was alAotuUly lifiedfuirj, ''l ns I though I might butotno nnpjpumr H) among them, so I iuked hlui if that was 1 V tho only twttle he had H "Ye," he replied, "and It' only tliree 1 parti full nt t hit. My chum ns fetched tho dinner down brought it ulonjf from the mew. "Well, if that's the caw," I mM, "1 1 will allow ou to bae It, I won't take B any m)Mlf, but ou must putltuway H nnUl tonight, lifter the orderly offlcer has Uen his rounds and all Is quiet." H 1 knew 1 was not justified I'l glvlnr H this iwnulssiuu, nn 1 if It leaked out 1 B stoolagooil chance of getting Into m rl- H ons trouble, but I renvoucd within self H that threo parts of a bottle of npirltf be twot n three men on u bitterly col 1 night H Mould not b likely to hurt them, and H that there wua no poslbiIity of Us being H The gi neral roul're of a guard la very H 1 v uiouotnnous. 1 bo pnrntMi betu ecn thcli H turns of ''sentry go," the sentry bein Hl relieved eery two hours, nro able to gel K!A n hour or two of slecbat for the "non B 7 com" this In out of tho question. He hn m 3 to it the sentries In their turns, attenc W to the gate and seo to a hundi ed and 0111 H" msttirs, more or less Importaut, thi. H helps to keep him employed. H There Ualwnjs something ttlrrlugttl H 10 or 11 At nUht, bnt ufur that the time begins to hang very 1 eaviij, Tht P only sound that break tne noctnrnai P sllciico uro the atemly triinpof tho pen H tr nt hli IK)tt audtheoccrtsiouaUiinrlnt B of tho other members of the guard ol Bi the wooden guard bel Bj On thlsls'ew Year's fAoaJl went well until iu the evening, when, whllt B luinidln the rilUfrxutry prlortoiKt V ing him, I noticed tJiat Instead of hold H' lnrt lili&self ns a ha dttr shoald on 1 uradt H he appeared Inclined to make light 01 H . tho mutttr nn I w us grinning all our hU B face. I reminded him that he whs on B paiiule mil not in the regiment il can H teen, and also that there u uairisoneri H room in the vicinity, llils little him H, bal thodbslrcd eir.-ct, inJuglu0-lilm U H kn p a atrulght face, ' This iuddt-at, unlioportant aiUiua) Hi ' I aiprftr, msd'i me uneasy lhtlafre-1 lhtlafre-1 sentiment tint aomethlng was wrong, b it u hnt 1 cnnl 1 not (1 11, I f n , t.d thai tlflnnn.kntnviiiglttolMm flrnt gntrd w 11 Incline 1 to t tVo adt ant f ine detrrmlncd, if such wis tho cae, I woulj exerciw my authority, At Altont 0 o'clock MrDonal 1 came tc me for permlMlon to fetch a bucket ol WAter from the mnp to drink I girt him leave, requeuing him to b quick about It, ni the flmt pt" wonld wund In n few minutes an 1 I woull hae tc turn out tho gnnrd. Ito promised It wnnM le lark in a "Jiff." Ito did not come back in ft 'JUT " At 0i30 the "post svundod with no sign 01 McDonald ftnrnlng hem haT ht gone? Ordlnartlv it reqnlrM bnt fir ininntm to go to the pnmp nn I back ano be had 1 n tiwar half an hour. Thert wan nothing to do bnt turn nut what re-luainiHlof re-luainiHlof tin guard nn 1 to row en gfttiice on the nbant on hU f ft urn. leno'c'ock amino McDonald I wn obliged to nhfVfl the sentry with tho re- I liminingmnn out of his turn. Ou en ferine the guardroom the min relieved threw hiniwlf on the guard bel nnl was oonuorlng like ngTampus. 1 took tup a took and tried to real. I oou futmd this InipoMiblr. MLDonaldV nb fence pnitled and worriel tne. 1 felt tn-cllnetl tn-cllnetl to report the affair and hive a eearch made for him. Tho man hid so frequently been in trouble thit 1 hel tatt-1 king the ctnvi of his getting any further puiiUhrnent Bo 1 resolved to giro him n little more time to J ut in an apxarunce. I got tip to walk about and tried to question the sleeper Finally 1 noticed tint the sentry ha 1 not leen pacing hit UntforiMiine timet h, 1 thought, wa tilting too long a ret lu tho ntry boi. I went out to nw what was tho matter with him. Ohl horror I There was my sentry stretched out on tho ground on his bick fast nslef p, his rltlo three fiet from hi in I Miked him to wake htm but to no 1 urmM( ho lay like a log Then It riawnM on mo thit my whole guirl wn 1 drunk. 1 did niit know what to do. Th only thing Icoull think of was to givothe ahrrti an 1 hivo the guir 1 relleel lint hernndiflWuIty arow I woull mMW 1omadoipri'jfrund reoive hoarier punishment than the men for allowing liquor iu the guardroom, 1 was rv fponMble for orny thing If 1 did not rtport the Mate of affairs it woull be sum to m found out, ns the colonel ha 1 not yet come Into bit rucks, an 1 the or dt-rly oftlcer mut visit tho guard that night. I quickly resolved to get this man out of the way, iot the rem lining ouoand trmt to luck. 1 dragged htm Into the guardroom, 1 -Itched htm Into n corner and tried to wake his comrade He won in the Mini condition. I cnnl 1 get no sense out Of him, but I coull tell by 'tho Mrongrmoll (f spirits that tame from him that he wn as bad, If not worre, than the other My Itfttcluncofeciuied to huvo slipped n ay from me. Urn was a pretty kettle of fMi. Mc-Donihl Mc-Donihl away, I knew not where, leivln nu with two lielplew, drunken wretches, hum not no on tho post homebody muft go on ntry to let the colonel lu and challenge the orderly officer. Ilut who7 In she r d(p ration 1 caught hoi 1 ol a rifle, nn 1 tnmlng back tho cuff of my gnat coat to Id le the stripes, I went on the lOftt inynelf. After an hour a pacing to mid fro, 1 heard fooUtips outside the gite. Ichalleugedi "Halt! who cornea therer "Friend," wss the autner. It was tho colonel. lopeuet the gate, arid getting Into tho aha low of it to prevent pre-vent him recognizing me, held It opauto lit hi 111 pais in. "IWery thing All right, sentry, said he. "All right, Mr," 1 replied, dUuliln iny voice s will as I could. "Good nigh,, sentry, and a hijny New Year to )oii. "Thosnme to you, sir," I aniftereil, do outly wishing I might ha 0 n happy one, but 1 hal iny doubts. One danger paed lie hal not noticed no-ticed anjtlilu. UntI hal ngreittrone starliumein the f ice thoorlerly tfll cer. He was certain torome,and it wm hlsdntytoillt tho miitry nud it spec t the guard. There wai no telllug at w hat time ho might cuino arouu !. My ouly chiucolay in his coming late, r-o ni to glvoMcDouilla chance to como bock before his vlhlt, or the others time to slet p oil tho f fleets of thilr.i'pree. 1 pacod quickly to and fro, feeling like atrimiiialawuUtughii time to tie led forth to thogkllow. 1 Mt I did not dost do-st rvo this I hudalnu) trtel to do my dot), and had btx-omo quite jtopulir, Hut non evi ry thing hal turnM agalust inn. I wonld bo sure to loe my strip s, and the chancts were woull hire to vne a tenn of imprisonment with the writches who 1ml brought this trouble on me. If that Impponed I might bay tpodby to the t banco of u cominisHion. Iwai thinking this mil a good deal more when I 1 itartlod by hturiug Claukt Clink) Claultl Tho sound of n sword joltiug in Its ocabbird. It wal tho orderly olllctr. My hair stood upon my hen Dike wires, and tho perspiration rolled down my face, "Haiti Who comes then?' I almost screamed. "Visiting rounls," replied the up-provhlngiGker. up-provhlngiGker. "Guards, turn out," I yelled, knowing all the time th it w as InnlUe. "Xecr mind the guards. Ii eery thing all right, seutr)?" "All rlht, sir," I rejllod, liardly able tobelietoiuy t irs. Then I heard his footsteps riturnlng toward the ofllcrrV mens, and I know 1 was safe, It wm the lazlcnt tfll cor In the regiment, and one of tliobtt, wli bad taken the plaio of another, so as 1 1 allow him to go to a dnnco In tho town, and this exih mgo siveil me. Tho ofllcit was too InJoMit to itispnct the guard Tho atralu on my nervra was terrible I w us obliged to w alk Hbuut for nu hour, ten after all danger h id passeil, to ro gain my coin pom ro. When I hal.etored myself toiomt thing llko calmiicu I went to the pump, and retching a buckit of lie tul 1 water bronght the two men to a sense of duU with a portion of it, I thin uherikl tlu 111 Into the J rUouers room. At 5 a. m. McDonald put In his np puirnuce. I scut him to join tl oth n an 1 turned tho Ley on thorn all Aftci fiightmingtlicin out of tluirwiufr an hour or so, they begging and prajing of my to gho them u ilunie, I let tluiu out on condition tlmt they would hind me otr what remaluetlof tho liquor, What was my OAtoiilshuient whin tlu pofcel to my lar Ktin full IkjUU-i aud one half uuiptj. I flon t think 1 ever enjoyed inrthlnjt half as much In iny life m In breiklug tlt.io Utiles anl r. iNLth-lKja rdv appeiir In The turf In thi re ir 1 f the guarliorM- Tl remaining few hours tiOMed away smoothly until I was relieved re-lieved It wonld ! needless to ftM tint er.T afterward when, after this extrlenc, 1 was placed in charge of n guard 1 lierti neglect dl to mrch eveTy nook an 1 cori iif r of the guardhouse In search of con ccAled liquor. Umlri Telegram. |
