Adventures and Recollections Part 9

A RED-LETTER DAY IN MY LIFE

Next morning the recruits were brought before the doctor, who duly examined and pa.s.sed us-all but two men. The next move was to the quarter-master's stores; and now, for the first time in my life, I donned the Queen's uniform. This, I can truly say, was a red-letter day in my career: I felt a proud man for the moment, and I remember the thought suggesting itself, "Now, where will this land you, William Wright?" I had a longing to see the city and its surroundings-Holyrood Palace, Roslin Castle, John Knox's house, &c.; so I asked the quarter-master for the necessary leave. But he said that before I could leave the barracks I must get quit of my civilian's clothing-you see they were frightened I should desert. I was told that there was a Jew in the bottom corridor of the castle who bought second-hand clothing.

"JEWED" BY A JEW

I accordingly paid a visit to my friend Isaac, and asked him, "What will give me for this suit o' clothes? They cost me 3 10s in Bradford only three weeks ago, and, besides, these boots are nearly new." "Well, my frent," said the old _Jew_ "tem poots vill be sixpence, an' tees cloas vill pe von shillin'; an' (speaking with warmth) I vill not gif you von penny more for tem-not von penny." "I'll be blessed if I'll take that"

said I, also speaking with some fervour; "You vile dog of a Jew! No wonder that your race is hated in every clime, for you would rob a saint of his shoe strings!" But the Jew had been tempered to these oft repeated "blessings," as was proved by the coolness with which he said: "Howefer, dat is vhat I vill gif you, an' not anoder farding." Seeing that parleying was useless with this worldly extortionizer, and seeing, also, what a fix I was in, I eventually parted with my clothes and shoes.

BEFORE THE DRILL-SERGEANT

After that I was at liberty to leave the barracks; which I did, and made my way down into the city-into Canongate. On my return to barracks it was time for recruits' drill. The drill-sergeant had a voice like unto a growling buffalo. He said: "Now, then, ye recruits, Ye're not at home now-a lot of sucking pigs with your mothers. Ye've got good pay and rations, and by the bokey ye'll have to drill." This was the order of the day for two months, and at the end of that time I had made pretty fast progress with my drill, and I was shortly placed in the ranks as a full-blown soldier.

A PROMOTION

One morning, soon after this, I was called to the orderly-room. I was told that it had pleased my superiors to promote me to the rank of a lance-corporal. I made some objection to this, saying I did not yet know private's duty, as I had only been a private for two months. But the colonel told me that I could well learn the duties of both private and lance-corporal at the same time. Therefore, I accepted the promotion, though I was quite content to stay as I was, and I got a stripe to put on my tunic and "sh.e.l.l" jacket; also on my great coat. My first duty as a lance "Jack" was as escort of a coal fatigue in the castle. I had under me a squad of old soldiers, whose duty it was to carry boxes of coals from the bas.e.m.e.nt to the upper story in the building. Although I was very forbearing with the men, they were ever and anon grumbling and growling, and in the course of one of their little outpourings I heard a veteran exclaim that he never knew a fool in his life but what was lucky!

A WARNING AND ITS EFFECT

After superintending the coal fatigue, I was put in charge of a dozen privates, young and old, in one of the bottom rooms of the castle. Some of the young bloods were very generous in their fault-finding and acts of disobedience. One of the old fellows actually point-blankly refused to wash and scrub the benches in the room-which I had ordered him to do. By this time their pleading and other things had somewhat "softened my heart towards them," and the thought came into my head, "don't be so hard on the poor old chaps; you're abler to do the work than some of them." Thus my feelings prompted me to take my turn with them, and, divesting myself of my jacket, and rolling up my shirt sleeves, I set myself to scrubbing the benches. But, by Jupiter! no sooner had I commenced my self-imposed task than in popped Captain Clifford Lloyd, who was on his rounds. "What are you doing there, corporal?" he bellowed forth when he saw me. "Oh, I am just scrubbing the forms, sir, for a bit of exercise" said I. "D...

you and your exercise," retorted the captain sternly. "Now, don't let me catch you at it again. Here's an old lazy hound behind you who knows very well that it is his duty, and I shall take that stripe off your arm if I catch you at this job again." Of course, as a non-commissioned officer, I took the warning to heart, and kept to my own duties for the future-the warning having taken effect with the old soldiers as well as myself.

HOAXED BY THE SERGEANTS

Of course I came in for hoaxes from the sergeants. I mind one incident which happened one evening. During the day I had been in charge of the cook-house. Sergeant Murphy, an old soldier, came to me and said I was wanted by the sergeant-major immediately. "What's the matter? There is nothing wrong with me, is there?" I asked, noticing that the messenger looked rather concerned. "Don't you know?" I asked again, and then the sergeant said, "If _you_ don't know, you soon will do. The fact is, you have spoiled the coppers in the cook-house, you have burned the bottoms out of them." "They were all right when I left" I retorted, beginning to feel rather "queer." If I had never been one before I felt a coward then; but, come what might, I thought, they can only reduce me in rank. So with "firm step" I marched to the sergeant-major's quarters. To my surprise-and in a manner which at once put me at my ease-the sergeant-major bade me a cheerful "Good evening." He told me that he had a job for me-he wanted me to accompany fifteen recruits to the theatre, and strictly enjoined me to see them back to barracks after the theatre closed. I took the men to the play-house, and brought them all back safe and sound, and the sergeant-major expressed himself very pleased with my abilities as a _chaperon_.

BANQUET AT EDINBURGH CASTLE

Shortly after there was to be a grand festival in the Castle given by Captain Darnall, who was severing his connection with the Castle. I was relieved of all soldier's duties for nine days, and told off with others to decorate certain rooms on the premises in preparation for the festival. The event came off in due course; it was a grand affair, and was made the most of on all hands. Captain Darnall presented the oldest soldier with a silver cup.

CHANGE OF VENUE

It was not long ere I was made a full Corporal, and commenced to receive double pay. Now I felt a hero, and no mistake. All this time I had been a keen observer of both men and manners, and I had really seen all there was to be seen in Edinburgh and neighbourhood. It was, therefore, with pleasurable feelings that I heard that No. 7 Company, to which I belonged, was to be sent to the military garrison at Greenlaw-a bonny little village some ten miles from Edinburgh. I think the scenery in this district is about the most picturesque and romantic in all Scotland.

Roslin Castle is only a short distance away. The neighbourhood is divided into little villages, and to one of these-Milton Bridge-I paid frequent visits during my sojourn at Greenlaw. At Milton Bridge there was a tavern, known by the sign of "The Fishers' Tryst," kept by a cheery old gentleman and his daughter. I got on very friendly terms with the landlord and his la.s.sie, and entrusted to them the secret as to who I really was;-for I had joined the regiment under a _nom de plume_. In my communications with my friends at Keighley I gave them to understand that I was working as an ordinary individual for my living. I dated all my letters from "The Fishers' Tryst," in the name of "William Ferdinand Wright," and for three years I avoided identification.

CHAPTER X

A CHAT WITH "DUNCAN DHEW"

It was one beautiful summer afternoon, while strolling along the pleasant country lanes, which looked charming with their avenues of stately oak trees, whose branches were tenanted by scores of squirrels, that I came upon an elderly gentleman who was sitting smoking. I bade him "Good-day,"

and asked him for a match; which he gave me and invited me to sit down beside him and have a smoke and a chat. In the course of our conversation I discovered that my friend was no common man. When, in reply to his enquiry, I told him that the headquarters of my regiment were at Edinburgh, he said, "and what a disgrace some of the men have brought upon your regiment." Every one of the guards at Holyrood Palace had been found 'beastly' drunk, excepting one man, who was keeping sentry at the magazine on the top of Arthur's Seat. The circ.u.mstance was especially discreditable as His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was staying at Holyrood. "I understand (continued the speaker) that they broke into the wine cellar, and stole some fifty bottles of port and champagne. Most of that they drunk, until when found they were 'blind palatic'." "Yes, sir"

said I, "I believe it is all true. All the men are put back for court-martial except the man at the magazine, who held his post all night without being relieved." "Serves the rascals right," retorted the old gentleman. "In my time of soldiering every man jack of them would have been shot-the sergeant as well." "Then, sir," said I, "you have been in the Army?" "Yes," he replied, "I have served a little time, and took part in the Peninsular War." But beyond this my unknown friend would tell me nothing about his military career.

A VISIT TO THE "BIG HALL"

We next fell to talking about the big hall which lay in front of us. My friend asked me if I should like to look over it, and on my saying that I should, he directed me on the way to the mansion, telling me to go a little further up the lane, then turn in at the wicket gate and follow the footpath across the lawn. "Then," said he, "you'll come to the kitchen door. Knock, and ask for a horn of beer." "But whose word shall I give?" I asked, "Tell them an old gentleman called Duncan Dhew, in black knee breeches and leggings has sent you, and it will be all right. And then (added he) if you wish it you can go further into the park by crossing another path over the lawn." I thanked the kind old gentleman, and took my departure.

THE SCOTCH La.s.sIE'S REGRET

It was not long before I was at the old hall. I rapped at the kitchen-door according to orders, and a woman of about forty summers made her appearance. When I mentioned the name given me by the old gentleman she laughed heartily, and said that if I would come in I should have a horn or two of beer-if I liked. She was a pleasant-spoken Scotchwoman, and before I took my leave she said chaffingley that it was a pity she wasn't twenty years younger, for then she might have been "my la.s.sie."

A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE

Quitting the house I took into the park, and to say that I was delighted with the scene is not in anywise doing justice to the feelings I experienced at the time. I can truly say that I have never seen anything so lovely since-the splendid walks, with their long avenues of wide-spreading and n.o.ble-looking trees; the bright gardens and sparkling fountains; the babbling burns, crossed here and there by pontoon bridges; and last, but by no means least, the panoramic bits of the distant landscape visible through the openings in the trees-all these went to make up a veritable Arcadia. Then, as I walked further into the park I saw numbers of wild deer, which looked up at me as I pa.s.sed by as much as to say, "What business have you to intrude on our sacred rights?" Well, I walked and walked, until I thought I was not coming to the end of the park that day. But soon the path dropped, and disclosed a little valley, in which were located about a half-dozen thatched dwellings. Here, I found, lived the gamekeeper and a few farm labourers. At the house I called at the wee laddies and la.s.sies wondered whatever I was; they had never before seen a "walking target." The gamekeeper told me that if I was stationed at Greenlaw Barracks I had walked in a very curious direction, for I was thirteen miles, by the ordinary road, out of my course. I was exceedingly ill at ease to hear this p.r.o.nouncement, and told him that it would be "hot" for me if I was not in before the "tattoo," or the "last post." The keeper, I found, was a true Scotchman, and of a very obliging nature. He proffered to take me through the wood to a place called Milton Bridge. We started, and were soon at the village mentioned, where, at the "Fishers' Tryst," we had a "drappie o' whuskey"

over the matter. Then we parted, and I got into barracks in time.

BACK TO AULD REEKIE

The very next morning after this interesting day the order came that our company was to return to Edinburgh, and give place for another company.

My stay at Greenlaw had extended over six months. Now for "Auld Reekie!"

Soon after we arrived there was a great review at the Castle, the Queen and Prince Albert Victor inspecting the troops.