Laswarrie.

study Uncle Toby ' s tale ? No . Then read , read , and advance in literature , and then seek the grade P . C . It was before seven in the morning of the 1 st of November , 1803 , that the advance guard of the Sth ( King ' s Eoyal Irish Hussars ) Light Dragoons , led on by one whom all the regiment lovedwas successful in

, drawing out the fire of Scincliah ' s artillery . Eight well did those skirmishers remember then " their former valour ; " * right gallantly made they their dash upon the frightful front of guns before them with the as frightful columns of the enemy supporting that magnificent artillery . t Oh ! fearful was the havoc the fiery torrent of molten

lead made amongst their ranks . Their fgallant leader , hero of a hundred fights , falls in the arms of gloiybut what matter ? Of leaders there are plenty , when each man dreads to be the last . Yet one after another sinks , lulled in his last slumber by the cannon ' s roar , nntil the junior cornetalmost a boyalone remaining

, , , rushes to the front , and assumes the glorious post . The guns are gained ; sabre ancl sabre now perform their bloodthirsty work ; but the enemy have had the precaution to lock their pieces together , and the struggle therefore is the more intense . That part of the artillery -which had committed the most slaughter had been

admirably worked "b y the Comte de ; and as the cavalry retire from the melee , this French officer and suddenly meet . Instantaneously blade crosses blade , and for a moment the duellum is favoured by an accidental ring . The crowd of men and horses , however , is immediately again astir ; and , as it pours along to the recall , , streaming with blood from a severe cut across the face , is hurried away with it .

That day , hoivever , little though it is known now , was destined to be a day of rest to none , the activity of whose souls could in any way rouse the wounded body . In a short time the cavalry are again ordered to the front , and volunteers to lead them on . Again also he encounters his opponent of the enemy ' s artillery , and the duelfor such in strictness it must be calledis

, , of course renewed , and with almost the same results . 'This time , both wounded , they are separated again by the tide of battle , as it rolls forwards and backwards , before and amongst those well-served and well-defended guns . Later in the day the colonel of the Sth fell shot

through the heart as he cheered his heroes on . caught the body as it descended , and hurried away with it to the rear , whilst a hoarse ciy of infuriated men resounded high above the stamp of horses ancl the clang and rattle of the sabres . It was the fell murmur for revenge ; and tooweak and wounded as he was

, , , felt his heart responding to it as it rose . His burden disposed of , lie sped , rapidly as charger could speed , back to rejoin bis companions ; but it was too late ; that dense array of cannon had been carried ; the gunners had been chased into the formidable squares of infantry beyond ; and , although his dragoons were not

indeed able to hold their own , V . ' s death had been fearfully avenged . Singularly enough , however , , riding as it were solus after his regiment , at this very juncture fell in once more with his previous antagonist , and . a third time did a hand-to-hand encounter take place . Peeling , moreover , horribly enough , as if they were destined for each other , it was no child ' s play in whieh they then engaged . Already , though even at that age a splendid sttbreur , had received a wound on

his head , the trace of which he carried to his grave ; even now another as fierce a blow is descending , and that , too , with cleaving force , but a successful guard averts it , and a fortunate cut upwards immediately following it , renders the sword arm of the Frenchman utterly powerless . prepares in an instant to thrust upon his

cut , when he imagines he recognises the P . C . sign faintly and imperfectly given by the already drooping foeman ; half given , I should say , for reasons the military brother , or even he unaccustomed to sword exercise , will easily understand . The thrust of death is at once withheldancl the victor would have sheltered the

van-, quished from any ancl all further harm , had not the recall been sounded , and had not the return of the regiment , or what remained of it , rendered his benevolent and Masonic intention impossible . Singularly enough , however , that was not the last he was to hear and see of his quasi friend .

In the afternoon , a private of his own troop delivered up to a prisoner—the very same French officerwho , having somehow noticed and recognised again , had contrived to make known his desire of being transferred into his Masonic brother ' s keeping . It was done ; ancl for more than two months did the two , and the Cornte de live together in the same tent

, , mess together at the same table . I cry pardon , messieurs militaires , it is campaigning time , —feed together from the same foray , —and share together all the privations of a rapid and vigorous pursuit . Was it any wonder , then , that a close friendship was struck between them-, and that for that timoat leastthose

, , ancient stories of Damon and Pythias , and of Pylades ancl Orestes , ran a very fair chance of being modernised ; but all things , even sworn friendships , come to a practical end ; the prisoners were exchanged , and ' s chum departed ivith the rest .

Tears rolled away—the years of incidents and changes that belong to a marching dragoon ' s life ; and , in due course , no more was seen or heard by of his quondam prisoner and friend . A few kind letters passed at first , just after the exchange ; and from these learned that the other was to leave India for his native land , but he never was able to ascertain if this had actuall y occurred .

Without doubt , it is one ofthe glories of the British Constitution , a glory suspended from red-tape ribbons round Britannia ' s martial neck , that the real soldier , the actual campaigner , the solid pillar of England ' s fame , the virtual gainer of her provinces , rarely , if ever , meets with his just reward . It seems now to be an understood thing that

" Sunt sua prtemia landi . " Filthy lucre is far below the warrior ' s notice , surely ! Bah \ when will England learn that it is her duty to leave her "feather bed" soldiers to their own devices , to smother themselves in their bolsters and p illows , their tinsel and trappingsancl all the other

abomina-, tions ? When will she turn a dull eye upon her " white feather" captains , children she ought to be heartily ashamed of , whatever be their parentage or party ? When will she do justice to the honest sons of the sword ? They don't ask her ' pity—government pity is an absurdity in terms ; they don't beg for paltry alms doled out in

, the shape of an overworked inspectorshi p , or an underpaid barrackmaster ' s post ; but there is one cry that does , ancl that mightily , spring from every field where their gore has drenched the ground ; they do require that