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party than he had anticipated, and not recruits either; and in less time than I have taken to relate it more than half the detail, gallantly led off by the officer of the day, are standing about, leaning over at various angles like the tombstones in an old cemetery, disposing of their hardtack and coffee, and looking as if ready to throw up even the contract.
The profane man is among them, and just as often as he can catch his breath long enough he blank blanks the government and then dives again.
The rest of the detail stand not far away holding on to their sides and roaring with laughter.
But I must drop the curtain on this picture.
It has been said that one touch of nature makes the whole world kin. Be that as it may, certain it is that the officer, the good duty soldier, the recruit, and the beat, after an occasion of this kind, had a common bond of sympathy, which went far towards levelling military distinctions between them.
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