Teddy's Button

Redc

her, some soldier

ent, and his face was radiant with delight. His mother was laying the

ou?' asked

two gold stripes on his red coat, and such white

lacking with you,' obs

rather quickly; 'but he doesn

d we shall see them come marching through the village in a few days. He said most of them were going to put up in the town, but twenty were coming to the Hare and Hounds, and they're going to sleep there. He's such a n

ou would have us take in any scoundrel, p

undrels!' asserted Tedd

ers in the British Army, t

are to come to tea with

John

sn't like the Hare and Hounds.

latt remarked. 'Well, you can as

so irksome to him; but they were over at last, and he tore off in search of his new f

tea with us?' he asked breat

a frank, bright face, and he was reading a well-worn Bible, w

r granny,' he said; 'and

t at the Har

eyes had spi

he Bible?' he

poral said with a smile, 'and

an ord

ou are to do and where you're to go. My Capta

ing eyes. 'You mean Jesus, don't you? I've enl

brother, then; we'r

hrist's army?' asked Teddy a

was an awful blackguard myself: I drank dreadfully, and couldn't give the drink up; but that's all a thing of the past. Since I have belonged to the Lord He keeps me from it, and many other bad habits. I

ke Mr. Upton told me to,

with us, Mr. Upton sa

ht coming into his eyes. 'We s

went through, and it kept so many from drinking. There's a man coming along here who I'm terrible anxious about. He's been an awful drunkard, and is quite an old soldier; but last New Year's Day he signed the pledge, and he's kept it ever since: he's just on the point of being converted, I hope. We have ya

too much,' he said. 'I thought

t isn't many that is of

put us down

he short, pithy remarks made by Mrs. Platt, and the gentle, soft-voiced young mother, with the golden-haired boy, continually asking quaint questions about a soldier's life-all this came back to him with a keen sense of pleasure in a

as he put his little hand into the big brown one of the young

,' was the re

the poor old soldier who

's D

s called Bouncer

nly, 'I may bring Bouncer to tea, mayn't I, if I find him? Corporal told me he hadn't properly enlisted as Jesus' soldier, but

as safe in bed; 'seems to me he has more the making of a minister in him than a s

put in Jake slowly; 'no you

l be a soldier after all; he is almost too sensitive to lead t

resh young foal, without any saddle or bridle! I gave him a sharp scolding, for it was kicking up its hind legs like mad; but he only looked up in my face and laughed. "It's my charger, granny," he says, "and he

then, with thoughtful face, he went to school, revolving many plans in his active little brain, and making innumerable mistakes in his lesso

troubles t

o tell you about the s

m. It will be a grand t

ld you have a tea

his glasses and lo

rty, did

them after. The corporal said it would keep them from drinking in the public-houses. He came to t

Upton musingly, 'but we might do someth

ee days, the c

will go and see Colonel Graham

d me. The corporal said I ought to try to be a recruiting sergeant for my Captain, but they wouldn't listen to me, I am sure. I'm going to

to keep watch, and learn their drill, and take order

ing her, with an air of great importance, 'Mr. Upton and I

e village schoolroom, Colonel and Mrs. Graham taking a hearty interest in it; and

e village children cro

ived, and Nancy was

d up in disdain. 'They're very dirty men, and covered with

so; but Sam remarked, 'I expect they've left the band and the flag

unds, where several of the men were resting on the wooden benches, some with pot

in with his accust

Mr. Tim St

d bandied a few jokes on

want with him

to speak

m under one of the tabl

ry after a march li

ter at this, but Teddy di

s,' he said; 'I promised mother I never

n his arm. The soldier looked into the boy's fair face with a laugh and then a sig

as not long before he had acquainted them with the fact of his being a soldier's son, and from that he

men, holding out his pewter pot to him, '

the boy said; 'I

eavy moustache already tinged with grey, cam

on: 'ARE YO

ou Bou

butt of his comrades, for they poured forth such a volley of good-natured ridicule

hild asked softly. 'Corporal Saxby tol

l, if it ain't fur off; my legs are that

hand confidingly into the big one near him, and continued, 'Do you know there's

e's little to be done in a place like this, and we're too tire

ur house the other night. He's

, there's few of his sort in the Army; for one that tries t

Queen's army isn't so nice to be in as the army I belong

or C. B., or cells!' replied

h! my Captain always helps me. Mr. Upton says when I do wicked things and get beaten

I can't make head or tail of it. I tell you, youngster, I've been having an awful time lately, and I can't keep to it. I'm certain sure

my Captai

at prayers and

. Upton; he made me enli

so much happier

aid determinedly, 'I'm not a-goin' to talk to any Mr. Upton or no one about it. I'd as lief hear you as a parson. You mind me of a little brother of mine that

Then he said, 'Look here, Bouncer, this is what Mr. Upton said to me. He told me Jesus had died f

me; but it don't m

e,' continued the boy e

it quite by myself in

lf to God as His soldie

p y

eps me wakeful at nights,

forgive you if

don't know. The fact i

an in t

God's soldiers,' said Teddy in a disapp

then Tim Stokes h

I ain't in a mind to-day to see compa

filled with tears. 'You promised you woul

e idea of the mighty conflict in his breast. The child's words had awakened many memories, an

do; but I haven't got over the longing to be different. I'd cut off my right hand, I

doors with a sad face, to announce to

t the other side of the hedge o