XL] CONCLUSION. 



houses, or rather, rohhed them, in the American 

 war, and having kept the proceeds, was the mess^ 

 man and grog- seller^ being able to give our " gal- 

 lant" officers trust. This fellow's goat having 

 three she kids, of which, during her gestation, he 

 had most solemnly promised me one, I, when the 

 goats were fit to take away, claimed the fulfil- 

 ment of his promise ; and, having called him to go- 

 with me to make delivery, I, out of three she 

 goats (there was a he besides) fixed upon the 

 finest : " A dad !" said he, ^' thafs Tomtmfs" 

 (his eldest child about three years old). " Well, 

 then," said 1, " I'll take this.'' '' A dad and 

 a dad ! " said he, " that's poor little Billi/s" 

 (who was in arms), and the dear child will cry 

 his eyes out/' " Well, then/' said I, " here, 

 give me the little one/* " Upon my soul," said 

 he, " thafs Nancy's (his wife), and, tjou know 

 that / dare not give that away ! " I did happen 

 to know that; but, I also knew, that she did 

 dare^ and dared to give Tommy's and Billy's 

 away into the bargain. Accordingly I addressed 

 myself to " Nancy," who was a great deal 

 younger than the mess-man, and much too liberal 

 to adhere very rigidly to the doctrine of charity 

 being confined to horne. " The great fool 1 '^ 

 said she ; " go, Serjeant-Major, and take them 

 ally if you like -," which I instantly did, keeping 

 the finest, and giving the other two away to a 



