The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 289: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| i ao THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 283 water, and then directed his footsteps to a ham and beef shop, where he remained for a good hour gorg- ing himself, and devouring many plates full of all manner of delicacies. After this he strolled about, and went to a coffee shop and got a shilling lodging, and popped his money under the mattress for fear of being robbed during the night, ~ In the morning he went to Moses and Son’s large tailoring warehouse in the City, and boucht a suit of clothes, and sold his old ones to a rag merchant for half-a-crown, oe : He patronised a barber, and told him that he was an actor at one of the theatres, and required several false wigs, whiskers, and rooustaches—second-hand would do, These he also purchased, and when he got on one of the wigs and a pair of whiskers, he looked so strange that no one would have known him, When night came on he went to the residence of Count Schmidt, and knocked at the door. — ——_—e—e = CHAPTER CX, BARNEY LEAVES THE HOSPITAL. - For some time Gale and other officers were very desirous of finding out the whereabonts of Barney, but they could not. The wound which he had received in his hand proved a very serious one, and he lingered in the hospital for many weeks, Owing to great skill and care, the hand was almost cured and restored to its former usefulness, but still he felt great pain occasionally, and would groan aloud. Jot He was a very cunning fellow, for Barney thought to himself, “ It don’t matter how soon they cure me, I ain’t going to leave such snug (juarters ‘as these yet a while, trust me if lam. No, no; I must keep out of the way until these affairs blow over, and then all will be serene and jolly. : : “But [I wonder what's become of old Moss and Warner and the rest of them. I.stppose half of them have got lagged before this for something or other.” Now, the surgeon and nurses, after tending on Barney for several weeks, thought he might be well enough to leave the hospital, and attend as an out- patient. ! But this didn’t suit the views of Barney. — “No, no,” thought he, ‘you don’t cateh me leay- ing if I can help it, leastways not yet awhile.” So whenever they came round to his bedside and asked him how he was, Barney always pulled a long face and swore that he suffered awful agonies at times. ‘‘ How’s your appetite ?” oi a “ Werry bad,” said Barney ; “ werry bad indeed.” ‘ What’s his diet 2?” ‘‘ Beef-steaks, porter, vegetables, and so furth,” said the nurse, “ Oh, just so; and does he eat regularly ?” “No, sir, not werry regular,” said Barney ; ‘‘I tries to, but I has to force the grub down, If it -weren’t for that ere small drop of porter which you allows me, I don’t know what I should do, that I don’t ; I should fairly choke, that I would,” ‘“Trne, true,” said the doctor, feeling his pulse ; * now that you are getting better we must give you a full diet, such as yon nsually had before you came here,”’ “ Thank’ee, sir,” mt: my oe “You have been a pugilist, I think?” said the doctor. Yes, sir.” “And fought often.” “ Oh, yes, werry often, and licked I don’t know how many,” said Barney, grinning, “Ah, so you’ve said’ before, You pugilists live uncommonly well when you ‘are training, I have heard.” ~ “Yes, sir, unkimmon well; chops, steaks, port wine, dry toast, and sich like,” said Barney, “I was in training when I came here, and for a day or two I thought the grub would have choked me,” ‘Well, we must prescribe a more generous diet,” said the surgeon ; and he wrote on the board over Barney’s head, “port wine, beef-tea, stout and cocoa.” ‘‘ That’s the ticket,” said Barney, when the nurse told him what had been ordered.. “That’s the ticket,” said he, in high glee, and he rolled himself up in the blankets, making up’ his mind not to leave the hospital for a month to come, ‘“Who’s to know the difference,” ‘said’ Barney, “if I can kid ’em into thinking as how my nerves are shook, why I can come in and go out just as I pleases, and take up my quarters; here for a month or two,” ae Thus Bamey thought, and was indulging himself with the hope that, by the time he’ ‘got out, Warner and all the rest would have left London, when some strangers entered the ward in which Barney Jay, and went from bed to bed consoling the patients. One of them was‘dressed up like a parson, and as Barney saw him approaching, he pretended to be asleep. . “That’s the worst of it,” thought ‘Barney ; “ it would be all very well if they’d let 2 cove alone, but they sends around them track distributers, and bible-readers, and they do give a cove so much jaw, T hate ’em.” uc Now the clerical person who entered on this occasion was a jolly-looking individual, with red cheeks, coal-black whiskers, and curly hair, He approached Barney’s bed, and looked at the board on which his daily diet was prescribed, “ Not bad, that,” said the cleric to Barney, with a wink, “A good many lads in London would not mind haying a cut hand if they could get port wine, beef-tea, and chops every day, would they ?” Barney ‘‘ wouldn’t tumble,” ashe called it, to the stranger, ; He wanted to make believe that the diet didn’t acree with him by any means, ‘How long have you been here, my good man ?” said the parson. “Oh, about three weeks, I think.” | ‘‘ And have you ever thought about leaving ?” “Teaying, no, not me!” said Barney, in anger. «“ Why do you ask? . Is it likely Ishould leave, with such a hand.as this?” | ‘Perhaps not; but have you ever thought of spiritual affairs since you have been confined ?”’ “Oh, yes, werry often,” said Barney, thinking of the ‘gin-shops and favourite taps he was wont to patronise. “ Because you, as a fighting man, my friend; have been leading a very bad life.”’ “J know it,” said the hypocrite. “And are very sorry, of course ?”’ ‘‘In course Lam,” whined Barney, ‘You have mixed with many bad characters in - your time,” said the clergyman. rs Barney turned up his eyes‘as muchas to say ‘to my sorrow.” “Ah !” continued the reverend gentleman, ‘“ they me eS Se commie noo! Scorn