“When we did get near Blanchester, I did say to carrier, ‘Joyce,’ says I, ‘you did best let me down here’; so he did pull up, and I did get out saddle, and put it on Chrissy, an’ rub so much of the dust off as I could wi’ a handful o’ straw—but the poor beast was awful hot, what wi’ her long coat, an’ what wi’ joggin’ so far. However, up I gets, and did ride alongside o’ Mr. Joyce till we got to the town, and then I turned off towards barracks. Well, I reckon I must ha’ been the first o’ the old soldiers o’ Darset as axed to take service again, for every one in the place was turnin’ to look at me, same as if I’d been a show. Ye see I’d took off my coat, and laid it across saddle in front of I, and they couldn’t help but see what ’twas I were arter. When I did get to barracks they did all come gatherin’ round me, laughin’ an’ callin’ out, an’ makin’ sich a din as you never did hear.” [Picture: “Every one in the place was turnin’ to look at me, same as if i’d been a show”] “Lard, now, Granfer, what were that for?” inquired Mrs. Sampson indignantly. “I couldn’t tell ’ee, I’m sure,” he replied, with lofty disdain. “Ignorance, I suppose. As I was sayin’, I don’t think many old soldiers can have offered theirselves yet. Well, I didn’t take no notice, but jist axed for the commandin’ officer, and by-and-by he come out, an’ he looks first at I, an’ then at Chrissy, an’ then, if ye’ll believe me, he began to laugh. “‘Why, my good man,’ says he, ‘what may _you_ want?’ “‘Sir,’ says I, ‘I did see on the paper yesterday, as the Queen was axin’ of her old soldiers to come an’ j’ine again, so I be a-come to offer my services.’ “The impident lads around, they fair roared, but the officer stopped laughin’, an’, says he, ‘Well done,’ says he; ‘will you dismount an’ come wi’ me for a minute or two, an’ we can talk the matter over? Your mare will stand, I think,’ says he, very serious. “‘’Ees,’ says I, ‘he’ll stand right enough, if he bain’t meddled wi’.’ “So he told off one o’ the men to see to en, an’ I did slip off Chrissy, an’ did walk alongside o’ the officer in-door to a room. “‘To begin wi’,’ says he, smilin’ very kind, ‘what be your name, an’ what be your employment?’ “‘James Sampson be my name, sir,’ says I. ‘I be a farmer, an’ lives over yonder at Riverton, fourteen mile away. ’Tis a bit ill-convenient for I to leave home just now—’tis a busy time o’ year wi’ us farmers, d’ye see, what wi’ its bein’ lambin’ time, an’ what wi’ ploughin’ an’ sowin’ an’ that; but seein’ as the Queen herself did ax us to j’ine again, I wouldn’t like for to disapp’int Her Majesty.’ “Quite right, quite right,’ says he very grave and kind. ‘An’ how long is it, Mr. Sampson, since you were a soldier? Judgin’ by your uniform,’ says he, lookin’ at it rather hard, ‘it must ha’ been some time ago.’