The Young Lieutenant; or, The Adventures of an Army Officer — John Shaqi
The Young Lieutenant; or, The Adventures of an Army OfficerOptic, Oliver
History
The Young Lieutenant; or, The Adventures of an Army Officer
Optic, Oliver
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
Lieutenant Somers sat down in one corner of the car, near the seats
occupied by Miss Guilford and her father. He was just beginning to be
conscious of the fact that he had done a "big thing;" not because he had
helped one of God's suffering creatures, but because she happened to be a
Senator's daughter. But he still had the happy reflection, that what he
had done had been prompted by motives of humanity, not by the love of
applause, or for the purpose of winning the favor of a great man who
could dispense the "loaves and fishes" when he should need them.
He was rather sensitive. He was a young man of eighteen, and he had not
yet become familiar with the grossness and selfishness of this
calculating world. He was rather offended at the patronage which the
Senator had proposed to bestow upon him, and he even regretted that he
had so readily given him his address.
Lieutenant Somers regarded himself as emphatically a fighting officer;
and the idea of working his way up to distinction by the favor of a
member of Congress was repulsive to him. He really wished the Hon. Mr.
Guilford had only thanked him for what he had done, and not said a word
about having it in his power to be of service to him.
While he was meditating upon the events which had transpired, and the
Senator's patronizing offer, he saw Captain de Banyan enter the forward
door of the car through which the gentleman who had taken so much pains
to compliment the young officer had disappeared a short time before. The
distinguished captain walked through the car directly to the seat of the
lieutenant, who had not even yet ceased to blush under the praises which
had been bestowed upon him.
"Somers, your hand," said he, extending his own. "I have heard all about
it, and am proud that our regiment has furnished so brave and devoted a
man. Oh, don't blush, my dear fellow! You are a modest man. I sympathize
with you; for I am a modest man myself. I didn't get over blushing for
three weeks after his imperial majesty, the Emperor of France,
complimented me for some little thing I did at the battle of Palestro."
"I thought that was at Magenta," added Somers.
"So it was. The fact is, I have been in a great many battles, and I get
them mixed up a little sometimes. But you are in luck, Somers," continued
the captain in a lower tone, as he seated himself by the side of his
fellow-officer.
"Why so?"
"They say she is the daughter of a Senator."
"What of that?"
"What of that! Why, my dear fellow, you are as innocent as a school girl.
Don't you see he can get you on some general's staff, and have you
promoted every time there is a skirmish?"
"I don't want to be promoted unless I earn it."
"Of course you don't; but every officer that earns it won't get it. By
the way, Somers, can't you introduce me to the old gentleman?"
"I never saw him before in my life."
"No matter for that. I'll warrant you, he'll be glad to make all your
friends his friends."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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