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me with him,—take me with him,- for the lovo of God take me with him, Captain." "She fell on her knees, laid hold of the officer's sash, clasped it firmly between her hands, and looked up in his face, exclaiming, “Oh! leave me my only hope, at least till God has given me another;” and repeated in heart-rending accents, “Oh! take me with him, take me with him!”
The gallant officer was himself in tears; he knew that it was impossible to grant the poor wife's petition, without creating much discontent in his company, and he gazed upon them with that feeling with which a good man always regards the sufferings' he cannot alleviate. At this moment, a smart young soldier stepped forward, and stood before the Captain, with his hand to his cap.
“And what do you want, my good fellow?” said the officer.
“My name's John Carty, plase yer honour, and I belong to the second battalion.”
“And what do you want here?”
“Only, yer honour,” said Carty, scratching his head, “that poor man and his wife there, sorrow-hearted at parting, I'm thinking.”
“Well, and what then?”
“Why, yer honour, they say I am a likely lad, and I know I'm fit for sarvice, and if your honour would only let that poor fellow take my place in Captain Bond's company, and let me take his place in yours, —why, yer' honour would make two poor things happy, and save the life of one of 'em, I'm thinking.”
Captain Lodon considered for a few minutes, and directing the young' Irishman to remain whero ho was, proceeded to his brother officer's quarters. Ho soon mado arrangements for the exchange of the soldiers, and returned to the place where he had left them.
