CHAPTER II.
"MARCHING ALONG."
MONDAY morning at last! and a bright, beautiful day. The sky was as blue as possible; the sun shone so brightly that it seemed as though it must have been polished up for the occasion, and Colonel Freddy, as soon as he awoke, could not help giving a little shout of joy.
But what was that right opposite his bed? A large wooden box, with "Colonel Jourdain, Dashahed Zouaves, First Regiment L. I. Volunteers,"
painted on the lid in great black letters.
Up jumped the new Colonel quicker than any gra.s.shopper, rushed to the mysterious box, and raised the lid. Lying on top was a letter at least six inches square, directed like the box, and closed with a great red seal. Underneath _that_ was--what do you think? A splendid uniform for a Colonel of Zouaves! sword, cap, and epaulettes, complete!
Freddy"s eyes and mouth opened to their widest compa.s.s, as he stared at the box, too much surprised to move. Presently his father came in, looking highly amused.
"Good morning, Colonel," he began.
"Oh, father!" interrupted Freddy, finding his tongue at last, "do look here! Did you ever see anything so splendid in your life? Where _did_ they come from?"
"Perhaps the letter will tell you," was all his father would say.
Freddy s.n.a.t.c.hed up the big letter, broke the seal, and with sparkling eyes read the following.
NEW YORK, _July --th, 1861_.
MY DEAR SON:
In consideration of your heroic determination to enter the army in the service of your country, and seeing how n.o.bly you have prepared to engage in the contest by making your hair look as if it had been driven in or pulled out, I have thought best to present you with this uniform to whip the Southerners in; a suit of which I have also sent to every _man_ in your regiment. As I entertain scarcely a doubt that Old Abe will shortly summon you to start down South to Dixie, I hope that you will have a brave regiment, a pleasant encampment, and a first-rate time. And that, in later years, should it be necessary, you will _truly_ distinguish yourself, through G.o.d"s a.s.sistance, under the banner of our country, and stand up in the field in the cause of Truth and Justice, is the sincere wish of
Your affectionate Father, L. JOURDAIN.
Freddy was delighted at this letter, with its mingled playfulness and sincere patriotism. With all his fun, he was uncommonly intelligent, and understood and appreciated many things which far older boys might have failed to comprehend; and now his splendid blue eyes were raised to his father"s face, flashing with real enthusiasm; he felt and looked at that moment, like his n.o.ble French ancestors, a born soldier.
But the serious mood was soon displaced by a fresh access of glee.
"Oh, thank you, papa!" he cried, "how very kind of you! How surprised the boys will be! Hurrah! what a jolly time we shall have! and do you think the President will really send for us? He will be a perfect jay-bird of a President if he does!"
"No doubt he will be highly desirous to secure the services of the gallant Dashahed Zouaves," replied his father, laughing; "but make haste now, Fred, it"s nearly breakfast time." So saying, he left the room.
Of course, the new clothes had to go on directly; and first my young soldier donned a pair of remarkably baggy red trowsers, which looked as if they had a connection with the Manhattan Gas Company like a new sort of balloon, they were so puffy; and a pair of leather gaiters reaching from the calf of the leg to the ancle. Then came a most splendid bluejacket, covered in every direction with gold lace, a killing little ruffled shirt, and a flourishing blue sash. Perched on top of his head, where his hair had been the day before, was a red fez with a long blue ta.s.sel, and, to crown all, or, I might say, _cutting-out_ everything else, was a splendid sword, as bright as silver, with a terribly sharp-looking edge, and an elegant gold handle.
When he was all dressed, he ran down stairs and found, on entering the dining room, that he was the only one there. A large mirror was over the mantel, which reflected the handsome room, with its deep bay window, filled with flowers, its sideboard, loaded with ma.s.sive plate, and the breakfast table, covered with its snowy cloth, and nice beefsteak, m.u.f.fins, and coffee, looking so tempting to hungry folks.
Freddy"s eye fell on the mirror, and a new idea came into his head.
"Hurrah! here"s a capital chance to see how I look from head to foot,"
he thought; so, without remembering the long pier gla.s.ses in the parlor, he dragged his father"s arm chair in front of the fireplace, and, jumping on the seat, stood turning and twisting about, staring at himself all the time, and quite put out at not being able to see the whole of his back at once. Finally he concluded his performance by striking a tremendous att.i.tude, with his legs as far apart as the chair would permit, his sword in the air, and such a ferocious scowl on his face, that it was a mercy his brows didn"t get tied up in a double bow knot then and there.
All at once there was a little laugh in the direction of the door.
Freddy wheeled round, and there were papa, mamma, and Bella looking on, and trying hard to keep in the laughter!
Down scrambled Colonel Freddy from his perch, blushing up to the very roots of his hair. There wasn"t much more than the roots left, to be sure; but his father laid his hand on the epauletted shoulder with a good-natured, "Never mind, old fellow, you look fine enough to justify a little personal reflection."
Hardly had Freddy taken his place at the table, and his father asked a blessing, than there came such a tremendous ring at the bell, that they thought the President must have come to town to see the regiment off on its travels; but, instead of Old Abe, Major Peter Schermerhorn (who pa.s.sed the week with an aunt in town, and only went down to Astoria on Sat.u.r.days) popped into the room. He was dressed, like Freddy, in a bran new Zouave suit, and the very first thing he said was, "Oh, Fred! only see what I found in my room this morning;" and Peter stood on one leg, and twirled round to show off his new clothes.
"So did I in mine!" said Freddy.
"Where could they have come from?" continued Peter. "I asked Aunt Edith, and all she would tell me was that the box was sent last night, from a friend. Have you any idea, Fred?"
Freddy burst out laughing. "They came from a good fairy," he said, "and there he is!" and he pointed to his father, who pretended not to hear.
"Hurrah for Mr. Jourdain!" shouted Peter, tossing his cap in the air.
"Will you have some breakfast, Peter?" asked Mrs. Jourdain.
"Thank you, ma"am, I had my breakfast before I started, all alone by myself--but," looking at the nice beefsteak, "I think I _could_ eat a little more."
"How many apples, by the way Peter?" asked Bella, mischievously.
"Only two," he answered, quite seriously, "and a piece of taffy, and two cents" worth of peanuts! that"s all, I think; no, a cent"s worth of ice cream!"
"Of ice cream!" exclaimed Bella, "where can you get ice cream for a cent?"
"Why, on the street corners--real good ice cream, too--don"t you know that?" and Peter put on an air of superior wisdom, as though he was a knowing young gentleman, who understood better than anybody where nice things were to be had.
"But come, Peter," said Mr. Jourdain, "I should like to hear something more about your encampment. How long is your father willing you should have it?"
"Father says, sir," replied Peter, "that we can stay until he leaves for Niagara, which will be next week, I guess. We"re to have our camp on the lawn, most a quarter of a mile from the house, and some of our men are fixing the tents this morning. There are to be eight of "em--isn"t that gay, Fred? and we"ve got the smoke house by way of a guard tent beside; but there--I forgot all this time that I have a letter from papa for you, sir--here it is."
Mr. Jourdain opened the letter, and read as follows:
MY DEAR JOURDAIN:
I send you three words, through my harum-scarum Peter, merely to beg that Mrs. Jourdain and yourself will feel no uneasiness concerning the military expedition which has been the princ.i.p.al subject of discussion in my household, and I presume in yours also, since Thursday last. The invincible Zouaves will be stationed too near the house to make any danger possible, and as my family are going to Niagara on Tuesday, and I shall be left a "lone lorn creetur," it will be as much an amus.e.m.e.nt as anything to make their safety and happiness my special care.
Hoping that you will permit Fred to remain in my charge a few days, I am, with regards to Mrs.
Jourdain,
Very sincerely yours, H. SCHERMERHORN."
Ting-a-ling-ling went the front door bell, as if the bull in c.o.c.k Robin had hold of the handle. Tramp, tramp, shuffle, shuffle, in the hall, and then Joseph tapped at the door, and showed in a whole troop of merry, noisy boys, all costumed a la Zouave, and with their hair shaved so close that they had to frown very hard to keep their caps on.
The famous Dashahed Zouaves were all mustered, sure enough; and turned out to consist of sixteen high privates, four captains, and a standard-bearer, master Tom Pringle, with a perfectly magnificent Star-spangled Banner in his hand, surmounted by an astonishing spread eagle. Then came Major Peter Schermerhorn, who was the prime spirit of mischief of the party, and last, though not least, the great Colonel Freddy; who was dancing about in a high state of glee; while the rest of the _men_, seeing that the _Colonel_ didn"t regard dignity in the least, had an impromptu Zouave drill (which consists princ.i.p.ally in turning somersaults) all round the dining room, the grown people looking on, in agonies of suppressed laughter.
While this novel entertainment was in full swing, the bell tingled again, and Joseph entered once more, to announce, "Master Frederic, the escort and the band have _arriven_, and desire me to say that they are awaiting your pleasure."
The escort and the band! Was there any end to wonders this morning? At those magical words, the regiment couldn"t resist giving three cheers that nearly took the top of the house off; followed by three for Mr.
Jourdain, when Peter made a mock-heroic speech about the uniforms; and finished off with a dozen more for anybody and everybody. At last Mr.
Jourdain glanced at his watch and said, "Come, Colonel, I"m afraid you"ll miss the boat if you don"t make haste. Remember, you have a long march before you, and it is almost ten o"clock now."
"Ah, that"s a fact!" exclaimed the commander. "Ahem! fall in, old chaps, that is, squad--battalion--what"s his name; pshaw! and let"s be off."
This mandate to "fall in" certainly appeared to be translated "poke in"