Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOpen Original Text gone out into the world
alone, rather than bow his neck to the yoke his elders wished to put
upon him. She talked the matter over with her neighbours, and if it
was a kindly, easy-going neighbour, who said, "Oh, I should have
him home," then she allowed her real desires to warm her heart a
little, and think that perhaps she would; if, on the other hand, her
neighbour dilated upon the wickedness of her son, and the enormity of
his offences, then she would harden herself against him. Her daughter
Elizabeth wanted him home badly; and whilst her mother was away at
Mitcham, attending the funeral, and doing other things in connection
with the death of Miss Trimby, Elizabeth wrote to her brother, asking
what it would cost to buy him out. He was instructed to write on a
separate paper, as she was afraid of her mother's anger when she saw
it, and wished to take the favourable opportunity of a soft moment to
tell her. She was left in charge at home, and thinking her mother safe
at Mitcham for a week, she had timed the answer to come in her absence.
One day she had to leave the house to take home some work which she
had been doing. On her return, much to her dismay, her mother met her
at the door perfectly furious. The letter had come during the girl's
short absence, and her mother had come home unexpectedly! "How dared
she write her brother? How dared she ask such a question?" the mother
demanded, and poor Elizabeth was in sad disgrace all that day, and for
some time afterwards. This was the answer her brother sent, on June
22nd, from Cahir--
"As you wish, I send on this sheet what it would cost to buy me off;
but I would not wish to rob you and mother like that.
For the Discharge £30 0 0
Compensation for general clothing 0 17 6
Passage money home 1 16 0
--------
£32 13 6
or about £33.
"I could come home in regimentals, because clothes could be bought
cheaper in London, and I would work like a slave; but do not think, my
dear sister, I want to take the money from you and mother, though I
would do anything to get from the army.
"We are under orders to march into the county of Clare to put down the
rioters at Six Mile Bridge, in the coming election, and expect some
fighting there."
The discharge was applied for in August, but I gather that Mr Lepard,
who assisted my grandmother in the little legal matters arising out of
Miss Trimby's death, was not very favourable to the project, and seems
to have required some guarantee as to my father's character,[13] before
he would remit the money.
[Footnote 13: Amongst some letters my father gave me some long time ago
is one which must have satisfied even Mr Lepard. It is as follows:--
"Cahir Barracks, September 23rd, 1853.
"SIR,--Having been informed by Private Charles Bradlaugh
of the 7th Dragoon Guards, that you require some testimonials as to
character, I beg to inform you that during the time this man has been
in the regiment (since December 1850) his conduct has been extremely
good, and I beg also to add that he is always considered to be a
clever, well-informed, and steady young man. Should you require
any further information, I shall be most happy to give [all] in my
power.--I am, Sir, your obedient Servant,
"E. T. DOWBIGGIN,
"J. Lepard, Esq. Lieut. and Adjutant, 7th Dragoon Guards.
"_P.S._--I may observe that during the last eighteen months this man
has been occupying rather a prominent situation in the regiment, being
that of orderly room clerk, and has consequently been immediately
under my notice."]
However, it was at length definitely arranged that the aunt's promise
should be kept, and that her money should purchase the discharge
according to her intentions. A thoroughly boyish letter gives
expression to Private Bradlaugh's sentiments on hearing the good news.
It is dated from "Cahir, 6th October 1853:--
"MY DEAR MOTHER,--When I opened your letter, before reading
it I waved it three times round my head, and gave a loud 'hurra'
from pure joy, for then I felt assured that all this was not a mere
dream, but something very like reality. The £30 has not yet made its
appearance on the scene. I shall be glad to see it, as I shall not
feel settled till I get away. I am, however, rather damped to hear of
your ill-health, but hope for something better. I have made inquiries
about butter, but it is extremely dear, 1s. to 14d. per lb. in this
county.
"When the £30 arrives I will write to let you know the day I shall be
home. Till then, believe me, my dearest mother, your affectionate Son,
CHARLES BRADLAUGH.
"Love to Elizabeth, Robert, and Harriet."
He did not have to wait long for the appearance of the £30 "on
the scene," which speedily resulted in the following "parchment
certificate:"--
"7th (Princess Royal's) Regiment of Dragoon Guards.
"These are to certify that Charles Bradlaugh, Private, born in the
Parish of Hoxton, in or near the Town of London, in the County of
Middlesex, was enlisted at Westminster for the 7th Dragoon Guards, on
the 17th December 1850, at the age of 17-3/12 years. That he served
in the Army for two years and 301 days. That he is discharged in
consequence of his requesting the same, on payment of £30.
"C. F. AINSLIE, Hd. Commanding Officer.
"Dated at Cahir, 12th October 1853.
"Adjutant General's Office, Dublin.
"Discharge of Private Charles Bradlaugh confirmed.
"14th October 1853. J. EDEN,[14] 7th D. G.
"Character: Very Good.
"C. F. AINSLIE, 7th D. Guards."
The merely formal part of the discharge is made out in his own
handwriting as orderly room clerk.
[Footnote 14: This signature is almost illegible.]
* * * * *
These three years of army life were of great value to my father. First
of all physically: for a little time before he enlisted he had been
half starved, and his health was being undermined by constant privation
just at a time when his great and growing frame most needed nourishing.
In the army he had food, which although it might be of a kind to be
flouted by an epicure, was sufficiently abundant, and came at regular
intervals. The obnoxious drill which he had to go through must have
helped to broaden his chest (at his death he was forty-six-and-a-half
inches round the chest) and harden his muscles, and so gave him the
strength which served him so well in the later years of his life. He
learned to fence and to ride, and both accomplishments proved useful
in latter days. Fencing was always a favourite exercise with him and,
in after days, when alone, he would also often exercise his muscles by
going through a sort of sword drill with the old cavalry sabre, which
is hanging on my wall to-day. Riding he at first abhorred, and probably
any London East End lad would share his sentiments when first set upon
a cavalry charger with a hard mouth; he was compelled to ride until the
blood ran down his legs, and before these wounds had time to heal he
had to be on horseback again. When he was orderly room clerk, and was
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