ked, till the place of my nativity was buried from my sight by the
surrounding trees. When bereft of this view, I felt pensive and sad, and
could only console myself by reflecting, that I did not fly from my
parental roof; nor was I deserting aged parents, or unprotected sisters,
for I had no one to bewail my departure. Yet I could not help feeling
that I left something behind me that hung like a magnet to my heart;
with all my misfortunes, all my cares and troubles, still I could not
quit, without a pang, the place of my birth, and the tomb of my beloved
mother. At last, three gentlemen on the coach, having heard my history
from the person who accompanied me, cheered me up by saying, that they
knew the corps I was going to, and that they were all lads like myself.
This notice from strangers so enlivened me, that I began to regard
myself as no small personage, and I talked as much as any of them, until
we arrived at an inn in Colchester, where we dined. Here I was marched
off to the colonel of the corps in which I was to serve; from the
colonel to the adjutant; from the adjutant to the sergeant-major; from
the sergeant-major to the drum-major; and thence to his wife, an old
drunken Irish woman, but as good a creature as ever drank whisky. In the
custody of this lady, the friend who came with me left me, first giving
me a hearty shake of the hand, and wishing me every happiness. I must
confess I felt now quite deserted: about twenty boys gathered round me,
and I soon found that my fine leathers were the subject of their
ridicule and laughter; some of them crying out, "Bill, twig his
leathers!"--"Smoke his new coat!"--"My eye! what a buck!"--"Some
gemman's son, I suppose, run away from his daddy!"--"Never mind," said
another, "we'll soon drill his leathers into hot rolls and butter." Here
my friend Maggy, the Irish woman, interposed her aid in my behalf.
"Arrah!" said she, "what are you gazing at, you set of spalpeens, you?
Be off, you set of thaves, or I will be after breaking some of your
nasty dirty mugs for you. Arrah! don't mind them; sure they are nothing
at all but a set of monkeys just catched. Come here, honey, and let me
see who will be after laying a finger on you." Here she seated me by her
side, rubbed my chin, patted my back, eyed my coat and breeches, and
asked me if I had got any pence in my pocket, with which she should get
me some hot rolls and butter, for _ta_. I gave her a shilling, and she
brought two r