representing the reigning favorites of the ballet, the
winners of the Derby and Leger, and the
costumes of the " dressiest,' and consequently
the most distinguished corps in the service;
the nice arrangement of cherry-stick tubes,
amber mouth-pieces, meerschaum bowls, and
embroidered bags of Latakia tobacco; pleasing
devices of the well-crossed foils, riding whips,
and single sticks evenly balanced by fencing
masks and boxing gloves; and, on the chimney-
piece, the brilliant array of nick-nacks, from
the glittering shop of Messrs Moses, Lazarus
and Son, who called themselves "jewellers and
dealers in curiosities," and who dealt in a few
trifles which were not alluded to above their
door-posts.

The maxim of "Early to bed" was not
known in the Hundredth; but the exigencies
of the service required that Ensign Spoonbill
should rise with the reveillée. He complained
of it in more forcible language than Dr. Watts'
celebrated sluggard; but discipline is
inexorable, and he was not permitted to " slumber
again." This early rising is a real military
hardship. We once heard a lady of fashion
counselling her friend never to marry a
Guardsman. " You have no idea, love, what
you 'll have to go through; every morning of
his life—in the season—he has to be out with
the horrid regiment at half-past six o'clock!"

The Hon. Ensign Spoonbill then rose with
the lark, though much against his will, his
connection with that fowl having by preference a
midnight tendency. Erect at last, but with a
strong taste of cigars in his mouth, and a slight
touch of whiskey-headache, the Ensign arrayed
himself in his blue frock coat and Oxford grey
trowsers; wound himself into his sash;
adjusted his sword and cap; and, with a faltering
step, made the best of his way into the
barrack-square, where the squads were forming,
which, with his eyes only half-open, he was
called upon to inspect, prior to their being
re-inspected by both lieutenant and captain.
He then drew his sword, and " falling in " in
the rear of his company, occupied that
distinguished position till the regiment was
formed and set in motion.

His duties on the parade-ground were—as
a supernumerary—of a very arduous nature,
and consisted chiefly in getting in the way
of his captain as he continually " changed
his flank," in making the men "lock up,"
and in avoiding the personal observation
of the adjutant as much as possible; storing
his mind, all the time, with a few of
the epithets, more vigorous than courtly,
which the commanding officer habitually
made use of to quicken the movements of the
battalion. He enjoyed this recreation for
about a couple of hours, sometimes utterly
bewildered by a " change of front," which
developed him in the most inopportune manner;
sometimes inextricably entangled in the
formation of " a hollow square," when he became
lost altogether; sometimes confounding him-
self with " the points," and being confounded
by the senior-major for his awkwardness;
and sometimes following a "charge" at such
a pace as to take away his voice for every
purpose of utility, supposing he had desired
to exercise it in the way of admonitory
adjuration to the rear-rank. In this manner he
learnt the noble science of strategy, and by
this means acquired so much proficiency that,
had he been suddenly called upon to
manœuvre the battalion, it is possible he might
have gone on for five minutes without
"clubbing " it.

The regiment was then marched home;
and Ensign Spoonbill re-entered the garrison
with all the honours of war, impressed with
the conviction that he had already seen an
immense deal of service; enough, certainly,
to justify the ample breakfast which two or
three other famished subs—his particular
friends—assisted him in discussing, the more
substantial part of which, involved a private
account with the messman, who had a good
many more of the younger officers of the
regiment on his books. At these morning
feasts—with the exception, perhaps, of a few
remarks on drill as " a cussed bore "—no
allusion was made to the military exercises of
the morning, or to the prospective duties of
the day. The conversation turned, on the
contrary, on lighter and more agreeable
topics;—the relative merits of bull and Scotch
terriers; who made the best boots; whether
"that gaerl at the pastrycook's " was " as
fine a woman " as " the barmaid of the Rose
and Crown; " if Hudson's cigars didn't beat
Pontet's all to nothing; who married the
sixth daughter of Jones of the Highlanders;
interspersed with a few bets, a few oaths, and
a few statements not strikingly remarkable
for their veracity, the last having reference,
principally, to the exploits for which Captain
Smith made himself famous, to the detriment
of Miss Bailey.

Breakfast over, and cigars lighted, Ensign
Spoonbill and his friends, attired in shooting
jackets of every pattern, and wearing felt hats
of every colour and form, made their appearance
in front of the officers' wing of the
barracks; some semi-recumbent on the
door-steps, others lounging with their hands in
their coat pockets, others gracefully balancing
themselves on the iron railings,—all smoking
and talking on subjects of the most edifying
kind. These pleasant occupations were,
however, interrupted by the approach of an
"orderly," who, from a certain clasped book
which he carried, read out the unwelcome
intelligence that, at twelve o'clock that day, a
regimental court-martial, under the presidency
of Captain Huff, would assemble in the officers'
mess-room " for the trial of all such prisoners
as might be brought before it," and that two
lieutenants and two ensigns—of whom the Hon.
Mr. Spoonbill was one—were to constitute
the members. This was a most distressing
and unexpected blow, for it had previously
been arranged that a badger should be drawn