Young Tommy Atkins.
A Personal Experience.
"
ULLO, Dapper," said I, "what's up with you?"
"Same to you, Tommy, old boy. I'm down in the dumps, and am going to enlist. I hear good accounts of the army now, and they say that anyone who knows his drill, and is steady and well educated, is pretty sure of a commission. I've had a shindy at home, and I think a few years in the army would suit me down to the ground."
"Well, I'm reduced to my last shilling," said I.
"And I to my last sixpence," said Dapper, "so let's go and get another shilling at once."
I suggested a little more deliberation, and we sauntered into St. James's Park, sat down and discussed the situation. And at last I agreed to enlist with Dick Dapper.
We strolled leisurely through the Horse Guards and conned the bills headed "recruits wanted," and we were not long before a smart recruiting sergeant accosted us, and we walked with him to a public house called I think the "Blue Pig." The sergeant took us to a quiet corner in a big room where there were other sergeants, and eight or ten young fellows woe-begone, but none of them so completely down in the dumps as Dapper and me.
"All found and a shilling a day," said the sergeant, smiling, "and the Government puts by £3 year for you, till, at the end of seven years, you have £21 to receive for deferred pay. At the end of seven years with the colours, you will be drafted into the Reserves, and receive sixpence a day, and do twenty drills a year. Now, that's all you want to know at present, so come with me to the barracks and see the doctor."
We got there with several other recruits, most of whom were required to have a hot bath; we were not, but we had to strip, and, in "our birthday suits," as Dapper described it, were ushered into the doctor's room.
Trimming up.
"This regiment must be the First Buffs," said Dick to the doctor.
"Well, you're all in uniform, anyhow," said the doctor, laughing.
We were thoroughly examined, and I fancied that the doctor was entering in a book any particulars he could see, like mole marks, tattooing, and so forth. Dick and I were both fairly developed for young men of eighteen, and passed the doctor all right. Dick's chest measured 35 inches, mine 36; the minimum accepted was 33 inches. The minimum weight was 115 lbs.—8 stone 3 lbs.—and we were both nearer 9 stone.
Our eyesight was tested by the hospital sergeant putting his hand over our left eyes, and asking how many spots we could see on a board some paces off. Dick was a little doubtful when his left eye was covered, but the considerate sergeant opened the fingers, so that Dick could see with both eyes, and the doctor passed us as physically fit. Indeed, I heard that there were no rejections that day, though two recruits at least were not up to the standard of height, weight, or chest; but as they were promising lads who were likely to grow, they got their certificates.
Having been duly attested before a magistrate, we received, I think, 1s. 6d.
