'THE LOAD OF TWO!'

New Zealand Tablet, 18 May 1911, Page 934

'THE LOAD OF TWO !'

A historian of the Civil War tells of an apt reply made by an Irishman. Jerry was sergeant in a regiment of New York State volunteers. He was so kindly that he was sometimes imposed upon. Strong himself, he was always ready to lighten the load of a tired comrade by carrying his haversack. One warm day during a march an officer, who wished to see how far poor Jerry’s good nature would go, asked him to carry his haversack for a while. Jery made no objection, and added one more haversack to the pack he was already carrying. Soon another officer came with a similar request, to which the long-suffering sergeant also gave assent. When the order, ‘ Halt, rest,’ -was heard, the men leaned for five minutes against a convenient fence, letting the weight of their knapsacks come on the top rail. While they were standing in this way another officer strolled along, and seeing the good-natured Jerry bending under his tremendous load, he said indignantly: ‘Sergeant, you have the load of a donkey there!’ ‘ Yes, sir,’ said Jerry, touching his cap, his face sober, but his eyes twinkling; ‘ I have the load of two.’