Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-03-02
THE CHALLENGE.

"""S ~ sSc PaSsASS hVAu SAicu.sA to
London. / present il to my readers in
the words of the narrator. . tall. well-
built man. whose olive-liks compilation
indicated long residence in tropical climss.
When | first received my commission
as ensign in the British army. I was ga
zetted to the --th Regiment. then in In.
dia; and as the Z. and o. Company did
not sxis. in those days, I took passage
via the Cape Of Good Hope
I'm due course of time I arrived q.
Madras. and joined my regiment. in which
| remained only three years. however !;
for. at the expiration Of that period,
purchased my licutenantcy. and exchang-
ed into the -rd, which was stationed up
Until a man gets thoroughly used to
it. there is nothing 50 monotonous as an
officers life in an isolated locality in In
dia. There is routine in everything in
duty, in louneing. eating. smoking. Sleep
ing, reading. and billiards or card-play-
ing, and this is only varied if, by lucky
chance, he happens to be in . district
where pig-sticking. elephant or tiger hunt
ing is attainable. A. times. .too-especi-
ally if ladies are with the regiment-am-
ateur hops are in favor. and occasionally Y
"a hop is improvised; but the climate is
so enervating that neither officers nor men
of any regiment. that has been considcra.
bic length Of time in the country, felt very
often disposed to exert themselves to pro-
vide amusement for their comrades.
"The --rd had been six years In India.
and in consequence. all the members Of
that corps were afflicted with lassituda
that had almost become chronic There
was a great dearth of female socety-,hat
sine qua non Of pleasurable existence =
and the hunting had been pronounced by
those old stagers. who considered them
selves genuine shikarries, to be Internally
bad therefore. when it was announced
that a new collector had been appointed
TO succeed the livcrless old curmudgeon
who. for seventeen years. had held office
in that district, and nota bene was ai-
led. asserting that he was the fortunate
of an extremel Y beautiful wife.
very one was on the qui vive to receive
him. Much to our disappointment. how
'ver. he arrived alone. having left his
pouse to enjoy the society OF her frieEds
n Calcutta for few weeks after which
he was to follow him with their only
hild.
MIR. Norman Fraser was man about
hirty-five years of age. tall. muscular,
md pre- cmincntly handsome moreover,
lie was highly educated, and possessed
uch powers Of pleasing that he won his
way TO all our hearts. and soon became a
Universal favori,e.
He infused new life into our little cot
erie. and many were the lamentations
whenever his genial coun'enancc did not
beam across our mess table. Our colo
ners two hard featured daughters
lar garrison giils. who had firted sue
with every sub whom they had
met during the last ten ycars-werc en-
chanted by him. and openly lamented that
he was already Benedict for. though
he was only civilian, they would have
been glad enough to have had ghost of
a chance to cnsnare BIN in the silken
neshcs of matrlmony.
1t was custom in those days for Off
GERS TO remain over the mcss-,able long
after the cloth had been removed. and un-
eSs 4 man possessed 4 very strong head
he was pretty certain to retire to rest in a
ameniably befoCgcd condition. One night
when We had all been indulging pretty
.raal, H. .o,rars,t;o,, .,,x,ol - / :iI.. /.
an interesting topic. for most cfss were
rood players.
Have you seen Fraser play? He beat
Webb easily to-day, and I'll back him
gains; any man in the regiment said
'aptain Rapcr. who considered himself an
on matters connected with games
{ skill.
II always give Webb points. and /
von't shrink measuring cues with the col
ector. though ne certainly plays a very
,ood game replied.
fraser. old fellow. I.ieutenan. Hol-
oyd thinks that he is your equal at bill
iards, Will you let me back you for a
game z Raper cried across the table ?
The collector, who was 'halt-scas-
,ver.' promptly expressed his willingness
% at once engage with me, so registered
. bet of a hundred rupees with Captain
Rapcr, and we adjourned to the billiard
-oOm. had prac,iced great deal in my
eisure hours. aud knew myself to he a
steady player. while, from what / had
seen OF Fraser's play. I judged tina, he be-
came nervous aud irritable. if luck went
against him ever 50 little therefore. I
did not hesitate to accept few other bets
offered by admirers Of my opponents bril-
liant style.
1--WE had got about half way through
the game. and our scores were nearly
equal. when I made three mos, palpabl.
cues in one break. and this so ANNOYED
my scmi-inebrissed antagonist thas be
played wildly. missing most easy shots.
and all the while denouncing my style OF
execution in no very measured terms.
When sober. he was the NEST courteous
and arhane Of men but when excited by
wine. he vas inclined to be insolent and
overbearing.
II was more than thirty points ehcad.
when shot presented itself TO me cha.
was very difficult Of accomplishment. II
~ss . Straight earem. bat, in order to
make it. the object ball had TO be very
finely grased indeed. Ny hall scarcely
,.oved the object bah. though il undoabi.
4 =.