The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-02-11
JUST IN TIME.

Il
Dinner was over at last, and Mr.. Wa l.
ter Currie, English commissioner at the
up-country station OF Hutta-B agh, in
Northern India, had gone out upon the
veranda with his wife and his two
guests-the colonel and major of the til
light infantry-to enjoy the cool of the
evening.
On three sides the house was surround.
ed by its compound, a large inclosed
space, serving the purpose of a courtyard:
but the fourth was only separated by a
small patch of garden from the public
road, along which a number of native
women were passing with their little
pitchers on their heads.
The sight of them naturally turned the
conversation upon favorite subject with
all Anglo-lndians, viz, the character of
the natives, and the best method Of deal
ing with them.
"There's only one way" said the colo
mel, emahatically. Tell 'em what they're
to do, make 'em do it, and thrash 'em
well if they don't. That's my way
"Well, venture to differ from you
there, colonel said Mr.. Currie, quietly.
1--WE had to do some thrashing once or
twice, own, but most of my native SER
wants seem to get along very we'll with
out it, and they serve me excellently, I
assure you"
II wish you'd been IN my place then"
retorted the colonel; "you'd have changed
your opinion, I warrant. Why, the year
before last, when I had charge of two
battalions of the rascals down at Suffice
poor, because there wasn't another queens
officer within reach-just like my con-
founded luck! There was no getting any
thing done unless I did it myself. BY
Jovel sir! I had to be everything at once
my own quartermaster, my own ser
geant-majOr, my own caterer and"
"And your own trumpeter, Colonel
Annesley2" asked Mrs. Currie, with an
arch smile.
ominously, and an explosion seemed i'm
minent when sudden clamor of angry
voices from the road below drew them all
to the front of the veranda.
The cause of the disturbance was visi-
bic at glance. Two half-drunken En-
glish soldiers, staggering along the road,
had come into violent contact " it'll ma
tive boy who was running past; and one
Of them, engaged at the collision, had
felled the poor lad to the ground, and
was unclasping mis- own belt with the
evident intention of beating him unmcr-
cifully.
''Serve the young whelp right" shout
ed the colonel, rubbing his hands; "that g
just what they all want"
The other officer. Major Armstrong
popularity called Major Strongarm, was a
huge, brawny, silent, man whose forte lay
in acting rather than in talking.
During the whole discussion he had
sat like great bronze statue, never ut
tering word; but at the sight OF this
man ill-using this child, he woke up
rather startingly.
To leap to the ground twelve feet be-
low, to dart across the garden, to vault
over the high stockade beyond, was the
work Of the athletic ma or; and in anoth-
er instant he had raised the fallen boy
tenderly from the ground, while saying
to the foremost soldier, in the low, com
pressed tones of a man who means what
he says:
, "Be off with you!'
"And who the deuce are you, shown
yer nose in where you amt wanted?'
roared the infurlated ruffian, to whose
eyes the majors plain evening dress bore
no token Of being an officer: ',jist you''-
! The sentence was never finished.
: At the sound of that insolent defiance,
Armstrong; sorely tried patience gave
way altogether; and the powerful right
hand which had hewed its way through
a whole squadron Of Sikh cavalry, fell
like sledge-hammer upon his oppo-
nent's face, dashing him to the ground
as if he had been blown from the mouth
of gun.
"Well done, Major Armstrong; shout
ed Mr.. Currie, from above. "You de-
serve your name. and no mistake
at that formidable name, the soldier
took to his heels at once and Armstrong,
without even thinking of his PROSTATE
antagonist, proceeded to examine the
hurts of the boy.
The latter was sorely bruised in many
places, and the blood trickled freely over
his swarthy face; but the little hero still
did his best to stand erect, and to keep
down every sign of the pain which he
was enduring. ...
'You're brave lad, and you'll make
soldier some day. said the major to
him in Hindoostance. "Come with me
and I'll see that no one molests YOU
again.
The lad seized the huge brown hand
which had defended him 50 bravely,
and kissed it with the deepest reverence
and the two walked away together.
Six months have come and gone, and
Mr.. Currle's hospitable house presents a
J
den is trampled iuto dust and mire, and
the bodies of men and horses are lying
thick among the fragments of the half
| destroyed stockade.
All the windows of the house are block
ed up, and through the loopholed walls