The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-09-04
Just i'm Time.

Dinner was over at last, and Mr.. Walter
Currie, English commissioner at the up
country station of Hutta-Bagh, in Northern
India, had gone out upon the veranda with
his wife and his two guests-the colonel and
major of the -th light inlantry--to enjoy
the cool of the evening.
On three sides the house was surrounded
by its compound, large inclosed space,
serving the purpose of a courtyardj but the
fourth was only separated by a small patch
of garden from the public road along which
a large number of native women were pass
ing with their little pitchers on their heads.
The sight of them naturally turned the
conversation upon favorite subject with all
Anglo Indians, viz, the character of the
natives, and the best method of dealing with
them.
"There's only one way" said the colonel,
emphatically. "Tell 'em what they re to do,
make em 90 it, and thrash 'em well if they
don't. That's my way"
"Well, venture 10 differ from you there,
colonel" said Mr.. Currie, quietly. "I've
had to do some thrashing once or twice, l
own, but most of my native servants seem
to get along very well without it, and they
serve me excellently, assure YOU"
81 wish you'd been in my place. then"
retorted the colonel; "you'd have changed
your opinion, warrant. Why, the year
before last, when l had charge OF two bat
talions of the rascals down at Susteepoor, be-
cause there wasn't another queens officer
within reach just like my confounded luckl
There was no getting anything done unless
| did it myself. By Jove sir had to be
everything at oneo-my own quOrter-master,
my own sergcant-major, my own caterer,
and"
"And your own trumpeter, Colonel An
nesey2" asked Mrs Curie with broad
smile.
The colonels broad face Redeemed omin-
ously, and an explosion seemed imminent,
when a sudden clarnor of angry voices from
the road below drew them ell to the front Of
the verauda.
The cause of the disturbance was visible
at a glance. Two half-drunken English
soldiers, staggering along the road had come
into violent contact with native boy who
was running past; and one of them ,cnrHged
at the collision, had ielled the poor lad to
the ground, and was unclasping his own
belt with the evident intention of beating
hun numerically.
"Serve the young whelp right" shouted
the colonel rubbing his hands, chats just
what they all WANT
The other officer, Major Armstrong-pop,
ularly called Major Strongarm-wasa huge
brawny, silent man, whose forte lay in act
ing rather than talking.
During the whole discussion he had sal
like great bronze statue, never uttering {
word but at the sight Of this man i'll using
a child, he woke up rather startlingly.
To leap to the ground twelve feet below
to dart across the garden, to vault over tn,
high stockade beyond, was the work of ,
moment for the athletic major; and in an
I other moment he had raised the fallen boy
tenderly from the ground, while saying t,
the foremost soldier, in the low, compressed
tone Of a man who means what he says:
"Be of with you!"
"And who the deuce are you, shown ye
nose in where you amt wanted ?" roare,
the infuriated ruiian, to whose eyes tn
majors plain evening dress bore no token o
his being an oflicerj "jist you"
The sentence was never finished.
At the sound of that insolent defiance
Armstrong; sorsly-tfi5d patience gave wa
altogether, and the powerful right han,
which had hewed its way through a Who'll
squadron Of Sikh cavalry, fell like a sIedge
hammer upon his opponents face, dashinI
him to the ground as if he had been blown
from the mouth of a gun.
"Well done, Major Armstrong;" shoute,
Mr. Currier from above. "You deserve you
name, and no mistake"
At that formidable name the soldier tool
to his heels at once and Armstrong, with
out even looking at his PROSTATE antagonist
proceeded to examine the hurts of the natiy
boy.
The latter was sorely bruised in man,
places, and the blood was trickling freel
over his swarthy face but the little her
still did his best to stand erect, and to kee
down every sign of the pain which he wa
enduring.
"You're q brave lad, and you'll make
soldier some day" said the major to him il
IIindooslanee. "Colne with me, and III So
that no one molests you again"
The lad seized the huge brown han
which had defended him so bravely, an
kissed it with the deepest reverencei an
the two walked away together.
Six months have come and gone, an
Mr.. Currie's hospitable house presents
very different spectacle. The pretty gardel
is trampled into dust aud mire, aud th