The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-01-08
JUST IN TIME.

Dinner was over Mt last, and Mr..
Walter Currie, English commissioner
at the up-country station of Hutta-Bagh,
in Northern India, had gone out upon
the verauda with his wife and his two
guests-tho colonel and major of the
-th light inf;untry--to enjoy the cool OF
the evening.
On three sides the house was sur
rounded by its compound. large ill.,
closed space, serving the purpose Of n
courtyard: but the fourth was only
separated by II small patch of garden
from the pUh.ic road, along which II
number of native women we're passing
with their little pitchers on their heads.
The sight Of them naturally turned
the conversation Il; on II avorite subject
with all AnglO-indianS, viz, the char
acter OF the natives, and the best method
of dealing with them
"There's only one way" said the
colonel, enlr latically. Tell EN- what
they're TO do make 'em do it. and thrash
'cm well if they don't. That's my way"
Well. venture to differ from you
there, colonel, said Mf. Curric, quietly.
I've had to do some tlrashing once or
twice, own, hut most Of my native
servants seem to get along very well
without it, and they serve me excel
lcntly, assure you.
Il wish you'd been in my place,
then" retorted the colonel; you'd
have changed your opinion, l war
rant. Why, the year before last, when
] had charge of two battaliOns of the
rascals down ut Sutteepoor,. berause e
there wasn't another queens officer
within reach-iust like my confounded
luck! There was no getting anything
done unless did it myself. By Jovc!
sir! | had to he everything at once
my own quartermaster, my own sergeant
major, my own caterer, and"
" And your own trumpeter, Colonel
Annesley?" asked Mrs. Curric, with an
arch smile.
The colone's broad face reddened
ominously. and an explosion seemed
imminent when a sudden clamor of
angry voices from the road below drew
them all to the front of the veranda.
The cause of the disturbance was
visible at glance. Two half-drunken
English soldier, staggering along the
road, had come into violent contact
with a native boy who was running
past; and one of them, enraged at the
collision, had felled the poor lad to the
ground, and was unclasping his own
belt with the evident intention of beat
ing him numerically.
"Serve the young whelp right.
shouted the colonel rubbing his hands
that's lust 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 n word; but at the sight of this
man ill-using this child, he woke up
rather startlingly.
To leap to the ground twelve feet be-
low, to dart across the garden, TO vault
over the high stOckade beyond. was the
work nf moment for the athletic ma
jOr; and in another instant he had
raised the fallen boy tenderly from the
ground, while saying to the formost sol
dier, in the low, compressed tone 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 wantedP"
roared the infatuated ruflian, to whose
eyes the majors plain evening dress
bore no token of his being an officer
list YOU"
The sentence was never finished.
At the sound of that insolent defiance,
Armstrong; 5 sOrely-tfled patience gave
way altogether, and the powerful right
hand which had hewed its way through
IL whole squadron of Sikh cavalry, fell
like sled dgc-hammer upon his oppo-
nent's face, dashing him to the ground
as if he had been blown from the mouti
of a gun.
"Well done, Major Armstrong;
shouted Mr.. Currier from above
You, deserve your name, and no mis-
take"
At that formidable name, the soldier
took to his heels at once !; and Armstrong
without even looking at his PROSTATE
antagonist, proceeded to examine the
hurts of the boy.
The latter was sorely bruised in man,
places, and the blood was tricklin!!
freely over his swarthy face; but tn,
little hero still did his best TO stant
erect, and to keep down every sign O
the pain which he was enduring.
You're brave lad, and you'll make
Il soldier some day." said the major t,
him in Hindoostance. Come will
me, and III see tL4t no one molests Vol
again"
The lad seized the huge brown han,
which had defended him SO brayely