Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-08-16
just i'm Time.

in Northern India, had gone out upon
the veranda with his wife and his two
guests-the colonel and major of the
light infantry-to enjoy the cool Of the
evening.
On three sides the house was sur
rounded by its compound, large in
closed space serving the purpose of
courtyard; but the fourth was only
separated by small patch of garden
from the public road. along which
number of native women were passing,
with their pitchers on their heads.
The sight of them naturally turned
the conversation upon a favorite 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 col
onel, emphatically; "tell 'em what
they're to do, make 'em do it, and thrash
'em we'll if they don't. That's my way"
"Well, venture to differ from you
there, colonel" said Mr.. Currie, quiet
ly. I've had to do some thrashing
once or twice, own; but most of my
servants get along without it, and they
serve me excellently, l assure you.'
Il wish you'd been in my place,
then" retorted the colonel; you'd have
changed your opinion l warrant. Why,
the year before last, when l had charge
of two battalions of the rascals down at
Sutterpoor, because there wasn't another
queens officer within reach,-just like
my confounded luck there was no get
ting anything done unless did it my
self. By Jove sir, had to be every
thing at once-my. own quartermaster,
my own sergeant-major, my own caterer
and"
"And your own trumpeter, Col. Ay-
res p asked Mrs. Currie with an arch
smile.
The colonel's broad face Redeemed
ominously, and an explosion seem 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 Wis
ible at once. Two half-drunken En-
glish soldiers staggering the road had
come into violent contact with a native
boy who was running past and one of
them, enraged at the collision, had fell
ed the poor lad to the ground, and was
unclasping his own belt with the evil
dent intention of beating him unmerci-
fully.
"Served the young whelp right"
shouted the colonel, rubbing his hands /;
"that's just what they all want"
The other officer, Major Armstrong,
-popularly called Major Strongarm-
was huge, brawny, silent man, whose
forte lay in acting rather than in talk
ing.
During the whole discussion he had
sat like hugh bronze statue, never ut
tering word but at the sight of this
man il1-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 of moment for the athletic ma
jor; and in another instant he had
raised the fallen boy tenderly from the
ground, while saying to the foremost
soldier 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 wanted p
roared the infuriated rufian, to whose
eyes the majors plain evening dress
bore no token of his 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 strong right
arm which had hewed its way through
a whole squadron of Sikh cavalry, fell
like sledgehammer upon his opponent's
face, dashing him to the ground as if be
had been blown from the mouth of a
gun.
"Well done. major r!'' shouted Mr.
Currie from above, "You deserve your
name and no mistake
At the name of ''malor'' the soldier
took to his heels at once, and Armstrong
without even locking at his prostratt
antagonist proceeded to examine the
hurts Of che Boy.
The latter was sorely bruised il
many places, and the blood was trick
ling freely over his swathy face; bu
the little hero still did his best to stand
erect, and to keep down every sign o.
the pain which he was enduring
YOU'RE brave lad and you'll max,
a soldier some day." said the major t
him in Hindoostanee, "Come with M
and I'll see that no one molests 20,
aglin"
The lad seized the huge brown han,
which had defended him SO bravely, AM
kissed it with the deepest reverence
| and thn 4zro La axuox. too.aILa-