Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-02-13
JUST IN TIME.

Belted with snow. -
80 g." Good .H,ords.
JUST IN TIME.
Dinner was over at last, and Mr.. Wal
ter 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-th colonel and major of the til
light infantry-to enjoy the cool of the
evening. .eoiyT e>:--r' .- ~
On three sides the house was surround
ed by its compound, large inclosed
space, serving the purpose of courtyard
but the fourth was only separated by a
small patch of garden from the public
road, along which 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 Indians, viz, the character of
the natives, and the best method of deal
ing with them.
"Therc's only one way" said the colo
nel, emahatically. 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, quietly.
give had to do some thrashing once OF
twice, I own, but most of my native SER
wants seem to get along very well with
out it, and they serve me excellently, I
assure you
~ wish you'd been IN my place them"
retorted the colonel; "you'd have changed
your opinion, I wiz rrant Why, the year
before last, when / had charge Of two
battalions of the rascals down at Suffice
poor, because there WASH t another queen g
officer within reach-just like my con-
founded luck There was no getting any
thing done unless did it myself. By
Jove! sir! had to be everything at once
--my own quartermastcr, my own SER
geant major, my own caterer and"
"And your own trumpeter, Colonel
Annesley?' asked Mrs. Currie, with an
arch smile.
The colonel's broad face Redeemed
opinously, 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 a glance. Two half-drunken En-
giish soldiers, staggering along the road,
had come into violent contact with ma
tive boy who was running past; and one
Of them, enragcd at the collision, had
fclled the poor lad to the ground, and
was unclas ping mis- own belt with the
evident intention of beating him unmer-
cifully.
''Serve the young whelp right" shout
ed the colonel, rubbing his hands; ''that'
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 tho athletic major; 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 man who means what
he says:
"Be off with you!''
"And who the deuce are you, shown
yer nose in where 'yousain't wanted2'
roared the infurlated rutfian, to whose
eyes the majors plain evening dress bore
no token of being an officer; "jist you''-
Tho oontoncn ~ oyyor Hpioho1
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
whole squadron of Sikh cavalry. fell
like sledge-hammer upon his oppo-
nent's face, dashing him to the ground
as if be had been blown from the mouth
Of gun.
"Well done, Major Armstrong; shout
ell 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 tricklcd 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 IL max e
soldier some day." said the major to
him in Hindoostance. "Come with me
and I'll see that no one mo!ests you
again
The lad seized the huge brown hand
which had defended him so 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 hsuse presents a
very different spectacle. The pretty gar
den Is trampled iuto dust and mire, and
the bodies Of men and horses are lying
thick among the fragments of the hall
destroyed srockade. lszes' So -. -.
All the windows of the house are block
ed up, and through the loopholed walls
peer the muzzles of ready rifles, showing
how steady the besieged garrison stands
at bay against the countless enemies,
whose dark, tisrce faces and (glittering
weapons are visible amid the half-ruined
building and matted thickets all around.
The Sepoy mutiny of 1857 is blazing
sky-high over Northern India, and Col
onel Annesley is blockaded in Huttee-
Bagh, with certainty of "a hideous death
for himself and every man OF the few who
are still true to him, unless help come
speedily. q -. 90
Day was just breaking, when two men
held a whispered counsel in one of the
upper rooms. -. ~ 80. ..:0' ~. k'
mo fear OF the water running short,
said Major Armstrong; "but e7en upon
hall: the food will be out IN fou,
days more s-<1 'S' $,ss'& Y : - - H.
sand then We II just 60 right at them
and cut our way through or die for itl'
growl. d the old colonel, with grim
smile on his iron face, for, with all hi
harshness and injustice, Colonel Annesley
was "grit" to the backbone. ssWe mus,
not say anything to them shout it,
though, !" he added, with side glance al
Mr.. Currie, who, standing IN the fur
thcr corner, was anxiously Watching the
thin, worn face of his sleeping wife.
At that moment loud cheer from be.
low startled them both, and the next mo.
ment Ismail the majors boy, as every
one now called him. burst into the
room with glow of unwonted excite.
Il H.