Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-01-09
JUST IN TIME.

Dinner was over at last, and Mr..
Walter Currie, English commissioner
ut the up-country station of Hutta- Bagh,
in Northern India, had gone out upon
the verauda with his wife and his two
guests-thc colonel and major of the
It'll 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 a
courtyard; but the fourth was only
separated by small patch of garden
from the public road, along which a
number of native women we're passing
with their little pitchers on their heads:
The sight of them naturally turned
the conversation uE on 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
colonel, emphatically. "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
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 excel
lently, 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 at Sutteepoor, because
there wasn't another queens officer
within reach-iust like my confounded
luck! There was no getting anything
done unless / did it myself. By JOve!
sir! | had to be everything at once
my own quartermaster, my own sergeant
major, my own caterer, and"
And your own trumpeter, Colonel
AnnesleyPn asked Mrs. Curric, with an
arch smile.
The colonel'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-drunker
English soldiers, staggering along the
road, had come into violent contact
with u native boy who was running
past; and one of them, enraged at The
collision, had felled the poor lad to thu
ground, and was unclasping his owr
belt with the evident intention of beat
ing him numerically.
"Serve the young whelp right,
shouted the colonel rubbing his hands
"that's just what they all want"
The other officer, Major Armstrong
popularity called Major Strongarm wa'
huge, brawny, silent man, whose forte
lay in acting rather than in talking.
During the whole discussion he haC
sat like great bronze statue, never ut
tering a word; but at the sight of thi,
man ill-using this child, he woke W
rather startlingly.
To leap to the ground twelve feet be
! low, to dart across the garden, TO vaui
over the high stockade beyond. was til,
work of moment for the athletic ma
jor; and in another instant he haC
raised the fallen boy tenderly from TIL
ground, while saying to the formost sol
dier, in the low, compressed tone of
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 infuriated ruffian, to who's
eyes the majors plain evening dres
bore no token of his being an officer
list you"
The sentence was never finished,
At the sound of that insolent defiance
Armstrong; sorely-tried patience CAV
way altogether, and the powerful righ
hand which had hewed its way throug
whole squadron of Sikh cavalry, fe
like u sledge-hammer upon his oppC
nent's face, dashing him to the groun
as if he had been blown from the mout
of a gun.
"Well done, Major Armstrong
shouted Mr. Currier from abov'
"You deserve your name, and no mi
take"
At that formidable name, the soldit
tookto his heels at once and Armstron
without even looking at his prostra
antagonist, proceeded to examine I'll
hurts of the boy.
The latter was sorely bruised in mar
places, and the blood was tricklir
freely over his swarthy face; but IL
little hero still did his best TO star
erect, and to keep down every sign
the pain which he was enduring.
"You're a brave lad, and you'll NAL
a soldier some day." said the major
him in Hindoostance. Come Wi
me, and I'll see that no one molests yC
again"
The lad seized the huge brown hal