Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-08-12
TIE mUFTI.
An Episode of the Indian Mutiny


 An Episode of the Indian Mutiny.
 During the cold weather in 1856 we had been unusually gay at our pleasant little station of Ram in the heart of Dude In November no less than three brides had arrived from home and been feted in turn while early in December the Thirteenth Light Cavalry and the One Hundred and Tenth Native Infantry had been relieved ny Hampden's Horse and the Ninety third Light Infantry, both "crack" regi- meuts, with good bands and capital mess es and just before Christmas the Con- manler-in- Chief had passed through on tcur of inspection, and remained for four days. Balls, big dinners and pie nics had been the order of the day, and we had even succeeded in getting mp some very fine races. It was about this time that my wife's cousin, Capt. Geoff- rry St Hill, of the Twenty fifth Ian. cers, came to spend his three months 1 ave with Us, and before he had been a fortnight ill the station managed to get himself and us into hot water. St. Hill was a strikingly handsome man with very regular features and "poetic" eyes; he was moreover encircled with halo of glory from having been one of the "Six Hundred" The Iadies as might natu- rally have been expected, made much of him, and he dashed off at once into ve- he1atnt Girtation with tl.ee of the five spinsters at our litt'e station, one of the remaining two being too plain and the other too wise. Had he confined him. self to this amusement 1t would not have mattered so much but, unfortunately, he would be an Admirable Crichton," and persisted in laying down the l,w to every one on every pos si5le subject, without the slightest rt.spec% for age, rank or reputation. Free-thinking was one of his hobbies, '' ''.Sdns -FDi" being his nickname in the ! regiment, ana he was particularly fond 1 of airing his infdelity, especially before 1 the ultra-evangclicals, for whom he had the most pIofound contempt. At the : first big dinner to which we were in- 1 vlted he plncidly set the Commissioner to righSs on the sublec. of SalookGarre rights" and permanent settlement, and ! gave the BrigGdier a lecture on active drill and discipline.
 Oue of the charges against him was 1 | ;his cause of offeuse had been removed,
 The reading having entirely ceased, and tho young lady appearing rather to avo him than otherwise but 1t was observed that she never allowed his
 character or opinions to be attacked be-
 hind his back without defending him
 most gallantly. As she was tfe pret-
 test and cleverest "spn" in the
 station, and a general favorite to boot,
 few cared to contradict her but whether
 heI alliance did St. Hill much good IS ! open to GOubt; one man indeed it
 brought to his aid-young Stubbs, the
 "boots of the Ninetv-third regiment,
 2 no-accouut lad who had been desper.
 a.eiy in love with Miss Bell from the
 first day he saw her, and who now
 cli;vail ously ranged himself on the side
 of his rival, by whom he was constantly
 siiubbed fo- his pains.
 Under these circumstances 1t was evi-
 dentiy high time for Sr. Hill to beat a
 retreat, but, as ill luck would have it,
 this was out of the question, bad fall
 having put him on the sick list, and
 rendered it quite impossible for him tc
 reiOin at the expiration of his leave
 while much more serious matter thaI
 his doings and misdoings soon occupied
 all our thoughts.
 As the hot weather drew near an m
 easy feeling showed itself in the native
 army, and before long the mutiny a
 Barrackpore opened our eyes to tht danger. The guilty regiment met witt instant punishment; the disaffected ap l peared to be cowed, and we fondiy hopet that the crisis was over. This interva of quiet was, however, only the calm be fore the terrific storm, which was s, soon to burst in all it's fury on our de voted heads. All through the month o April this deceitful calm lasted; most 0 us forgot our fears, and prepared t make ourselves comfortable for the ho weather. Suddenly the bazaIs were ful of great mutiny and massacre of Nee rut, but, having received no authenti , news of any disturbance there, we treat s ed the report as mere "gup," and til F two CT three old officers who looke 5 grave and shook their heads over 2 were laughed at as alarmists. Only : day or two later our laughter came to !. sudden end. A large party of Us wer l. having "chota hazri, and smoking i : the "coffee shop" after parade, when ! telegram was brought to our Colone e with 8 hurried note requesting his in t mediate attendance at the General
 bungalow. The ill-omened slip of papt '. passed quickly around: Cavalry nut ' nied at Meerut on Monday. Sever, :. officers killed" The Colonel, with Iii i. Adjutaut, rode off at once, while the re, r. of us, crowding round the table, req
 and re-read the telegram, trying to fin
 in 1t some grain of comfort. Ut e only the Third Cavalry" said one; "the were always known to be shaky. A Y the other Sepoy regiments appear
 have remained stanch.
 We were still discussing the news an trying to persuade ourselves and eac other tfftt it was not really half so b; as 1t seemed at first sight, when il A Commissioner, galloping up, asked f the Colonel, and, hearing that he la A gone to the General, threw me anoth, a telegram and rode of without drawir A rein. This second message ran as f1 8 lows: "CayaEy iron. Meerut reach, ? Delhi Tuesiay- whole force tie