The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-03
In Camp At Aidershot.

My friends stationed at the camp
receive me with the frank, generous
hospitality of the English officer, and
their kind and friendly treatment soon
makes me feel thoroughly at
home among them, free to come and 90
as please, and to make my acguain-
lance with Tommy Atkins at my leisure.
All branches OF the service are rep
resented here engineers, artillery,
'.horse. foot and dragons" and all the
varied types of character in the army
are to be met with, from the little drum
mer-boy born in the service to the
hardened non-commissioned officer of u
dozen campaigns. Magnificent types
of the soldier these latter us they pass
through the streets with ringing strides,
straight as arrows, neat Is soap and
water, pipe-clay and brush, can make
them, proud of their position and of
their profession, and often exercising
fully rs much authority over the
men under them as the best OF their
officers.
A canteen where the soldiers can pur-
chase at moderate rates many of the
little luxuries OF life, libraries. reading.
smoking and recreat on rooms are at
tached to the large barracks at Alder
shot. Here theatrical performances,
sometimes of considerable merit. are
frequently given by the men. and the
soldiers can always rely upon the gen.
erous support of their officers in their
amusements. The theater or music
hall of the Royal Artillery Barracks is
generally well attended almost any
evening, and a good "song and dance
man en- Joys no mean degree OF popular
ity among his comrades.
But it is in the innate love that IL
Englishmen bear for athletic sports that
Tommy" comes out in his full glory,
and his officers do not disdain to meet
him on equal ground at cricket, foot
ball. and other outdoor games. Diff
ferent branches of the service frequently
meet in friendly rivalry, and many a
match is played on the grounds of the
officers club between teams of various
regiments or corps, selected from
among the officers and men, irrespec-
tive OF their military rank. 1t is not an
unusual sight to see game among the
officers ..umpired'' by some veteran
non-commissioned officer. skilled in all
the intricacies of the Nationai game of
cricket.
The most interesting of the purely
martial sports-if l can use the word
in reference to what forms part of the
drill of the cavalry and mounted artii-
lery- are the exciting contests of sabre
versus sabre, or sabre versus lance. and
the like, when some rival rOugh-riders'
are pittei against one another. One
can easily imagine how the tournaments
OF old appeared. to see these active
fellows, mounted on their fine horses.
which seem to sympathize with and
enter into the spirit of their riders, as
clad in stout leather tunics. their heads
protected by strong Wire masks, they
charge down on one another cut
ting. thrusting, and parrying. retreat
ing and pursuing. Hard knocks are
given and received with apparent good
humor, though | doubt not that long
habits of discipline restrain many an
honest fellows temper when his blood
is up. 1t is rough but manly work. and
enc does not wonder on see nr what
training they go through, that the
British horsemen are renowned for
lhCil huoIHtl
sport in which the mere and GOODNESS
that go SO far toward making good
cavalier are displayed to great advan-
tage is tentpegging. introduced,
believe, into the British army by the
native cavalryman of the Indian service.
The PLAYER armed with light bamboo
lance, puts his horse at full gallop over
the course, and strikes with his lance
lead tent peg protruding q few
inches out of the ground, into which
one end has been firmly driven. See
how firmly Yet lightly the soldier sits
his horse, body bent forward, lance
couched, laundering forward at the
top of his horses speed. Lower down
upon his chargers re,k. tighter clasp
of the legs, nearer and aea-cr-the ex-
act moment must be rightly chosen
slight turn OF The wrist of the pract ced
bride hand-now! crash and he
swings back upright into the sad lie.
waving the light lance triumphantly
above his head. with the snlintered
piece of wood transhxed on IFS iron