Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-05-15
blKER PiSHl.
History Of the Affair that Blastsd HIS Life
Efforts for His Pardon.

---
History Of the Affair that blasted HIS LiS
: -HFsrts for His Pardon.
London Letter 70 San Francisco Argonant
. The most e~ngrossing topic of coDyer
sation in all circles at present seems I'm
questionably TO be the proposed rein
statement in the army Of Colonel Val
entine Baker-or Baker Pasha, as he il
bestknown nowadays-and the incidents
Of the event which caused his socia
downfall are called back to mind anC
discussed with an interest as keen a,
though they took place Yesterday.
In order to understand the matter
properly. il will be necessary TO go back
TO the year 1875, in the summer of which
year Valentine Baker was the lieuten,
a~nt-eolonel Of the Tenth Hussars, one
of the. if not the, SWEETEST l~ightscavalry
regiments in the service. He had been
in the service since before the Crimean
war, and had served throughout that
campaign as lieutenant in the Twelfth
Lancers. After that he saw service in
India and China, and became noted not
alone in those dashing qualities and
good looks which are supposed by the
readers Of aOuida" to distinguish all
typical "plungers"-as l~ight-cavalry
Officers are called-but for a thorough
knowledge OF his profession, particularly
that branch which embraces light cavalry
tactics. Indeed. when he became COM
handing officer of the famous Tenth,
he was looked upon as the finest light
| cavalry officer in the service, and his
career as u successful general in the
next European war that should break
ont and involve England was accepted
as a foregone conclusion in the minds
of his admirers.
Although 3 married man, with nearly
grown children, and though strgaks Of
white were growing painfully marked
in his dropping mustGche, be rc.ained
with the fair sex those fascinating
graces OF speech and manner which had
ever made him the charming companion
he was, alike in drawing-room, boudoir,
club smoking-room. or at regimental
mess-table. Brilliant, handsome, gift.
ed, clover, brave, and able, he was a ia
yorite among men and a pet among wo-
men. He wRs a great friend of the
Prince OF Wales-or rather, more prop
erly speaking, the Prince of Wales was
q great friend of his. The prince was
the colonel OF the Tenth Hussars Gan
honorary position which gives pay and
uniform without requiring any duty in
return, and his being so, Of course,
gave IN extra eclat TO the corps and its
officers.
In June, 1875, the Tenth were quar-.
tered at Aldershot, andon the afternoon
OF the seventeenth day of that month,
Colonel Baker left North Camp Station
by the southwestern train for London,
occupying p first-class compartment all
TO himself. At Working station, Just as
the bell was rung to start the train on
again, a wagonette and pair dashed into
the station yard. In it were Mr.. Click
enson "a gentleman residing in the vi
entity, who was driving his wife, daughs
ter and groom. With barely time to
catch the train, the first compartment
Mr.. Dickinson reached he opened the
door of. and put his daughter into. 1t
happened to be Colonel Bakers. /
don't know ii her father thought any
thing of it at the time; but as il turned
out il was the most unfortunate selec-
ton that could have been made for both
its passengers. Had Miss Dickinson
been put into any other compartment in
the whole train, her name and fame
would not be the public property ii has
been for years, and the promising career
of one Of the cleverest officers in the
army blighted.
Miss Dickinson was known as O great
beauty at this time. 1t was the period
when blondes were all the rage, and she
was regarded as a sample to swear by.
Her brother was an officer in the ROYAL
Engineers, and she herself was by no
means unRa5xn ~ garrison balls and
places where officers do mostly resort
and her golden hair and azure eyes were
set of by a form and figure that might
have been q model for q sculptor. Nor
was her dress the least of her attractions.
On the present occasion she wa dressed
in q short travelling costume of blue
serge, which fitted her like u glove, and
displayed beneath her scant draperies-
il being the zenith Of the pull back"
period--a pair Of fairy-hke feet in pat
emit leather boots and go~lden-clocked
blue silk stockings. A jauuty blue vel
vet round hat with a white gull's feath-
or in it crowned her head, while a mar
row strip OF black lace served as an ex-
case for . mask veil.
A friend of mine who happened 10 be
IN the train. has given me this descrip-
ton. accompanying il with the remark /:
"If the Judge had seen her then, per-
haps he wouldn't have heen so hard on
Baker,
1t may perhapsbe only fair 10 remark
here, without Gishing to say aught
against the young lady, chat her repu-
tation among those who knew her was
n that would lead a person into calling
her free in her manners with men.
AT all events the train went putin q
on again and seemed all right until II
stamped at Clapham Junction. Then
the passengers we're thrown into a great
state Of excitement by the Intelligence
that when the train had come dashing
up TO the platform. the door OF Colonel
Bakers compartment was wide open,
and the colonel holding fast with n
hand TO Miss Dickinson, who ssoJaa hst-
1855 upon the step outSiue. A great
commotion followed. With many tears
and sohs the golden-haired beauty told
her story, the gallant Baker was taken
into custody. the young lady's relations
teiegraphed for, aud the train went ON
It's way again.
Briefly, Miss Dickinson's story was
that she did not know Colonel Baker
even 10y sight; that the train he'd hardly
left Woking when he entered into cen
yer sation with her; that her short re-
plies had no effect, but that in spite of
her GOODNESS his name became more
familiar and his language improper,
his offensive actions eliminating in his
STOPPING down and grasping her by n
Of her ankles; hat tberupon SHE jumped
mp and tried 10 set the alarm in potion,
but being intercepted by Colonel Baker,
and not knowing what else TO do, she
sprang 10 the door, hurst II open, aud
swung herself out upon the steps, the
train going at the rate Of forty miles an