The Arizona sentinel., 1886-01-30
1.-THE LITTLE COLONEL"

How He Showed His Love for Those Who Had Loved and Befriended Him-His
 Faithful Dog.
 "Well, my man," asked the Colonel somewhat anxiousl y as he slowly stirred his breakfast coffee, "what news this morningP"
 The orderly stood straight as an ar row before his superior officer, and sa- luted with military precision when he was spoken to.
 "Very bad, sir," he answered. 'There are four new cases, and some of the other men are sickening."
 The Colonel's little son put down the bread he was eating, and scanned the orderly's face with distressful scru tiny.
 "Dear me! Dear mer' said his kind hearted father, hastily swallowing a few more mouthfuls. ''This is a bad business. Where is the doctor now, Burns?n
 ''In the Second ward, sir.''
 'sTell him I will be there directly" And in few minutes he hurried away, leaving his little son and huge New foundland dog to finish their breakfast at their leisure.
 ''Nilus," said the little fellow, rest ing his hand on the dogs shaggy head; ''what will we do about it?''
 The dog looked up with deep sym pathy expressed ill his beautiful eyes, but he could not think of anything to suggest.
 Four years before when the regiment was crossing a stretch of desert in Egypt, the good dog following after had tainted and fallen for want of water. Then the boy had come to the rescue, and with pitying heart knelt down on the hot sand, and gave the into the little white face bending over him, licked the child's hand with rap turous gratitude, and from that time to this had followed him night and day.
 For two years they had been in Ber- muda, and the change from the ex- hausting climate of Egypt had done much for the boys health. But still the pale face and tiny form would never be ruddy and strong, as the sol diers would fain like to see them. For, even more than to his busy father, it was to them that little Jerome Malt land owed his bringing up.
 His mother had died at his birth, and during his babyhood he had been car ried about first in one pair of strong arms, then in another.
 When the officers wives would inter- fere and carry him off he would cry most piteously for his rough nurses, until they were obliged to call in one favorite young subaltern to pacify him.
 And now these men, whom he loved, and with whom he had spent. all his little life, were dying. How many times had they watched beside him in his childish illnesses, or made the tedi- ous days of camp life bright for him with some clever device!
 We must do something about It, Nilus," he repeated, with little dry sob, 'but what can we do?"
 He stood at the door and looked up wistfully at the barrack hospital.
 Just then Lieutenant Fearing passed with two or three books under his arm. He watched him as he went by with slow, grave step, and suddenly an idea came into his head. He knew what Fearing was going to do-read to the men; and why could he not do the same thing?
 No sooner did the thought occur to him than he started off to take look aft his collection of books. They were not many, or particularly choice. There was "The Boys Own Book, one or two "Annuals", some volumes of fairy tales, and beautiful illustrated edition of "Jack the Giant Killer. He lin gered over this. Perhaps they might like to see the pictures, and itwas such large, clear print he could read 1t easi- ly. So choosing this at length he and Nilus started off for the hospital.
 Before he had reached the door, how ever, he was stopped by the officer of the day.
 "My orders don't admit of your go- ing in there, sir," he said decidedly.
 "Oh please, Frith," pleaded Jerome, 'I wont stop long" But the soldier shook his head.
 They're too knocked up to pay much attention, even to you, sir. But there are lot of fellows in the conval- escent hospital. P'raps you might go there." So Nilus and Jerome started off again, and this time met with no ob- stacle.
 The men were all seated or lying around in different attitudes in the common room, some of them playing cards. But when they looked up and saw the slight, boyish form standing in the doorway the cards were pushed aside, and chorus of welcome to their little Colonel was heard on all sides.
 ''I thought perhaps you might be kind of dull" observed Jerome, after