The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-02-20


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"IN ncre,. 10 nothiaL sc0t'N re.r y0ta"
There, there, therc!'' said Bottles, pat
ting the boys brown head. that he might
check this sudden outburst Of passionate
gratitude. Now 20 along with Terry, and
mind you do what he bids you. There, go
along"
1t occurred to both the officers at the same
moment that he was by no means an ILL.,
looking boy. True, he was understood
and nleager. and his face Was pinched and
white. the lips very tight and drawn. But,
though his face was tear stained and the blue
eyes red with weeping. he was not dirty.
In fact, his nightly performances prevented
any possibility OF that, and he had always
heen considered one Of the best-looking boys
in the troupe.
poor little chap!" said BOTTLES, as the
door closed behind the groom and the boy.
I'm glad l happened to be passing just
Them
''Vewry lucky for him. " m,,rmurel Lacy.
''His fortunes made
Bottles laughed. 'Oh, nonsense! I've
no doubt he will turn out a very smart
groom; and. as ] said Just now. Terry has
been needing help badly for a long time"
scene he had witnesscd-how Frisco had sent
the lad up the ladder twice, when il was evil
IDENTIFY impossible he could perform the feat
how he haa threatened to make him try it
without the netting spread for protection
below, and had even gone so far as to begin
tn undo the ropes which held it in place.
Finally, how he had knocked him down,
and then made him get up AMI take u regu-
lar sound hiding, just by way Of letting him
know what the cut of that particular whip
was like.
''But l let the brute off too easily" Boobies
wound up. regretfully. II almost wish
had given him a little lnore'
"1don't suppose he does" laughed Lacy,
rising. "Well, must tie off,
1t was surprising how soon young Houp-
La, or Tom Snow, as he soon came to be
called, settled down into his new life. He
took to it Us II young duck takes to water.
Within week he was wearing the darling
ambition OF his heart-that is, top boots and
Il tall hat will. q cOckade--anl had achieved
as smart a salute and ''ycssir' as any groom
in the regiment. Bottles declared he was
the sliarpes; -wiitel boy he had ever known,
at which, OF course, neither Bottles nor any
one else wondered when his training was
taken into consideration
tio was popular, too, with cveryE oly,
high and low. He worked hard Mt his les
sons-he would d. anything to please Terry
and he adored Bottles. All his masters
belongings were sacred in his eyes. and his
orders once given were as unalterable as tho
laws Of the Modes and Pe,sians. In Toms
eyes there was no officer in the regiment
the regiment! nay, in tho whole of the SER
vice--whom he would admit to Ike US strong
or as clever, as handsome or as rich, as his
master; not one who could ri,l", or drive, or
shoot, or do any mortal thing with the same
degree of excellence to which the cap'n at
tanned. Yes, he he'd very early dropped the
''capting.'' and now clipped tho word as
short rs any soldier in the barracks. In
tact. in Toms eyes, Bottles, like the king.
could do no wrong
The winter months wore away. and bv
and by tn" Scarlet Lancels we've moved
from ldlclnil.stei to Aldersllot. when Tom
numbered among his experiences Il different
kind OF mare, to those which he had shulpt
with tho travelling wagons Of the circus, for
his master clns>: him to accompany Terry
with his secoinl charger, partly because he
was m unusually light weight. ami partly
because he wanted to keep hial under his
OWN eye
by that time Tom was thoroughly az Tuit
ri all the ms and outs Of barracls life, had
learned tn speak very nm,c!, uetter than
when frrrets had rescued Linn out Of F,iscos
cruel hands; could already read Il ,s,se fairly
well, If the words were not too long, and
could write his own name legibly by diut of
swawling his left leg we'll out and boiling
>oine tW" inches Ut his tongue out Of the
mouth which was not nearly 80 pinched and
tight as it hal been aforptin.,.
''Ah! he's all very smart and that inst
low," said Hartog one day to Bottles: .sbut
wait u few months until the change has Ind
time to work. He'll get fnt. and Then wher,
will your ,,:..' smart lad le: Sim,ly not
worth. lis >uit.r
Ru' Tom ,mvtrdid get tat, not even plu,ur.
Ho ut. we'll and heartily but though his li,x,
grew less; tight and his blue eyes rather less
anxious and bright--less unlnt ulally bright
! should sa;-ho never came to be anything
hut skinny slip of lad, with pincled.
l'ale taes and a deadly sharp tongue, and he
'id not seem to grow at ali. No one was
sorry lss that. Neither Bottles nor T.,rv
wished einl any taller or heavier. The lad
himeeU boosted Of his small size and weight.
he he'd no further ambitiOns-he had. in
fact, 'eachtsl the summit of his homes and
ieslres Capt. Ferrels nseded a light weight
about his horses, and very often q sl,arp
groct.a about himself Tom supplied both
needs - nicely. He had NO desire to grow
into NsaN, because he was perfectly happy
NJ Capt. Ferrelx' boy. He had known ROUGH
weather. enc now that he had got into aport
winch sesasad snly suited for small craft he
was nol aIAio.,s to &c into a three4lecker.
Thus I'stc than two years passed away.
and many changes came about in the Scar
AZ 81.