Wichita eagle., 1889-05-10
THE MAJORS STORY.


THE MAJORS STORY.
The Miraculous Shot by Which British
Officer Saved His ColoneIs Life.
BY the living iingo," cried the Major,
stretching out his legs little farther un-
der the mess table, and bringing down his
hand upon 1t with such force that the
glasses rang again-"by the living jingol
don't believe there's man in the regi-
ment, or in the whole British army either,
that's had as many aye, or half as many,
narrow squealks for his life as have"
General attention was Immediately con-
contracted on the Major, for the above
speech was familiar to all present. When
1T burst from the Majors lips we all knew
That his wonderful memory had recalled to
him some hairbreadth escape, some daring
exploit of which he was the hero; or,
which was just as good, that his equally
wonderful Imagination had conjured up
some such picture, still having himself for
the center figure.
And when the Majors memory or mag
snation supplied him with an anecdote, he
was always generously eager to impart it
TO his friends and brother officers Indeed,
We had heard most of his stories three
times at the very lowest rate of computa-
ton, but then they were retold with such
humorous variations and additions that
they never fell fat on our ears.
1t was just like listening to some we'll
known tune played with VARIATIONS
where you are hardly able to pick out the
original air from the multitude of trills
and turns and quavers in which it is
shrouded. So with the Majors stories.
Sometimes, hearing one for the second
time, we hardly recognized it as an old
friend until the grand depouement was
reached, all the details having altered so
marvelously since the first time of re-
cital
But let the Major tell the story that is
evidently trembling on the tip of his
tongue, in his own way and without fur
Their interruption or explanation.
And what's more, besides having got
safely out of some very pretty scrapes N.Y.
self, as you all know''-here there was
loud chorus of asserting voices, and fer
vently uttered True for you, Major, and
the saints be praised for that samel'' from
young Irish sabaltern, lately Joined, to
whom the Majors stories still wore the
gloss of novelty, though his irreverent and
meageriy- vailed skepticism caused that
eloquent raconteur to view him with some
suspicion II dare say you also know" he
men out Of them, too. But I don't know
that ever saw any man-except myself,
OF course--nearer being swallowed by the
jaws OF death than our Colonel was one
day out in India. For some time past we
had had no regular fighting, and were In
hopes that we might be able to negotiate
a peace without further bloodshed. But
meanwhile there was a kind of petty guer-
rilla warfare going on. The cowardly ours
of natives never showed themselves open
ly, but would hide in the woods by which
our camp was pretty well surrounded"
"a right spot for picnic party, but
quare situation for camp2' murmured
the subaltern, who was promFly adjured
to DRY up, and let the Major speakr'
Concealed IN this covert, they would
pick off one man here and another there,
from immense distances; for, you know,
they had got possession of a lot of old
rifles, and when once they found out how
TO use them, they were beggars to shoot
And the most aggravating part of it was,
that though they ran fast enough when
discovered, yet if you did get hold of them,
and it came to the point, they didn't seem
TO mind being killed in the least AS sure
as Pm living nan, they seemed, like the
eels, rather TO enjoy it. l suppose they
knew there were plenty more to follow;
but, 'pon my honor, it's astonishing how
cheap those fellows seemed TO hold human
life.
We'll, as l was going to say, our Colonel
was as brave a man as ever breathed the
breath of life, but he was rash, terribly
rash; and one day he was stroling about I
between the camp and the wood when l
happened TO catch sight of him. The very
place where poor Willis was bowled over
= r
an eye on the Colonel, and see that he
comes to no harm.
80 strolled out after him, and then |
remembered that after Willis was shot by
some scamp lurking among the trees, we
had posted sentrleS at short distances /
along the outer edge Of the wood We
called it wood, but ii was really only
a long, narrow belt of trees skirting the
camp. However, l thought might as well
walk round to where the sentries were on
duty, and make sure that all was right /
But when got to the place where / could .
have sworn the first of them ought 10 have /
been standing, there was no sentry there
80 went on TO the second post, but 1t was
deserted, too, and SO was the third and /
the fourth In fact, there was not a man /
out Of the half dozen to be found.
OF course, | knew at once that there
was some treachery on foot, and resolved to (
hurry back 10 the camp to give the alarm.
80 of l started in hot haste. ltook short (
cut through the wood in the direction of the
camp, but hadn't got more than half way
across when a thick clump of brushwood .
aroused my suspicious as a very likely .
place for an enemy to be skulking in SO,
keeping my revolver in readiness, went
up to it. resolved TO unearth any of the
tricky scoundrels who might have chosen
ii as a snug little spot in which to lie pe,da.
] plunged in boldly, but keeping a sharp
lookout
''W hen got into the middle, there was
small open space, and in it lay-you may
Judge of my horror when l came Suddenly |
upon them-the bodies of six murdered
men, huddled one upon the top of the other
Soldier though ! was, and l don't think an
over-cowardly one, l felt inclined to turn
and fly from the horrible sight. You may
hardly credit il, but the bare recollection
OF 1t makes my tongue feel as If it wers
glued to the roof of my mouth"
remedy for this unpleasant sensation
was instantly provided by sympathetic
audience and "A short paUSe ensUaQ in the