The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-08-29
THE PRIVATES STORY.

The SIUR1.
Far from the haunts of company Off
GERS who insist upon kit inspections, far
from keen nosed sergeants who sniff the
pipe stuffed into the bedding roll, two
miles from the tumult of the barracks,
lies the Trap. 1t is an old dry well,
Swallowed by a twisted pipal tree and
fenced with high grass. Here, in the
years gone by, did Private Ortheris estab-
lish his depot and menagerie for such
possessions living and dead as could not
safely be introduced to the barrack room.
Here were gathered Houdin pullets and
fox terriers of undoubted pedigree and
more than doubtful ownership, for Or
theirs was an inveterate poacher and pre-
eminent among a regiment of neat hand
ed dog s~tealers.
Never again viii the long, lazy even
ings return wherein Ortheris, whistling
softly, moved ~surgeonwise among the
captives of his craft at the bottom of the
well; when Learoyd sat in tie niche Civ
lJ8 SAGE tOItlStl on TIC llOiltStiQtIIb VI
"tykes," and Mulvaney, from the crook
of the oyerhanging pipal, waved his
boots in benediction above Il
heads, delighting us with tales of love
and war and strange experiences of cities
and men.
Ortheris-landed at last in the little
stuff bird shop for which your soul
longed; Learoyd-back again in the
smoky, stone ribbed north, amid the
clang of the Bradford looms; Mulyaney
-grizzled, tender and very wise; Ulysses
-sweltering IN the earthwork of a cen
trail India line-judge if 1 have forgotten
old days in the Trap!
Orth'ris, as allus thinks he knaws more
than other foaks, said she wasn't a real
lady, but nobbut a Hewrasian. / don't
gainsay as her cutler was a bit doosky
like. But she was a lady. Why, she
rode iy a carriage, an good 'osses too, an
her air was that oiled as yo' could see
your faice in it, an she Wore dimond
rings an a goold chain an silk and satin
dresses as nun a cost a deal, for it isn't
a cheap shop as keeps enough o n pat
tern to fit a figure like hers. Her name
was Mrs. De Sussa, an I waay I come to
be acquainted wi her was along of our
c~olonels laady's dog Rip.
I've seen a vast o dogs, but Rip was t
prettiest picter of a oliver fox tarrier at
liver | set eyes II. He could do owt yo'
ike but speak, an t ~colonel's lady set
0 store by him than if he had been a
Christian. She he'd BARNS of her avn,
but they was i England, and Rip seemed
to get all t coodlin' and pettin' as be
longed to a BARN by good right.
But Rip We're a bit On a rover, m he'd
n habit o breakin' out o barricks like,
and trottin' round t place as if he We're
t cantonment magistrate COON round
inspectin'. The colonel feathers him
once or twice, but Rip didn't care an
kept on gooin' his rounds, wi his taail
a Vaughn as if he were flag signallin' TO
t. world at large AT he was ''gettin' on
nicely, thank yo'! and how's yo'sen2n
An then t colonel, as was noa sort of a
hand wi a dog, tees him oop. a real
clipper Of a dog, an its noa wonder yon
lady, Mrs. De Sussa, should tex a fancy
tiY him. Theer'sone o t ten command
ments says yo' maun't cuyYet your nee
bor's OK nor his lackass, butlt doesn't say
nowt about his terrier dogs, an happen
hoist reason why Mrs. DE GUY
veted Zip, the. She went toehureh reglar
along wi her husband, who was so mich
darker at II he hednt such a good coaat
nv his back ye might ha' called Inn a
black man and nut tel a lee nawther.
They said he added his brass i Jute, an
he'd a rare lot GA 1t.
Well 20 seen, when they teed Rip
up poor awl lad didn't ENJOY very
good eth. SO t e%olonels lady sends
for me as AL "A name for BEN knowi-
edgabie about II dog an G what's
aim. WI HIM.
why says l, hes getten mopes,
Jaa.l,4pTaTr t91-. - TaAgA LAs ne. rua4 1a9,Ya1-