New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-15
PRIVATE LEAROYD'S STORY.
BY RUDYARD KIPLING.

BY RUDHARD klPllNb.
SAnd he told tale ."-Chronlcles Of Gautama Buddha.
Far from the haunts of company officers who
insist upon kit-nspections. far from kcen-nosed
sergeants who sniff the pipe stuffed into the bed
ding-roll two miles from the tumult Of the bar
racks lies the Trap. II is an old dry well,
shadowed by a twisted pipal tree and fenced with
high grass Here, in the years gone by, did
Private Ortheris establish his depot and menagerie
for such possessions living and dead as could not
safely he introduced to the barrack-room. Here
were gathered IIoudin pullets. and fOXterricrs OF
undoubted pcdigrec and more than doubtful owner
ship for Orthcris an invctcrate poacher ana
pre-emnen6 among a regiment of neat-handed
dog-sealers.
Never again will the long lazy evenings return
wherein Orthers, whistlng softly, moved surgeon
wise among the captves of his craft AZ the bottom
of the well when Learoyd sat in the niche, giving
sage counsel on the management of "tykes, and
Mulvaney from the crook of the overhanging
pipal, waved his enormous boots in benediction
above our heads. dehghtinq 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; Mulvancy-
grizzled tender and very wise Ulysses, sweltering
on the earthwork of Central India lne-judge
if l have forgotten old days in the Trap
Orth'ris, as allus thinks he knaws more than
other foaks. said she wasn't real aadT but
nobbut Hewrasian l don't gainsay her
cutler a bit doosky like. But she was
lady. Why, she rode iv carriage, an good
'osses too, an her air was that oiled you could
see your faice in it, an she wore dimOnd rings
an goo.s chain, an silk an satin dresses as
nun a cost deal, for it isn't cheap shop
keeps enough O. one pattern TO fit figure like
hers. Her name Mrs. DeSussa, an Z waay
COON to be acquainted wi her was along of our
colonels laady's dog Rip.
I've seen a vast O. dogs but Rip was 9 prettest
picter Of oliver foX-tarrier AT liver set eyes
lie could do owt you like but speak, an t
coloncs lady set more 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 Z coOdln' and pettin belonged TO
BARN by good right.
But Rip we've bit on rover, an he'd habit
O. breakn out O barrcks like, and trottin' round
q plaice if he & cantonment magistrate
round inspectin'. The colonel feathers him
once twice, but Rip didn't care an kept on
gooin his rounds wi his taail a-waggin' as il he
were f1ag-sgnallin 10 & world at large at he was
gettin on nicely, thank 20, and how's 70 sen ?"
wi a dog tees him oop. real clipper of a
dog, an it's noa wonder yon lady, Mrs. DeSussa.
should TEX fancy tiv him. Theirs one o. t
Ten Commandments says 70 maun't cuvvet your
neebors OK nor his jackass, but il doesn't say
nowt about his tarrer dogs, an happen thot's T.
reason why Mrs. DeSussa cuvveted Rip tho she
went to church reg1ar along wi her husband
who was so mich darker at If he hednt such
good coaat tiv his back yo might ha' called him
black man and nut tell lee nawther They said
he added his brass i jute, an he'd rare lot
on it,
Well, you seen, when they teed Rip up, & poor
AVID lad didn't enjoy very good eth So T.
colonels lady sends for me as 'ad naame for
beln knowledgeabe about dog, an axes what's
ailin' wi him.
why" says |, hes getten & mOpcs, an what
he wants is his bbaty an company like & rest
on us; wal happen rat OF two nd liven him GOD.
It's low, num-" says J. ." is rats but it's & nature
of dog; an soas cuttin' round an meetin'
another dog or two an passin' q time o. day an
hevvn' bit of turn-up wi him like a
Christian"
SO she says her dog maun't niver fight an noa
Christians liver fought
Then what's a soldier for?" saws 7: an I
explains TO her Z contrary qualities of dog at.
when yo' COON to think ont, is one O. Z curusest
things as is. For they Iarn to behave thcirsens
like gentlemen bOrn fit for q fOst o coompany-
they tell me { Wildly herself is fond of a good
oog an knaws when she sees it as well as
o,hy oody then, on tothcr hand. a-tewn round
ai'er cats an eettin' mixed oop i all manners o.
o'"oheuaroy street rows, an KILN rats, an
fehtin' like divils
colonefs lady says: We'll. Iearoyd
doant agree wi you but you're right in a way a.
spceakin, an / should like vo' 70 ,ol, pi, an,
a-"aIhih WI you sometimes but yo' maunt let
him hight, nor chase cats, nor do nowt 'orridn an,
them was her very wods
Soa ZIP an me gooes ont a-walkin' o. evenin's
he beln dog did credit tiv man. an
ca'ches lou rats an We he'd a bit OF a match
on III an ava dry swimmin' bath az back o. 4
environments an II was none so long aforc he was
a. bright as button again. He he'd way o.
hyin al them his yaller pariah dogs as if he was
harrow Onan bow an. thouch his weight were
nowt, he tux en- So suddnt-likc they rolled over
like Skittles in a haley, an when they coot he
stretched after EN- as il he were rnbbit-rnnnin
Same win cats when he cud Get 4 cat agate
o. rInnin'
one eVenin, MN an me was trcspassn over
compound wall after one OF them mungooses
at he'd started, an we busy gruI,bin' round
prickle-bush. an when we looks up there was
Mrs. DeSussa wi parase ovyer her shoulder
a-watchin us. oh, my" she sings ont there's
that lovelce dog Would he let me stroke him.
Mister Soldier? ?"
Aye, he would num- scz l. for he's fond O.
laady's company. Come here, Rip an speak
10 this kind lady" An Rip, secin' at q mon
goose he'd gctten clean AWAY, coous up like {
gentleman he was nivver a hauporth shy nor
pkxord.
"Oh, you beautiful-you prettee do. |" che says,