The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-10-30
THOMPSON OF OURS.

THOMPSON OF q R
The colonel blew on his fingers,
howled for fresh wood to be piled up
on the fire, and fell to the contempla-
ton of his thumb, which was FROST
bitten.
Before him upon the table lay the
loathsome sheets of foolscap known as
the annual Confidential Reports
Some of these were already filled in,
some blank as yet. Each was headed
by the name of a n officer, and fringed
by the impertinent personal riddle
set yearly for commandants to ans
wer.
Now eve when forced to look from
the point of view of disapproval upon
any n of his boys this honorable
kindly English gentleman held the
system of confidential disparagement
in horror.
He hated these grim skeleton
sketches in white and black. 1t was
always the same thing-the same
weary struggle to combine strict truth
with fair words; to put Eyes" where it
onght.to be '.No' and mo where it
ought to be Yes" For were they
indeed-alL these youths-zealous in
well-doiug, all talented, all tactful. all
of equable temper? Had they every
one OF hem seen endowed from their
cradles with unnatural sagacity and
aptitude for command? Were they. in
short, ready made generals from the
moment they entered the service?
Alas, no! The colonel's eye wandered
TO his crippled thumb again and then
to sheets under his other hand, and
presently fell upon a certain name
heading one of them. Whereupon he
cursed the authorities in his heart for
a pack of fools and sighed. 1t was
Thompson-Lieut. William Thompson
known by the name OF Billy"
He glanced down the list Why,
that very morning he had spent a bad
half hour i'll wigging the youngster for
shortcomings in almost every item.
; Late again for parade. Violent with
a Sepoy. Hadn't the faintest notion
of his drill and 30 on.
What on earth am I to say for you.
STRIP? he had asked, angrily. tapping
the bundle of uncompromising papers,
at which Billy glanced with rueful de-
spair in his honest eyes. you are
distinctly careless, wanting in tact.
useless in Office work-what's the use
of complaining of your writer's, sir?-
inattentive and argulnentative. Rideo
OF course; and that's about all you're
fit for. That and tennis; but unlucki-
ly these won't. advance you in yous'
profession, o gain you respect, nor
fit you for a command"
Then the colonel had stolen a look
at the frank, bright face, and thought
for the millionth time how ridiculous
it all "a The lad was honorable
and brave. Why not trust to time
and training to do the rests: He
wanted a tight hand over him of
course; but why be forced to send up a
nasty, disparaging report of him to
headquarters
Somehow the colonel could not find
it in his heart TO do it, and was still
worrying over it. when a telegram
was brought in addressed TO the Of
ficer Commanding" This was fol-
lowed shortly by d knock at the rough
door opening outward IN to the cold,
wind-swept inclosure. a struggle to
shut tho same, and a tall, smart-look-
ing officer entered, helmet in hand.
'NOh. that's you. Hamerton! l was
just going to send for you. There's a
row up Khunaz way. James, OF the
police. wounded. Ghazis again killed
a lot of people. I'm ordered to send
an Intelligent officer to investigate the
thing and report. You'll have a tick
fish job, but I rely upon you. I've
been thinking whom you had better
take. You see l can only spare one
Or two, either Bates or Thompson.
Bates the longest head, and yet Thomp-
son-well, if it came to blows, some
how I should prefer Thompson. But
do as you like"
ut shall be little Billy" said Maj.
Hamerton to himself; and proceeded
to the discussion of further details con-
corning escort and commissariat ar
fragments for the small expedition.
- little before nightfall they started,
a party of fifteen in all; the two English
oficers-Billy in d state of widest Joy,
and bursting with importance-a duff
fedar, and twelve Sowars of the Khunaz
Horse. A second telegram had been
received soc after the first SAYING
that the Ghazis. who were few in num-
Der. had taken themselves off; that a
native hospital assistant was in charge
of James the wounded police officer;
and that he was to be brought back
here. because there was no other Eu-
ropean doctor nearer than Quetta.
Hope we come acrossthe beggars,'
Billy said, gleefully.
But the colonel, who had ridden out
a little way with the party. and had
wished them good luck. !" found him
self saying something like a prayer iii
his heart for the safe return of the
two men. who were, in his opinion, the
very pick of the regiment.
In times of peace these inglorious
little brushes with sneaking little
Ghazis are not among the pleasantest
features of service in Afghanistan.
Upon the third day after the depals.
ture OF the expedition the colonel rode
out to reconnoiter along with the doc
tor. who was always game for a ride.
The commanding officer was more
anxious thar he allowed to appear.
Somehow a two years s%ojourn in those
dreary wflds draws men very close to-
gether when they are made OF good
stuff. The party ought to have re-
turned long ere this. and the colonels
heart was disquieted within him. He
was scanning theshorizon carefully,
when suddenly he pulled up and shad-
ed his eyes.
What's snat little cloud of dust,
doctor! Is it a devil Or a couple o.
! horsemenan
The doctor. whose eyes were
younger. answered that it vas nc
.sdeyl' but horsemen, and that they
f-WHF6 mAKlnp