The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-28

! take cold, and Is already quite choking
1t is SO trying, because he must be OF
parade tomorrow morning. The genera
will be there, and be cannot get off it"
Colonel Barring, who commanded tn
One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, wa
not the man to shirk his duty. His onl,
anxiety now was to get home and apply
the usual remedies, in the earnest hop,
| that the troublesome ailment might b,
STAYED off. He was annoyed that tn,
necessity had risen for turning his bacl
| on his guests. He would have liked Il
have seen the ball out. He was also an
noyed with the attentions Captain Ham
ilton had shown his daughter at supper
and the coffee was aggravated by the
disappearance of the young couple i'm
mediately afterward. This, together
with his embryo cold, conduced to baG
temper, and made the drive home any
thing but pleasant for wife and daugh
ter.
He did not dislike Captain Hamilton
personally. On the contrary, the colone
recognized in him an unusually smart
soldier, but he loathed the Indian staff
corps. Its higher pay and richer plums
lured the young subalterns from the
queens regiments, and in his time he had
seen dozen youngsters go from the One
Hundred and Twenty fourth alone. They
had no business, in his opinion, to leave
the regiment. It was only debt or love
which made them do it. Why couldn't
the staff corps be properly recruited
without having to steal men from Brit
ish regiments just as they are beginning
to know their work?
Poor Aimee had to listen to TRADE
on the subject as they drove home to
their bungalow. She knew only too
well what it all meant, and unsupported
by her lover she was thrown back into
the old despair. How could George over
come such prejudices2 It would be i'm
possible. She knew her father better
than he did. 1t would need nothing short
of miracle to accomplish it.
Colonel Barring put his feet in hot mus
tard and water, and tried all the well
known old household remedies, so fraud
ulent, so futile in most cases. The
sleepy servants were reused from their
warm blankets and sent flying in differ
emit directions, one for hot water, an
other for the whisky bottle, third for
the travelling rugs, fourth for sweet
spirits of inter.
In their anxiety to please the some
what imperious master they brought
remedies enough to have treated the
whole company of men with influenza.
Mrs. Barring and Aimee administered
patiently and gently to their wheeling
patient until-fortunately for all parties
conoerned-he fell asleep among his
blankets and was at peace-at peace ex-
cept for the portentous snore that shook
his frame.
Very early in the morning, before it
was light, the ayah crept to the door of
the bedroom with the tea tray.
81 am afraid your master is no better.
His breathing is very thick" said Mrs.
Barring in answer to the ayah's inquiring
look. However, he must go on parade.
| hope his uniform is laid out ready, and
tell the butler to see that the horse is
saddled in good time"
Mrs. Barring returned to the bedside
and found her husband awake He was
already firing off his feu de joie on
proclamation morning in a volley of
sneezes.
ooh, confound this coldI Get me out
some old soft silk handkerchiefs 1 feel
as if my head would BURST" he cried as
soon as he could speak.
Dressing this morning was no easy
matter. Never had man a worse or
more weeping cold. Every now and
again fit of sneezing held him speech
less in its grip. 1t was with the greatest
difficulty that he got himself into his
uniform, drank his tea and buckled on
his sword. He was convinced, in spite
of all his wife could say to the contrary,
that lie was late. He hustled out of the
house, mounted his charger and galloped
to the parade ground.
The English troops were drawn up in
line on the opposite side, and on their
left the native regiments were in posi-
ton. All was ready for the eagle eye Of
the general.
Colonel Barring pulled up as he reached
the ground. The general had not yet
arrived. 1t was relief and a respite,
for it would give him time to blow that
much afflicted nose Of his once more.
The morning air was sharp, for the sun
was only just touching the horizon, and,
confound it all, here was another fit of
sneezing coming on!
Where was his handkerchief? Now,
where had he put it in the hustle of
dressing?
He felt in the cuff Of each sleeve. It
was not there. He stuck his fingers in
the breast Of his tunic. Of course it was
not there. He never carried 1t in such a
place. He looked around at his horse
keeper. No; he did not remember hay
ing given it to him to hold
Horrors of horrors, he had come with
out it! What was he to do2
The knowledge that he had no hand
kerchief seemed to increase his cold, bad
as it already was The sneezing became
more frequent, and, dash it all, his nose
began to runl
What would the general say? Never
did there exist a sharper eye for appear
ance than his The slightest speck would
be detected, and the scarlet uniform
would show every spot.
1t was most distressing, absurd though
it may seem. Each moment the value
of handkerchiefs rose in his eyes. There
is no telling what sum he would not
have given for one at that moment. His