The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-06

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| be laid hands on, or as many as could be got
into Aldershot camp, canvas included,
which comes to the same thing were col
lected, the day was fixed, and the queen,
ACCOMPANIED by Prince Albert and the
Prince of Wales, came down from London
TO review ana thank the army for their SER
vices. Half London was there to see, and
half Hampshire, also, and despite shower
or two the royal review was a grand sue
cess, and more ringing cheer than went up
from officers and men in answer to her
majesty's speech has never been heard since,
often though the voices of her soldiers have
risen to greet her in that cantonment.
And now, sad to say, a rather severe dis
appointment was destined to befall the til.
1t was well known that they had been
brought to Aldershot simply for this occa-
sion, and what their ultimate destination
might be was matter of grave speculation
with both officers and men. Both, | think,
conceived themselves entitled to bit of a
fling on their return, and whom they were
informed that they were to be quartered at
Portsmouth, there was much exultetion in
the ranks. Mr.. Finn and many of the
veterans opined that there was much Id
varsionn to be obtained in that town, the
regiment had been quartered there before,
and the old soldiers could speak with au-
thority as to the capabilities of that sea-
L.
was broken to them that they were only to
remain pending embarkation for Ireland,
and that the Curragh OF Kildare was their
ultimate destiny.
Faith" said Mickey Finn when he heard
il. ITS the divils own mess we've made of
it, bhoys, by not settling out there. Wed a
better camp than ever we've likely to find
at home aud lashings Of everything, that is
as far as camps GO" but when 1t was
further pointed out to the colonel by the
brigade ma jor that they were so pushed for
barrack accommodation that for the short
time they were to remain there the only
quarters they could assign to the regiment
was an empty convict hulk, the ridicule OF
the situation almost extingui;hed the dis
appointment it looked
The queens thanks, ard a birth on board
a convict ship, were such an incOngruous
recognition Of their services that both men
and officers could not help laughing.
Tear an 'ouns, " said Mickey Finn, ave
I'd only known it would end like this, I'd
have qualified for the lodging and enjoyed
myself o, murther, to think almost took
the pledge till the review was over, for fear
I'd be a disgrace to the regiment; deed,
bhoys, there's no encouragement for virtue
and sobriety in this world"
Leave OF absence was now granted to as
many officers of the regiment as could be
spared. and Tom Byng was amongst the
first to take advantage of this.
AS he Travelled up to town, he wondered a
good deal what had become of Hugh Flem-
ing, aud how matters stood between him
and Miss Lynden. The cessation of her let
tiers was singular. She knew that he was a
prisoner, and surely she would have written
line to congratulate him on his escape
from the very doors of the tomb. Made
Inoiselle Ivanhotf had no doubt tempered
with Hugh's correspondence, but all let
ters for him from home had besn directed
as usual TO the regiment, and forwarded
thence by Byng himself at the first availa-
BILE opportunity. He knew Miss Lynden's
hand writing well, and could swear that no
letter from her had passed through her
hands since September last.
Perhaps he should meet Hugh in town.
Nobody had heard from him since he sailed
for England. it was not to be expected. He
would suppose that the regiment had left
the Crimea shortly after himself.
And then Tom began to mediate over his
own immediate prospects. and what were
the capabilities of the Curragh of Kill
dare.
"Well, there's a good spell of leave to
start with" he unused. land that brings me
well into the autumn before have to rejoin.
and as for huts we are used to them, and
the magnificence OF q barrack-room might
only appal u.s. There will be a bit OF racing
to be done in September and October, and
then comes tho hunting. Besides its close to
Dublin, and they are a lively lot from all
accounts in the Irish capital. Yes, upon
the whole, dare say, it will do very well.
In the meantime | shall make the most of
the last few weeks of the season. Go
everywherel BY Jove! l haven't been in a
theater for twelve month; my dramatic
taste wants rubbing up woefully."
On inquiry at the Thermopollum, the club
to which they were both affiliated, he
found that Fleming was in town, and
though not in the house at that moment,
was there every day. The club was
thronged, and though, as a rule, its men,
beers were as smartly dressed body Of men
as any in London, there were certainly
some queer "get ups" to be seen fitting
about it now--men who had not found time
to renew their war0robes, and IN some in-
stances habited in undress uniforms, from
which the first gloss had considerably de-
parted, but it's a question whether the
Thermopolium bad ever known hvelier
times than when the army came home from
the Chersonese.
Tom Byng soon found himself amongst
a knot of old friends, who hailed him glee-
fully.
"Now, he looks fit, don't he" cried Jim
Lockwood, for man that was shot
through the head and then fraudulently per
sisted in doing his regiment out of the ster
by coming to life again. do call him fit.
How are you, Jiml Yes. we wintered
well this time. Nothing TO do and plenty tC
get. odd If we didn't look we'll"
"Well, you do old man." rejoined the
hussar "but there's one of you. I'm sorry
TO say, don't. and that's Hugh Fleming. He
used to be up to anything, and now be
seems to have no go left In MIN. Sits q:
glum as an undertaken over his wine, anC
his liquor seems to do him no good. sup
pose, poor fellow, he's never got oyer the
mauling he had on the Sth."
II don't know said Byng; 81 haven't
seen him for the last two months"
"Well, there's something wrong with
him; he's not the Hugh Fleming he used tC
be-"
A little later Byng encountered the mar
he was In search Of, and the pair speedily
drew a couple of chairs into the window OF
the reading-room, and sat down for long
Capitalization.
"Now, Hugh, what's the matterm asked
Byng. "Soms of the fellows here, told me
just now, that you weren't well; l can SCI
| you look worried to death-what is it!n
"Well, / am. l don't know what to do
nor what TO think; you know how i am sit
uated; you know I've had never a line from
Nellie now for months. As soon as l goI
home, the first thing l did was to rur
down TO Manchester to find out what it al
meant"
"Welp said BYng. eagerly.
"She and her father have simply van
| ished. 1t appears they left their houst
months ago. quite suddenly, without saying
a word TO any one. They had left no ad
dress, and nobody can tell me anything
about them. There's only an old woman
taking care Of the house; all / could get out
of her was, that she hadn't been there long