The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-10-14
THE PRIVATES STORY.

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
theris was an inveterate poacher and pre-
eminent among a regiment of neat hand
cd dog stealers
Never again will the long, lazy even.
ings return wherein Ortheris, whistling
softly, moved surgeonwise among the
captives Of his craft at the bottom of the
WE'LL when Learoyd sat in the niche Civ
ing sage counsel on the management of
"tykes, and Mulyaney, from the crook
of the overhanging pipal, waved his
enormous boots in benediction above our
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; Mulvaney
-grizzled tender and very wise; Ulysses
-sweltering on the earthwork of cen
trail India line-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
lady, but nobbut Hewrasian. don't
gainsay as her cutler was bit dooslky
like. But she was a lady. Why, she
rode iv a carriage, an good losses too, AN
her air was that oiled as yo' could see
your faice in it, an she wore dimond
rings an goold chain an silk and satin
dresses as mum a cost a deal, for it isn't
a cheap shop as keeps enough O one pat
tern to fit a figure like hers, Her name
was Mrs. De Sussa, an t. Way come to
Db WI l6I was dlOllB VI Jul
colonels laady's dog Rip.
I've seen a vast O dogs, but Rip was t.
prettiest picter of oliver fox tarrier at
liver l set eyes on. He could do owt yo'
like but speeak, an t. colonels 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 t. coodlin' and pettin' as be-
longed to bairn by good right.
But Rip were bit on a rover, an he'd
habit O. breal1in' out O barricks like,
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
Vaughn as if he were flag signallin' to
t. world at large at he was ''gettin' on
nicely, thank vol and how's yo'sen?
An then t. colonel, as was noa sort of q
hand wi dog, tees him oop. A rea
clipper of dog, an it's noa wonder yor
lSaay, Mrs De Sussa, should TEX fancy
tiV him. Theirs one O. t. ten command
ments says yo maun't cuvvet your nee
boris OK nor his jackass, but it doesn't say
nOWb ABOUT HIS beIIl6I Jugs, dill hdppCl
thot's t reason why Mrs De Sussa cuv
veted Rip, tho she went to church reg la
along wi her husband, who was so micl
darker at if he hedn't such good coaa
tiv his back yo' might ha' called him
black man and nut tell a lee nawther
They said he added his brass i jute, al
he'd a rare lot on it.
Well, yo' seen, when they teed Ri
up t. poor awl Lad didn't enjoy YER
good 'elth So t. colonels lady send
for me as 'ad naame for bein' knowl
edgable about a dog an axes what
ailin' wi him.
"Why," says l, ''hes getten t mopei
an what he wants is his hbbaty al
company like t rest ON us; wal happe
a rat or two 'ud hven him Oop. It's low
num-" says l, lis rats, but it's t. natur
of dog; an soa's cuttin' round al
meetin' another dog or two an passil
+ time o. day, an hevvin' bit of tur
Sp WI him like a Christian"
SO she says her dog maunt niver fgt
an noa Christians liver fought.
"Then what's soldier for% says
an explains to her t contrary dual