Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-07-15
TOLD AT THE MESS.

TOLD AT THE MESS.
The Colonel OF the Rcd Hussars
was an lrishman. who was Il proud
of his nationality as it is possible for
an Irishman to bc, and that is not
saying Il little by any means. He
carried his patriotism SO far us to
aver that not only were the Irish the
finest, the most courageous, the most
gifted of the four nationalities, but
that nearly all the really great En-
gliShmcn We're really Irishmcn. lie
justified his IIibcrnianism by il mode
of reasoning which vas highly orig
inal but not wholly convincing. 1t
would have provoked shouts of laugh
ter in the mess if it had proceeded
from the lips of a subaltcrn, but the
Colonel was an altogether different
person to deal with. 1t would be
dangerous to quarrel with him, and
he was as pcppcry us IL London fog or
al old maid who has been Tilted by
the curatc. 1t was considered far
more advisable ito give him his
head, land let him exhaust himself
by the violence of his own efforts.
When he launched out ON his IA
vOrite topic, therefore, he was lis
tened to i'm respectful silence by his
suborGinates, but in revenge it was
the greatest delight of the wags of
the regiment to mimic his voice and
manner, and to represent him as ut
tering the most astounding IIibcr-
MAN falsehoods. garnishcd with nu-
mcrous expressions OF a wholly pro-
fame character. This was called .tdo-
ing old Pat. and was Il very popular
amusement in every mcss-room where
the Coloncl's personality was known.
His real name. of course. as tho Army
List will tell you, was Col. Dominick
Sydney Power. but this is Il compare
lively thrilling detail. He had been
nicknanled "Old Pat at Il very early
stage of his military career. and ''Old
Pat of the Red lIussars was almost
as we'll known throughout the service
as CoX's Bank or the cold-mcat train
to Working.
Therefore, when the Rcd Hussars
heard that Sir James Macleod had.
been gaZetted from the Blues to their
w regiment, conjecture ran very
rife among the officers whether Sir
John would contrivc to hit it Off ami
cably with ..Old Fat 1t was gcncr-
ally felt that the stranger would prob
ably prove Il Scotchman nf the deepest
dye. with a very large allotment of
Scotch pride and patriotism, while,
no doubt, after his experiences i'm the
Blues, he would be inclined to regard
a mere Colonel in a Hussar regiment
with more compassion than rcver-
encc. Under these circumstances
there seemed to be every prospect of
some lively and eXllilarating scenes
when the Colonel should deem it mt
ting to take the Scotch baronet into
his confidence on the important sub
jcct of national distinctions.
sit will bc great fun if he goes for
Old Pat and gives 1t HIM hot, when
he begins the usual rot, said young
Fanshawc. with a broad grin. and it
was generally agreed among the
junior officers of the regiment that it
would be great fun indeed.
While his subordinates we're COM
ing to this insubordinatc decision,
Col. Dominick Power was engaged in
reading a long letter from an old
schoolfcllow of his. and a former
brother officer of Sir James Macleod,
to whom he had written a few days
previously in order to make some in.
quiries with regard to the new i'm.
p%ortation into the mcss-room of the
Red Hussars. and the Baronct's mo.
tives for ctfecting the exchange.
ga woman is at the bottom of it us
usual" wrote Capt. Fletcher of the
Blues. Macleod was very hard hit,
and She threw him owe for no reason
that any one can divine. Pure dew
iltry, that is all. He knew that you
were ordered abroad, and he wants t.
get out of the country without ap
pearing to run away. That's thu
bait. He is a capital fellow; M
damned nonsense about him in an,
way: is a good sportsman; AL shot
and very popular in the regiment
There is only one point on which
had better caution you. Don't be
with him. He is a very devil at bet.
and always wins"
sis he, indced?" unused Col. Power
sand he may be the very diyil him
self for all he'll get out Of me. 1T
u.cself that would like to see thu