The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-03

the day. Everyone talked at the top
OF his voice and a general shout went
up whenever the black was taken. The
waters We're busy handing the long
tumblers around.
But even black pool began to pale
toward midnight, and some genius pro-
pounded the question. Where's the
padre? Lets make a bishop OF
him. suggested somebody else, and
forthwith a dozen subalterns tumbled
into the ante room, where the padre
was looking on at the whist table.
seized him and bore him into the bill
hard room, the worthy man protesting
mildly
They sat him on the billiard table,
and he was crowned with a inter
hastily made from the Times, and was
told that because he was a good fellow
he had been promoted to the bishop of
the Punjab, and that he must have
drink.
"Well. what mischief are those boys
UP to now?" said the general, when the
padre, smiling, but disheveled, came
back into the room.
They are just now discussing, sir,
whether they shouldn't make the colo
nels into generals and create you
duke
THE devil they are" said the gen.
Nor for u.s." said the colonies.
And the three put on their coats and
walked out into the night
"A rare set of young devile you've
got said the general as he said good
night.
And the colonel of the Never Say
Dies took it as it was meant-as
compliment.
So when band of subalterns, headed
by Belassis, the smallest and wicked
est of them all, poured into the ante
room to carry off generals and coo
nels they found they had drawn back
to the billiard room.
THE supper is on the table. gentle
men," said the mess sergeant, and they
crowded around the upper end
OF the mess table, where were
many dishes of grilled, bones
and deviled ham and poaehed
eggs on anchovy toast, and somebody
began a song and two 'banjos appeared
from somewhere.
After a time even the singing of
choruses became a burden and some
thing more exciting was required.
"A march past? And the suggestion
was hailed with cheers.
Somebody who said he couldn't march
was put in a chair on the table, which
was pushed on one side to mark the
marching past post, and clear space
made down the room.
Cavalry first"' said Tasker and the
Never Say Dies scrambled pick-a-back
on to the cavalrymen's backs, and,
with the steeds curveting and pranc-
ing, went past the saluting post, the
banjos making feeble attempt to
play a cavalry regimental march.
Infantry" shouted Tasker, and with
billiard cues as rifles the entire force
came on whistling the infantry's march
past.
Artillery and the infantry boys
took off their mess jackets and were
dragged along the floor by their legs
past the saiuting point.
A suggestion to repeat the march
past was negatived by the infantry
men, who didn't like having to play
the part of guns, and the question was:
What neXt?"
Where's the young bounder, Lind
say?" asked Cooky.
He wasn't in the billiard room,"
said Pat.
Lets draw him." suggested Belas-
Don't. 1t would only lead to a row.
said Tasker, who knew the trouble
that such things made.
ooh, bother row." said Pat. well
try him by subalterns' court martial.
Come on, boys. What'll the charges
be-"
..Absentins himself from his post and
causing dependency among her ma
jesty's forces for not losing his rupee
at black pool" suggested Alphabet
Monty, whose knowledge of the manual
of military law had got mixed in the
course of the night.
Come on, then, boys" cried Pat,
I'LL o,,l 10 tory
to brighten the snakes and a bottle of
brandy TO encourage the prisoner be-
fore he's executed, and let the band go
first"
The band was represented by tin
bath, beaten with violence by Belassis,
and by the-two banjos. There were
half a dozen lanterns taken from the
sleepy servants in the veranda. and
with much noise the procession moved
off through the compound in the di-
rection of Lindsay's bungalow, some
500 yards distant.
There was a light shining through
the windows.
With the big drum going its hardest
the procession marched UP to the door.
Pat put his shoulder to it, and as it
gave way, the first half-dozen subal-
terms tumbled into the sitting-room.
1t was very bare little room, a few
prints on the walls and couple OF
Windsor chairs, a wood and cane easy
rocker, a table in the center OF the
room.
Seated at the table, his head buried
in his arms, was Lindsay. a couple of
candles burned to the end were far
ing: there was a lamp on the table.
He took no notice of the inburst Of
men.
Pat went up to him and put his hand
on his shoulder.
81 arrest you in the name" he be-
gan, and the boy looked up and there
were tears streaming down his face.
The boy held out telegram that
Law before him on the table to Pat, and |
he glanced at it.
tumbling into the room. be silent.
The boys mother is dead.
The fact took a second or two to
reach the outside fringe of shouters,
but when it did there Was a dead hush |
and the crowd melted away, leaving
the boy in silence with his grief.
There was a sound of whispering
outside and then Pat and Brady and
Alphabet Monty came into the room
again.
there was a tenderness in his voice
that written words cannot carry;
we're awfully sorry, and is there any
thing we can do for you?"
The boy, his face in his arms again,
shook his head.
"Behassis will do your orderly office
duty tomorrow and I'll tell Tasker
you're not coming to parade Any
thing we can do for you Wen only be
too glad to do and-and-we'r all |
more sorry than we can tell you.
The three men stood and looked at
the how. whose back was heaving in |