Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-07-15
ASK YEARS. MYSTERY.
BY GEORGE A. WADE.

TLSIE BENNETT put down the
newspaper she had just been read
ing aloud to her father, and turned to-
wards the old man with beaming face,
and hands that fairly trembled with
emotion.
Isn't it splendid, father?" she said.
Don't you think this Robert Conne1
must be indeed a brave man? Oh,
should so like to shake his hand.
Yes" she continued, after a moments
pause. and with her eyes kindling with
bright light, Il am proud of being
soldiers daughter, father, when / read
of such deeds as this being done by your
comrades-your old comrades, perhaps,
1 ought TO say, seeing that it is at least
% years since you left the til Ian
GERS
AYE. aye, Elsie said the old vet
eran. right you are there, my girl!
1t does make me proud of the profess
sion, and prouder still of having been
one of the dear old Lancers which con-
tains such a noble fellow as this Con-
nell you've read of. And so they're go
ing to give him the Cross, are they?
All, well, well, he ought to have ii. FL
sic. Shall l ever forget when the grand
old queen-though she wasn't old then!
herself pinned the V. c. on my own
breast after the glorious struggle in the
Crimea? Do you remember, said he,
after a pause, "how Barlow used to be
so fond of looking at the Cross, and how
often he used to say it was pity he was
only a grocer's assistant, instead of
soldier, since there is no decoration for
valor' for grocers' assistants, or any
other business folks, for that matter?
And yet, Elsie, I've known some civil
ians who did very heroic things, more
than once"
Elsie sat silent. Her father, I'M
thinkingly, had touched very tender
chord in her heart. She had been car
ried away for the moment, so to speak,
by reading the long telegraphic &C
count in that mornings paper of the
gallantry of the -th Lancers in one
of the fierce fights in Burmah against
the hill tribes, and especially of the
heroic deed of one, Private Robert Con-
nell.
The til Lancers was her fathers old
regiment, and, naturally, she always
took the greatest pride and interest in
all its doings. Her father would be
kept up-to-date in all that concerned it;
its present station, its officers, its stand
ing in the army; and all the news about
1t he eagerly listened to. This morn
ing's paper had given an account in
full of what had yesterday been mere
telegraphic dispatch, but the bare news
of which had made shout of triumph
ring through the whole length and
breadth Of the old country, with in
Vulnerable blessings on the head of the
brave soldier of the gallant Lancers
who had done such deed.
1t appeared that, few days before,
two squadrons of the regiment, com
manded by a captain, had gone for.
ward to attack a hill-fort of the Bur
mese. Contrary to their expectations,
they had found the place almost de
serted, or, at least, so it seemed on their
approach. But this was only ruse OF
the enemy, as they found shortly aft
erwards, when, having landed inside
the fort after a slight struggle with a
handful of defenders, they found them
selves surrounded on every side by thou.
sands OF the natives, and so hemmed in
that escape, except with very great loss
of life, appeared practically impossible
There was, however, no other method
of regaining their liberty. They had
been trapped, and must make dash for
it. Calling upon his men to follow him
the captain, stung by the knowledge OF
having been so easily "gulled," rode
out, and boldly made dash through
the opposing hordes. The Lancers came
brayely after their leader, and, despite
the tremendous odds, at last succeeded
in getting free, but only after loss OF
nearly half their force, though some
dozens of the enemy lay dead and dy.
ing between them and the fort.
1t was whilst thus taking stock
that Robert Connell, who was private
soldier, noticed that, in the late dash
ing attack, the brave soldier who had
borne the regimental standard had
gone down, and that the flag" was
missing. Scarcely had he observed this
than he also saw that flag being waved
triumphantly by a Burmese soldier
who was close to the fatal spot. TIC
make dash for the standard, through
that troop of sbrieking Burmans
meant almost certain death. but Rob
ert Connell never thought of that. II
was sufficient for him that he was one
of the -th Bancers, and that the
til Lancers' standard was in the
hands OF the enemy With a wild rush
he urged his horse along, and, brand
ishing his weapon advanced on ths
foe. towards where the flag had last
waved. He threw down man after man
who opposed his progress; no bullett oil
sword seemed TO injure him. Truly
he bore a charmed life At last hs
reached the sacred standard. almost
before the Burmese had really gath
ersd what was his object, and in triee
he had run the bearer of it clean
through the body with his lance Seiz
ing the dear old flag, he set off back OF
his wild career through the shots nnC
thrusts of the enemy's weapons, and
even though q bullet passed through