The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-01-26
TIE "BABY'' HERO.

rOsSiDlV COulu uasO SoitCu uidi.
They were on the frontier of In
d;a The ground they then occupied
was doubtful territory. Once or
twice there had been a whisper of a
Using among some of the wilder
afal,ans or Afridi tribes, but SO far
nothing had occurred to disturb the
dull mUnotOny.
Mrs. Hindle, the adjutant's wife,
was very much upset. Hitherto che
had reisned supreme. All the devo-
.;ou Of the garrison had been freely
offered at her feet, and Baby-well,
he went in and out of the adjutant's
quarters with the familiar air of a
we'll established family cat.
In duo time the general, accom-
nanied by his wife and daughters,
reached us. The latter were fine
looking women. The youngest might
10 five and twenty, the Oldest was
certainly 80.
TO this one Baby, to every body's
astonishnent. Immediately attached
himself The old general scowled,
but to no purpose.
Mrs. Hindle's tea parties were de-
serted, whereas before he was al
ways there to hand round the cakes
and make himself Of use. We missed
him, for we had 10 get UP for what
we wanted ourselves.
Not that Miss Steward encouraged
him-far from it. AT first she had
been kind to him. He was but q boy
ip looks and in age, so she had
treated him as younger brother
until his attentions became the talk
Of the station, and then, fancy, the
old general issued an order to his
daughter, and che began to pull him
up-gently at first, firmly soon.
Finally the lady herself cut up
rough, and she sent for Baby and
gave him a bad quarter of an hour.
Si.o ,,ninied out 10 him now ridic-
ulous his attentions were, and when
he vcntured to speak of marriage
she called him baby, who needed
his mother more than a wife, and
that if she had any more of his non
sense she would write to his mother.
She told him that they would al
ways he pleased to see him at their
bungalow, but her mother made it
a condition that he must give a
promise not to think Of her again
in connection with marriage.
This promise ne refused to give,
so he was warnd Off and excluded
from al invitations.
One thing was noticeable. He
frightened up wonderfully in his
duties. He would spend hours at
target practice, and old Sergeant
Hunt and he seemed to spend a lot
of time together. BY Hunts account
there never was such a shot as Baby
was becoming under his tuition.
Mrs. Hindle was in despair. He
had been very useful to her before
this unfortunate affair with Miss
Steward, and az her "at homes lie
was missed by all, for he was sure
itO 10 or say something funny.
f 1t was arranged by some ono to
have q picnic. This vas 60 be a kind
Of winding up to our moderate fes-
tyities, for the generals sojourn
With us was now at an end any day.
I The morning of the start Baby
stood looking wistfully at the prep
arations, and there was just sus-
plcion of tears in his large blue
eyes-but I may be mistaken. The
Misses Steward inado their appear
ance and were soon mounted on
mules. M s..
Now, Dora Dora = shouted shouted ttiiio oil;
general to his eldest daughter. :s1nok
after your sisters
Baby's eyes followed her move;
ments with "a hungry, mournfpl
look. His heart ached as the little
party rode off, which he had not
been invited to join. It was an nm
saerstood thing now that Baby was
10 he left out Of everything.
(. For some time he wandered about
III y, a restless, aimless manner. Then
me sauntereds out again. Hare he
was joined by Hunt, who deeply
sssympathized with Baby in the mat
s.,ef, and had been prophesying all
.hnds of dark things about the
Weather. iJ
i think it is a mistake, sir. lie
! sielnarked, with the respect full air off
u man who has seen long service.
What is o tnistake. Hunt ~ In
seaired Baby. 8,5,s5
. Well, this picnic. The ccrntry
- !, not safe, least stways 8 for 4 ladies. /
ven cannot tight on equal terms
|, ss'h women bout. There isa lot
's' hem Afridis about over the hill,
3 ,sad am sure there will be trouble [
9th the Afghans. - = g!
something ia Hunt IS manner set
|aoy thinking and, after a brief
sss't to his ma for, ,ie, rode Off IN the
erection of the IL mn = IN, "a, x ffa,s