New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-20
THE SCRUMPTIOUS GIRL.
A CHAPTER FROM ROBERT BLAICh-
FORDS TOMMY ATKINS OF THE
RAMCHUNDERS."
Copyright. 1895. by Edward AnOld)

out" when the barrack-room is in darkness and
the men are in bed.
The form Of procedure is much the same in all
regiments. Private Noaks requests Private
Stokes to spin us a cuffer." Stokes calls AT
tcntion," and then says, Boots" to which the
men reply in chorus Spurs The "cufer
then begins the spinner testing .he interest
and wakefulness Of his audience by INTERPRETING
the word Boots at such intervals as may seem
advisable.
Barrack-room cutters" vary in kind. from the
widest fairy tales to plain or colored relations
Of fact The stories are often good. but the
telling of them is generally better.
To give an idea OF the style and quality OF
these "cuffers' it will be well to give, as well
as our humble talents may, the spirit of one of
these barrack-room nights entertainments.
We will suppose, then, that the lights are out,
ard that Private Peter Stumpit, known as THE
small lemon" r playful allusion to his intern
perate habits is called upon for "A story and re-
lates his masterpiece:
THE SCRUMPSHUS GEL
Ryan the Beauty-S thumput. avick shpin IS
Q cuffer
Stumpit-Shon. Boots
Chorus-Spur5!
Stumpit-Pay attention to the story o the
Scrumshus Gel This cutters gospel truth; an
II ere soldier says nay, he's liar an his
mother stole ducks.
1t happened early in the twenties. an was told
to me by Hairy Hfe. the pioneer. had 1t
from his own father, as was struck dead for
ten the truth Boots
Chorus-Spurs.
Sumption must know that the Old Scuts
was lyin' near the borders o. tho Rajah Of Jey-
the Scuts an the Rajah got as thick as thieves,
an continual a dinin' an visitin', turn
about, an what more material than they should
take to gambIin' to kill time, seem ow in
Injia Time as pair O ciIb-fect, an always
moves at the slow march. Boots.
Chorus-Spurs.
Stumpt-Wherefor they played Ugh an they
played low. an they played ell generally; but
the Rajah e always seemed bored an the
'gher the stakes the boreder e got, until at
last e ups an says as European games
too slow an ed be glad if the officers would
pass their words for to take i'm on at a country
game for a stake worth 'avin'.
Well. old Strappef the colonel O the Scuts
wasn't goin' TO be bounced by a native, e
passes is word. But when i'm an is officers
learned what the Rajah ad let EN- in for they
put up their thumbs right solemn-ly
For. says e. You sahibs as the fine men,"
e says AN | as the fine eerfunts Let the
stakes be ellerfunt my side. an your
side soldier. If you wins the ellerfunt is yours
II l wins. the soldier enters my service"
But" says the colonel. the soldiers isn't my
soldiers; they belongs to John Company"
Then" says the Rajah Il Will leave the
nen | win out on parole, an you must buy
their discharge, for" says e, you ave passed
Jour word" an e grinned somethin 'orrible.
An what's the game" says old Tommy
Strapper
'"rhe game" says the Raiah, "is a trial O
strength atwcen one o your soldiers an one
O. my women" An with that e unfolded the
rules O the game; an very game it were.
Boots!
Chorus-Spurs!
Stumpit-So to make a long story short the
game was to set an English soldier on sentry
In the courtyard o the Rajah's pas. the Rajah
an the Colonel seem fair through keyholes |
an then to send in pretty gel to coax the
soldiers musket off him. The gel to use no
weapons, drugs nothin' but female bedevil- |
ments fair an square An IL the gel got the |
arms off him. the was forfeit; but II not |
the Colonel 'ad is choice between takin' the gel |
and takin' the ellerfunt OF course, the sentry |
was to know nothin' of the game. much less
- commandin' officers eye was on i'm: that |
va nothn' to stand on but Is soldierin'. Boots |
Chorus-Spurs!
etumpit-Well. when old Strapper an the Of |
Aeers tumbled to the game they looked seven