Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-12-26

tainted, and when recovered conscious
ness | thought I should 90 mad"
Here Rutfies' mother caught his fat
little chin in a loving grasp and held it
for a moment.
"You know" said she, "your daddy
had ridden to a kraal Is miles away,
where the Kaffirs had been ugly, and
be wasn't expected back until late in
the night. The whole garrison was
thrown into a perfect turmoil when
the news of your being carried away
reached the barracks. The men rushed
into the jungle without orders, some of
them only half dressed, but nearly all
carrying their rifles. l stood at the gate
OF the kloof until nearly midnight. The
soldiers began to return without having
found a trace of poor little Rutfes, and
l prayed that l might die when the last
man had come in.
Among the officers who had gone
out to search for you was Captain Nc
Adams, and it was he who saw the stran-
gest part of it all. He became separated
from the rest Of the party, and on a lit
tie knoll, where there was a big tree
with a wide hollow in it, just a little
higher than a mans head, he caught
sight Of your daddy going through the
jungle afoot and carrying something in
his arms. Captain McAdams had been
SO confused and Mortified by your adj
venture that he was quite nervous. He
couldn't imagine why your daddy was
walking in the jungle, and for the mo-
ment he believed that daddy had heard
about the balloons carrying you away,
and that the news had made him lose
his mind. So Captain McAdams just
stood perfectly quiet in the shadow of a
bush and waited. He saw your daddy
carefully lay a bundle right in the
hollow Of the big tree, standing on his
tiptoes to reach high enough. Then
daddy went quickly away, and Captain
McAdams vas quite certain that he was
demented. Captain McAdams was 60
ing toward the tree to find out what the
bundle contained when your daddy came
crashing through the bushes on Sui
tan's back. Sultan was snorting and
rearing in a way which proved that he
was badly frightened. Your daddy was
the best horseman in the regiment then,
as he is now."
"The best one in the world, mom,"
Interrupted Ruff1es excitedly.
Eyes, of course, and he rode Sultan
right up to the tree, and leaning over
in the saddle picked up the bundle he
had placed in the hollow. And what
do you think it vast"
"It was me!' shouted Rufles.
Indeed it was!" laughed Rufles'
mother, giving him a good, tight hug.
Your daddy was just galloping off
with you when Captain McAdams called
to him. 'Ned!' he shouted. Ned, old
man! Where did you find Rufles?:'
Upon my word, said your daddy,
4 don't know whether or not I'm just
right in my head. A big baboon drop
ped the poor little beggar right in my
path
rs he-is he hurt?' asked Captain
McAdams.
"'Not a bit = said your daddy. He's
right as a golden guinea
Med said Captain McAdams,
we've been searching the jungle for
that blessed baby since 8 O'Clock, ex-
pecting to find him torn to pieces. The
balloons stole him right out of his per-
ambulator.'
"Your daddy took off his hat Just as
he does when the colors march past,
and then he kissed you.
"'But in the name of common sense,
Ned said Captain McAdams, what
did you mean by putting the baby up a
tree?'
'The balloons that dropped Rufles
gave Sultan such a start, said your
dady, that I couldn't mount him with
Ruffles in my arms. So l picketed Sui
tan, put Ruffles in the hollow tree and
then rode up and lifted him OUT"
There was a pause, and Rutf1es said,
'Mom, did they reduce Sergeant Brown
to the ranks?"
"No," said Ruf1es' mother. wasn't
it as much Nurse O'Brien's fault as
EYES," said Ruffles judicially, II
guess it was, and it wouldn't be fair to
punish II without furnishing the other
it wouldn't be military to punish a
woman"
And Ruff1es' mother only laughed
md said, "Bless my little mans hearth
Enquirer.