The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-27

nau cOnSulted MS own wishes ana nau
not been so anxious to follow the opin-
ion OF an irresponsible ranker, Pengel-
ly would still have been alive. With
that on his mind. Polglaze sat In the
mess and drank steadily from o'clock
i'm the afternoon till 8. He was trying
10 drown his grief but he could not do
so. At o'clock he rose from his seat,
and went TO the sergeant at the bar.
Gimme boil whisky
81 wouldn't have any more, Pol
glaze, ef I was you
" Gimme boil whisky he repeated.
Fed better get TO quarters. Take
N home. Male
"'Come along. Polglaze.' said Color
Sergt. Male. "Ee've had 'nough { get
into zee tongue Already. Before long
ETH work into zee laigs. maybe, I'm time,
into zee thick head
"Polglaze knew nothing OF what he
was doing. His eyes glared. his chest
heaved. his mouth foamed. He caught
Male around the waist and threw him
clean out OF the window. He snatched
up a pint pot and threw II at the can
teen sergeant. who ducked behind the
bar. The pot Knocked down row OF
bottles which smashed and clashed on
the iloor. Then began slaughter grim
and great. Pennack. Bunt, Trewhella
and williams. who were all sergeants;
my father, Sergt. Mai. Harding, the
'bloke, Penhall the quarter bloke,
saw what was up. The others looked at
my father for orders. He gave glance
around TO see IL they were ready. Then.
In his finest parade voice, which had
terrified every sergeant and most or
the officers too, in their subaltern days,
he shouted:
" 'NoWi'
lone and all they jumped at Pol
glaze. My father was, az usual. lit
tie to the front. The twenty-two-stun-
ner caught him up and flung him
through the door. not hurting him
much, but damaging the door good
deal. Pennack was flung after Male
through the window. Then the others
rushed all at once. and Bunt. Trewhel-
la. Williams. Penhall. the Quarter
Bloke, and Polglaze himself We're all
in one great heap on the floor, fighting.
struggling. punching. kicking, almost
biting. Then Polglaze shook himself
free. Bunt lay still ON the ground
stunned. having hit his head against
something or something having hit his
head. Trewhella, Williams and Pen
hall gathered themselves together in
semi-circle ready for another rush
Polglaze got his back 20 the counter
ready for them. The canteen sergeant
slowly rose from behind the counter
with the pot which Polglaze had flung
to strike at the back Of the madmans
head. but the latter heard the buttons
of the serge catch against the counter
and. turning quickly. caught the can
teen sergeant we'll on the point of the
jaw and sent him down as sharp as
rockies piled arms. Then Trewhella,
Williams and Penhall sprang at him,
and they all four rolled around on the
floor locked in each others arms. They
81 ha
getting up their strength for another
struggle. The crash came once more
Polglaze. getting his great arms around
the three Of them. flung them clean out
OF the window onto the gravel below.
Then he turned his attention TO the
canteen sergeant, who lay lige a log.
He dragged the senseless body from be-
hind the bar and said - it: Fed
smash { back of my head in with
pot. would zee? I'm a-goin' [ smash
your face in with n
He deliberately fetched the pot from
the floor of the bar. where il had
fallen. lifted the body on the billiard
table. drew up chair. and sat down.
lingering the pewter pot lovingly.
hind him. Without turning round he
said: Go home; I'll smash { skull OF
any man L comes i'm here.
Suddenly he felt The pot jerked vio-
lently out of his hands. He turned
round and looked up. 1t was Kitty.
the canteen sergeants daughter. a
girl about as pndersized as Polglaze
was diversified. She was little fair
thing, with a sharp nose and chin, and
with thin lips.
Go home. ded zee say. Sergeant
Poglaze?' said she. Ee ought { be
'shamed OF 'eeself TO spake or look
at me. after what 'ee've, done. Pick
up my yaither.'
"Polglaze stared at her in dazed
her foot.
Pick up my vaither.
"Polglaze took the man tenderly
in his arms.
Garry IN L quarters"
"Polglaze carried him.
Put n abed.'
"Polglaze put him on the bed.
Cav an fetch the doctor
"Polglaze fetched the doctor.
"Now. Sergeant Polglaze, just gaw
{ quarters an gaw { bed 'eeself, an
dunt zee dare T. get out'n ct till to-
rouse. Ef vaither do die, I'll
have zee hanged. If zee do live. I'll
give zee such dressin down tn my
tongue. Z 'ee'll be sorry zee wasn't
hanged
"DieP or course not. Canteen SER
geant was n Truro man, and down 60
Truro they've heads as hard as quartz.
"But when | was up 10 London l
got TO Waterloo station little after
o'clock | went down the steps into n
big tunnel. and. hearing noise up
toward the ceiling, | looked up. and
there was Polglaze. He was wearing
light gray uniform with red facings
and a little gray forage cap, something
between cavalryman's and a pork
pie.
Whatever clothes have zee got on?'
asked 7.
REG eg'mental uniform said Polglaze.
what eg'ment?'
Hundred an thirtieth Middlesex.
I'm drill 30 Saturday afternOoners an
I've just come from seein' n do
class
Have 'ec fallen so low? Lift me up
an let me whisper n zee ear I'm doin'
the same. But how are ZEE them
brave. thank zee. Here's my wife.
He do know She
II looked down. and hanging on his
arm. was the canteen sergeant's girl.
How be- 'ea?' said she. Ties Ser
geant Hardin now. esni et?'
lss sure. AIRS. Polglaze. said I.
But l dedn't know 'ee were married
ssIrs fuaf faN IA love fhtsey NJ sb.