Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-09-09
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lie lad. Indeed. ] have heard Jack Nor
ris. ever noted for his malapropisms. sa.
Of them that they took the shine out o
David and Solomon altogether"
From the time of his vife's death
when the youDgster was about 3 year.
old. with the exception of a short cam
paign in South Africa, / do not believe
the colonel had ever been parted for 1.
consecutive hours from his boy. Where
Ike went there also went Laddie: indeed
there MAS 4 story that he took the child
all unconseiously 10 a levee one day anG
only discovered his error when an ofticia
pointed il out To MIN.
As sure as the colonel's white charger
appeared on parade there came Laddie's
black pony. and the pony and horse were
ever together on parade ground and re.
view. route marching and divisional in.
spcction
Lad;lie lunched i'll the messroom always
and dined with Us also ON those rare oc-
casions his birthday included when ev-
cry officer married and single, thought it
expedient to put in an appearance.
We Went to India when Laddie was
about years old. and the doctors strong
ly advised the father not to risk the dam
gers of an Indian climate with child of
that age. Colonel Graham hesitated and
at last made arrangements for the lad to
stay with his grandmother; but. stern
disciplinarian as he was in the regiment,
he failed TO obtain obedience from Laddie
in this respect.
Laddie clung to his father. crying fran
| tically that he could not would not leave
l.. l. 4 L.
his father. that uncompromising autocrat
| inside barracks, gave way to the child's
persuasion and took him to India.
We were sent. fortunately. to healthy
stations, so no evil consequences ensued,
but on each birthday the colonel an
nounced that Laddie must now ''go
home" although somehow be never went,
and so the years passed away until the
b rs twelfth birthday came.
The usual programme was arranged:
Tifhn in the messroom, Il tea party for
all officers children. and holiday and
tea party for all the soldiers children,
to conclude with an especially grand din
ner in the messroom, with the band to
play appropriate music.
l came to the long tables to watch what
Laddie called tea parade" and l was
perfectly astounded at the rapidity with
which those children demolished large
currant buns and monstrous cups of tea.
At last even the most vorac cious child
was satisfied. the remnants of the feast
were removed. and the children COM
menced some of those fearful and won
derful games peculiar 10 the English
child in all climates After some time,
however, the noise became too much for
most of u.s. and even Colonel Graham re-
tired to the messroom, where, standing
at the open windows, we watched the
games.
Suddenly low rumbling noise attract
ed our attention.
What is that?' I asked. but / re-
ceiyed no answer, for at that moment the
whole house was shaken, the windows
almost falling in. and 1 saw the colonel.
a look of speechless horror on his face,
spring through the open window.
Some of the children, Laddie among
them, were staying under the shade of
part of the barracks rendered uninhabit-
able by its ruinous condition, and which
by some mistake on the part of the au
thorities, we had been allowed to re-
pair or destroy.
The earthquake, toD slight to do more
than shake the mess quarters, demol-
ished this rotten building like a house
built of playing cards. With screams of
terror the children rushed away from
the falling stones, all but one little girl,
a sergeant's child, who, too young to un-
derstand the danger, ran crying to the
ruin.
We all hastened over the square, men
rushed from every direction, but none |
Of us could be in time.
None. Yes, there was one. Laddie was |
close to the little girl, and, darting for
ward, he caught her, threw her with all |
his strength into safety and was crushed |
in her stead under mass of falling |
bricks.
/ heard the colonel's cry and saw his
frantic rush among the cloud Of dust.
We saw him tear the stones from the
little crushed form; lie raised it in his
moment and both would
be safe-when a slight shock brought
down all that remained of the ruin.
When | and a dozen others reached
the spot, nothing could be seen of either
father or child. We all used our utmost
strength to drag away the debris, but
several minutes passed before we found
them, and every minute lessened their
chance of life.
The doctor was with US before We
found them, the boy still clasped in his
father's arms. The doctor felt Laddie's
pulse, laid his head on his breast, then
said sadly:
1.-THE child is dead, and l am much
afraid that the father is Also"
A further examination proved, how
ever. that Colonel Graham was still
live.
Twill he liveT' we all asked eagerly.
Impossible" he replied, "the spine is
,aralyzed, and there are other injuries.
duslr! He is conscious now"
The colonel looked up and whispered:
''Laddiei Doctor, how is my little lad?'
For one moment the doctor could not
then he said gently:
''Laddie is where he will never feel
'ain or sorrow, colonel"
l shall never forget the look of agony
IN the white, set face of the father.
Then he said brokenly, "And II"
"Old friend, you will join Laddie very
oon.''
Thank God" answered the colonel
everently, and they were his last con-
cious words.
We buried them together, our colonel
nd his little lad.-London Evening ,
lews.