The Opelousas courier., 1899-08-19

GERS stood together, talking in low
whispers, for it was of the utmost i'm
portance that the enemy should bs
taken by surprise, and the orders as
10 silence were strict.
"Buck up, old chap: you'll come
through all right. And if not, what
does it amount to? You've got nc
women folk to bother about"
"No, thank heaven. It is in times
like this that one is glad never to have
married-like poor old Harcourt."
"Why poor?"
II was thinking of his wife. l
shouldn't care to be tied to an ugly
woman myself"
"That's all rot, Hamilton" ~retorted
the other. II don't believe it matters
a row of pins, so long, of course, as
she isn't repulsive or underbred."
"Think 500"
eyes. The most unlikely women
sometimes attract most"
"Well, old chap, L mprecious thank
full I've no thoughts of woman to
bother me tonight. I shall try for a
lead tomorrow, even if I have got the
route; we've a good chance of being
first into the zareba."
1--WE will give you a act for it,
anyhow. But we'd better try and get
q sleep, for this awful heat takes it out
of a fellow"
The two went to their separate
posts. And as he lay, sleepless, the
thought came to Hamilton that it was
somewhat lonesome to think that no
woman's eyes would fill at the news Of
his death; and he looked upward at
the stars above him, wondering where
his soul would be tomorrow.
The shadow Of death lay upon him,
as at times it does upon the bravest
soldier; he would fight none the worse
for it in the morning. ~**
The sun had risen.
In the previous short half-hour of
dawn the assault had been delivered,
the dervish forces had been driven
from their intrenchments, and now
the black, grinning "Gippys" were
fraternizing and triumphing with their
laughing and chatting white comrades.
Backward, acros the half-mile of
plain, the surgeons were busy. Away
to the southwark could be heard the
sounds of pursuit as the British Ian
GERS chased the flying Baggara. SIS
A field hospital at the front is not a
pleasant place, neither can it be de-
scribed in cold black and white. Var
correspondents, as readers of the
dailies have no doubt noticed, iudici-
ously avoid more than the merest men
ton of such places.
There were some CHASTITY cases, and
both surgeons and assistants had been
worked hard. But the pressure was
over, and at last there was time to at
tend to the wounds which were not
"Now, Hamilton. let's see," said
Surgeon Major Murphy, approaching
m officer who lay motionless on a
stretcher-who had SO lain half all
hour at least. The doctor looked his
over, gave a low whistle and
beckoned to one of the orderlies, who
that moment turned his head.
"Look, see, Dawkins, here's a bad
Ease! He must go back to the hos
"Bad as that, doctor?:" asked the
notionless man family.
"'Tis sol Now you keep quiet"
Lieutenant Hamilton had been to-
ally blinded by the explosion of a
she'll in a earthwork as, we'll in front, |
1e was leading his company. He was
'ent to the rear-to hospital-and Sis
'er May was given charge of him.
He had not much pain, only he was
blind. Treatment appeared to have
effect on this; it seemed likely to
SJ long business. The days began
% hang heavily. Then came the old
tory, Glove in idleness."