The Natchitoches enterprise., 1900-05-03

| "eu done -FOUR ye6rSAon the Raeffi
and were h0meward bound, wit
Pleasure at the helm. e.when we wer
brought up at ST. Helgna by the new
of Isandhlwana. Old Dfcky Bradshaw
brought us back here on his own, ant
three weeks later we we're landed ant
working our way up to- kshoWe.
There's hcen some Ok lately abou
first class fighting men We've tackled
several sorts of them - our time, bu
for sheer pluck the Xlh was SECOND
to none, in my opinions Some of then
would actually throw themselves or
our bayonets so that Others could eei
through. If that isn't tie real thing
should like to know What Is. But
they don't smell nice in q scuffle.
eve used to try few navy lodges
| on them when we were IN langer. We
| pretended to abandon n gun once and
when thev gathered round, looking
down the muzzle, let s!.er 60 with q
long lanyard. The tricks didn't all
ways come off, though Our Gunnery
Jack planned a grand soup once he's
captain now, lucky Rggarp
How was it you never got showed
up over it, old man?" sald tile major.
DO you get showed N In the army
for doing your bit witiouf shouting p
said Casemate. My enos won't let
me go up. If be Enows d iohnny who
could give me a shove, he'll ask him as
a favor not to do it, Iyscause it might
smell unfair. But FIn satisfied. A
man that likes his mates is better off
In a wardroom than vpcrked up in
captains cabin, alone with his nobilI-
ty. l don't want thesmoney. / like
my job, and when Tn tired of it I'll
go ashore and catch bafterfiIes.
However, to get back to Gunnery
Jacks coup. We usedsto be worried
a good deal by night attacks. The
beggars used to try tosrnsh us on dark
nights. and even singlesfellows sneak
ed their way into the camp sometimes.
Jack laid out some mines at one
place we pitched at to welcome them
with. One middle watch the word was
passed that they were coming, and we
all turned out to receiya them.
There was some loose scrub a little
distance OFF which had led Jack to ex-
pect attack from that side and to lay
the mines there accordingly. We could
see dark forms moving about in the
scrub and edginS toward us, though
rather slowly, and affeesa rather tire
some wait Jack at length shouted |
'Heave her" and touched the key.
"The whole earth seemed to rise up
in front Of us, and then a shower of |
earth and stones fell all around. A
thing that rather surprised Jack was
the hind leg of Il mule which came
flying through the air and bowled him
over like n rabbit. He said 1t was the
first time he had ever been kicked by
q leg with no mule on 1t.
A'In the morning we found the re-
mains of no -~s than ss!x OF the cam,
mules scattered about. They had got
put somehow through a soft place in
The laager and nibbled their way round
70 the scrub. Jack didn't do any more
mining"
That reminds me-" said the major,
of the mining battalion at Chatham.
They blew up bridge they'd crossed
| trench by and couldn't get back
lgain."
'But what about Moses charmY
aid the correspondent Where does
hat come in?"
Tint was another affair."" said Case
nate more grayely. I'D almost for
'OffpD ITo I1cod to rrn+ ci1olo ,,;o.,o.o
n at night, as said. in spite of the
harpeSt lookout. You can't see a
'lack man far In the dark, you know.
)ne night l woke and saw a big fellow
rying to unhood my gun from the tent
ole. He was a gigantic chap, and,
tanding between me and the tent
oor, he loomed like a house. I felt
autiously for my revolver, but he Ell
her saw me or beard me. for his arm
rent up. and just for a moment his
ssagai stood across the light like
'indow bar, and then 1t came straight
me-" ~. !
"But the good old charm checked it
midair," said the major.
mot quite in midair," said the lieu
enant. II felt bang that I thought T
ad STAYED my chest in, and then he
as on me- We scufled a bit, but
ot hold of the revolver and let him
ave Mark II just as our fellows
In In. The spear had hit the baccy E
ouch In my breast poeket-of course
was lying down all rfgged-and 1t
as brought up against the stopper. @,
s pretty hard, but he made bit Of !
mark on it, you see. The matters got :,
e assagai at home now with the point
rned up like bent pin.'
''The drawback to your charm is
at 1t only acts when It's in the line of n
e." said the major. "Still it was
off. old man, and congratulate h,
u and ourselves, too. that you're m
re to spin the yarn" a,
'And so say all Of usp' sang the 9th in
s.-Nayy and Army Illustrated. A