Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-04-05

Ou> Etut, luuteu, uS tuc ttOVpS u"V
marched down to the train. had, much
to his Indignation, lifted him in her
arms and kissed him.
"Just us if | was bloomin' baby"
he remarked scornfully to himself as
he sat in the corner putting bravcly at
his cigarette; "wait till we comes across
some O them Beers, that's all.'
Five weeks later the bad luck Of the
Pink dragons fell upon the Tyrone
fusiliers, and Buglcr Simmons had his
first chance of tasting the stern reali-
ties of war to the uttermost dregs Of
the cup.
OF course, 1t was nobody's fault in
particular. and evcrybody's fault in
general, and the fusiliers cursed moth
ing but their own proverbial luck. when
they found themselves at the nightfall
of a day of battle cut off from the army
and surrounded by an overwhelming
force of Beers.
They occupied the position Of some
strength, such as the Beers themselves
love-a bowller-strewn kopje, standing
high above the surrounding plain. In
the middle Of the afternoon an order
had come that they were to take the
position.
They had taken it, with a loss of over
100 men.
Later on message had come. saying:
Hold position until you are rein
forced"
They had held the position with the
loss of another hundred men against an
overwhelming Boer attack. but the re-
Inducements had never arrived, and
I. /, cartridges were beginning to run
short. Then, with twilight, the heavy
firing of cannon on the surrounding
hills had died away.
The fire of their opponents. too. as
the day drew to a livid streak Of gray
over the western mountains. had slack
ened down to an occasional shipping
shot.
Bugler Simmons had been very happy
all the afternoon. He had found n snug
corner between two large powders. oc-
cupied by wounded BOer, one Of the
defenders Of the hill who had been left
behind in the fight.
He had tied up the Beers legs with
tender fingers and an air Of Importance
which had brought quiet smile to the
bronzed face of his patient.
"Now, I'm just a-goin' to horror that
there Mouser O yourn for a bit O shoot
I'M" he had remarked coolly when he
had concluded the operation to his fan
cy; "that is, IL you don't mind me pot
tin at your pals" he added with some
ditfidence.
The Boer laughed. He was an irish
"Boer," and although citizen Of the
Transvaal. had no great sympathy with
his friends, who had left him so pre-
cipitately when the Tyrones had rushed
the kopje at the point of the bayonet
"Never mind me, youngster," he re-
piled as he slipped off his bandoier,
which was we'll filed with cartridges.
I'm only n prisoner Of war;"
"You talk jolly good English for a
Dutchy," remarked Bugler Simmons,
as the Boer showed him how to load
the strange weapon.
"A1y father was Irish," answered the
Roer.
"Thcn you're on the wrong side,
cocky," said Bugler Simmons with con-
victiOn.
81 sha'n't he tomorrow morning. an
swered the prisoner with grim mean
ing.
You mean we shall all be dead il
those achievements don't come up:"
queried Bugler Simmons.
His prisoner nodded.
Looks like it. don't it?" remarked
the boy cheerfully; "but we amt dead
yet. wot no! We amt got much money.
but we do liver he added. as he sighted
and fired.
Hit anything" asked the Boer with
laugh.
"Kicks bit!" suggested Bugler Sim
mons. rubbing his shoulder.
''She's bit heavy for young 'un
like you." answered the Boer, as he
slipped another cartridge into the
breech. "By the way. sonny" he add
ed chow old are you!"
Fourteen last birthday" replied
Bugler Simmons promptly.
"Too young for this business" muir
INJURED the wounded man to himself.
"Say. Dutchy," said the bugler, dye
see that chap down there, crawling be-
hind that rock? Is he pal O. yours?"
II don't think So" answered the Boer.
"Why"
"'Cos I'm going to pot i'm" replied
Bugler Simmons quickly. as he cuddled
the stock of the rifle against the cheek
which the lady had kissed. and sighted.
The Boer behind the rock was aiming
at a wounded British soldier who had
dropped in the rush for the kopje and
was now trying to crawl to cover.
There was sharp report. rs the
whole of the buglers little body twist
ed with the recOil of the rife. and the
Boer behind the rock pitched forward
on to his face.
"Got 'imv' said the small savage tri-
umphantly; my, but that was close
shave for Private Jones"
lie had certainly saved the wounded
private's life.
"That was clean shot. young 'un."
said the Boer with approval "but you
mustn't show your body like that when