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

~-O~~O~->~~-~----~~~
GO HERE was something worse than
weeping and waling among the
- Pink dragons when it became
known that their pet squadron had
been gobbled up by the enemy and sent
off to anguish in the retirement Of the
racecourse at Pretoria. Even their old
rivals, the Tyrone fusiliers. with whom
they had met and fought in all parts Of
the world with belts and fists, had moth
ing but pity for them. and delicatcly
forbore to make any remarks upon the
news.
Since they were under orders for the
Cape the Tyrone fusiliers were on their
best behavior. and the Pink dragons
at the depot felt too low and depressed
even to desire farewell fight with the
Irshmen.
SO they chummed instead. For the
first time in the history of the British
army Pink dragons and Tyrone fusl-
Tiers were seen walking together. drink
ing together and smoking each others
tobacco. Some of them even walked
out with the same girl. and proud were
the damsels who walked out escorted
by fusilier and dragoon. thus form
ing link, as it were. twiXt two gal
liant regiments which had been at en-
nifty since the days of Wellington.
No man coul rightly trace the cause
of the quarrel between them. One his
torian claimed that at the battle Of Wa
terlOo the fusilers had peppered the
dragons under the mistaken impress
sion that they were French cavalry,
thus adding injury to insult. Another
authority held that the trouble arose
between the regiments during the PEN
insular war, when. after the fierce bat
tie of Albuera, the fusiliers had come
up for their share of some pipes Of
looted Valdepenas wine to find that
the Pink hussars had absorbed the last
glassful and had TILED up the pipes
with vvato".
Perhaps the trucst story of the feud
was that which told how, when quar-
tered in the same town. after the Grim
can war, the dragons and fusilers had
intermarried freely SO that they had
become almost as one family. All had
gone we'll until the daughters of the
fusilicrs who had welded dragons be-
gan to patronZe the daughters of drl-
goons who had married fusiliers refer
ring to their husbands as "fut sojers."
Anyhow. all these wrongs were for
gotten in the one great trouble which
had befa'len the Pinks. Sympathy
found beer to drown sorrow. and no one
rejoiced but the wives of the men who
had been made prisoners. When the
day of departure came for the fusiliers,
the band of the Pinks played them
down to the station. Then the dra-
goons hung on the footboards of the
carriages to bid them last farewell,
and closecroppcd heads were cutfed
atfectionately.
"W'll bring 'em back. dn't you fear,
an their 'orses. too" said the Tyrone
fusillcrs.
AN Guild Kruger wild EN-" inter-
posed corporal on his own account.
Although there was plenty of room in
the special train. the Tyrone fusiliers
preferred to travel fifteen in a COM
partment. as being more sociable and
convivial than the orthodox five side.
So the bugler had n compartment all to
himself, and was spreading himself ac-
cordingly.
Don't You be afraid. Danny" he
said to the trumpeter; "lll keep good
lookout for your chaps when we reach
es prctorier. an III see what | can do
for 'em!'
Don't you he too sharp an get a-cut-
tin yerself, Bugler Simmons" replied
the trumpeter, with gentle sarcasm,
especially along O. that new bay'nit O.
yours. an II you see my pertickler
friend. Corpral 'Awkey along o them
pris' ners. give i'm my love an arsk i'm
II e likes Pretoria better'n Portland
All right. v'nor--all right! Keep yer
lands orr the army. carnt yer. It's
a-lavin' its precious lives for the likes
O. you. amt it?"
These last remarks were addressed to
the guard.
Don't forget them calls taught
yer." cried the trumpeter to his depart
ing friend.
mot arf!" shouted back the buglcr
nppreciatively.
Then. having made a grimace at the
guard. he pulled in his head and settled
himself comfortably in the corner to
start a tiny packet of particularly vii
famous cigarettes which had been
pressed on him by sympathetic friend
rs they marched ort of the barracks.
Beyond the trumpeter of the Pink
dra, MS. Bugler Simmons had had no
friends to see him Off. He had not
missed this last tribute to the departing
soldier. since throughout his short life
he had never enjoyed the privileges Of
relationship.
He had been an orphan at the tender
age Of months. had been raised ~ q