Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-07-20
THE LIEUTENANT'S YARN
a Charm That Saved n Soldiers Life
10 IA Zulu War.

ny JOHN s~TocKHoLM.


"Now. then. Casemate, let's hear
from you" said the major.
The gunncry lleutennnt-Gunnery
Jack he was called anont-roused him
self with a start. Il beg your par
don. chaps" he said. 81 can think Of
nothing but that broken rccoil spring
Of my AZ. It's hard l'pes TO be hung
up like this just when you're wanted"
Never mind. old man." said the nd
jutant. You've made a hit II she new
or fires another shot. Your mems
shooting has been nn eye opener"
my old gunncr's mate said when l
compllmented him on "A good shot.
well. sir. with n dxed target and Us at
anchor. too. when once we get the
range something's got TO shift If
we'd had n few big guns In the Zulu
turnout. we should have finished that
Job a bit quicker"
"Were you in that swim, too?" said
the major.
YES" said the lieutenant; 81 "A a
young sub then-one of old Dlcky
Brndsbaw's boys from the Shah.
South Africa runs in our family. My
old dad was out here. too. In the Kafir
affair.
II got that from him." he added. pro
ducing from his tobacco pouch n rather
dirty iookiug object Ike n small eye
bolt or n clock key with a hole In It.
II was extremely heavy and hard and
as far as could be discovered through
it's outer coating OF tobacco ash and
dust was OF some metallic stone"
'WGat is H." said the war CORE
s~pondent. "a baccy stopper
That's what | use IL for" said the
lieutenant. but by rights it's n charm
for saving life."
II know a q myself" said the
major. "who carries a potato in his
pocket to keep ca the rheumatism"
This might save you from hang
ing" said the adjutant, but II
wouldn't help You much II you were
drowGIng. It's extraordinarily heavy
for Its size"
III. saved my life once" sold the lieu
fehaGt quietly.
"A yarn. Il yarn" said the major.
|'Ordcr. please. for the yarn of the
mystic charm that keeps you from
harm and alarm. Pegs round first.
Now. then, Gunncry John, unfold your
curly tale"
Il must begin with the dad" said
Cascmate. HE was out In the Kanir
affair. as ! said. In 1852. He was In
command Of the old Forty-fourth."
"Begad! l thought you'd got an
army back on you" said the major.
"why did you leave us, JeremIahT
You've heard Of an old chief nam
ed Mosbesb! Z" resumed Casemate.
Yes. but he was farther north,
wasn't he?" said the major. you
mean MosesT'
This was n descendant Of bis, !
expect. He was boss Of the show
among the nlggers here In the early
days. He was the original early bird
about these parts. Well. a descendant
OF this old Johnny was captured by
the Forty-fourth. and. owing TO some
hit OF dirty work he'd been mixed up
with. our men wanted to chop him up.
But the guv'nor said, No, discipline
10 discipline and a chiefs a chief. al
though, like the poor Indian OF I'M
AhAOlGh hlhdf nG NIoAnEb nm ONAOiN
and goes bare behind He gave him
a tent to himself and a Bible to read
Rnd used TO explain It TO him in the
evenings after fighting hours.
Curious chap the guv'nor was. I've
heard bin say that some OF the chiefs
questions used to keep him awake al
night trying TO think OF the answers.
However. they got 30 thick that
when they parted, the chief. who was
going down 10 the Cape for trial, gave
him this bit Of STUFF. He said II was
The most precious thing be could give
him. II had belonged to Moshesh aud
had been kept In the chiefs family
since the time OF Ham. ! think. II was
a safe cure for ague and would guard
the wearer against any form OF violent
death.
THE guv'uor said that rs the result
of the trial was so uncertain the CHIEF
had better keep Il himself. But the
old man said be would rather die thar
anything should haT pen TO the guv'nol
and forced II on him.
"Rummy chaps. these nlggers." said
the adjutant. "wbere they take. YOJ
a fetch 'em With music too. A hd
der can lead EN- anywhere. they say
Yea they'll follow him with
Bricks" said the lieutensnt. Il was n
= ship oDce Cd the west coast that car
Tied a band. and the seedee boys asked
that all the Instruments might be stop
ped except the drum. A taste for mo
sic Is natural 10 them. Ike curly bair.
However. 20 get back 10 the charm
The poor old mater. who nnmly he
beves IN the thing. made me prouisI
10 carry n. 80 I've kept Il 10 tb'
pouch and used II ss Q ripe stOppr
ayer since.
Yen remember bow The 6sHb 20
Hto tfs Fr;1 Fs7pPsf. Of eDsrsr