The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-03-23
; TIE Subaftern'S Storu
Astory Of Plucky Yodng oficerIn
the Boer War Of 1881.
BY Frederick G. Engelback.

8 BY Frederick G. EngeIback. 8
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
A group Of recruits were "growsing"
for all they were worth at everything in
general and the drill sergeant In particu-
lar.
"Seems to me-" snarled one, "that
when these ere recruity officers il drill
ing along O. US it's we poor cQFes as got
to bear the blame II they nakes a mis-
take"
"And a good job, too" chimed in q
fresh voice from behind. ms part Of
your training"
The lads swung round angrily and
found an old soldier standing beside
them. One glance at his good conduct
stripes and another at the long string Of
war ribbons across his breast hushed
every surly murmur.
"Look here, lads" he began, "just shut
up and listen to me while tell you
yarn Of the Boer war of 1881. These
young officers may now and again be fools
on parade, but wait till the band begins
to play, wait till your hearts going pit-a-
pat. and you won't have far to look for
them then. You'll see them walking up
and down while you're lying on your
belly. and they'll call out, Come on, lads.
There's no Go ON. laGs, about them.
"I'd been in the corps 10 months when
the war began. and l just missed being
sent to the depot with lot of our young
sters We had serving with us q young
officer called Tryon, and, do what he
could, the drillbook fair mastered him.
Gawd's truth! What n mess he'd make
of our squad sometimes and how we got
it hot from the sergeant! Worst of it
was Mr.. Tryon was as nice young chap
as you'd meet anywhere, and the chaps
fair loved him. He'd got jolly sort of
smile on his face as made you feel he
wasn't thinking himself better nor you
because he was an officer. Well. he man
aged to come out with US somehow, and
we were glad enough, too, for we knew
he'd pan out all right, Gawd rest his
soul. We got stuck away at Newcastle.
In Natal, long way from everybody and
so miles from our base, and the old man
got nervous.
"You see, lads. although we were really
Mt war, we were supposed to be at peace.
and SO In such times you get to expect
treachery. Our telegraph Office was GO
Ing pretty nigh all day long, what with
one thing and another, and the colonel.
knowing that there was an Office at In
gosani, thought he'd see that all was on
the square. You follow me, eh?'
The question was beside the mark, for
every lads mouth and eyes were wide
open.
"Sure us fate, me and nine others were
told off to tramp down to that Gawd for
saken little hole. with young Lieutenant
Tryon in command. Ten solid miles.
lads. My Lord, didn't we cuss and
swear!
"Off we went. with orders to sleep that
night ut Ingogani and to make our report
next day at Newcastle. 1t didn't take
us long to find out, what some knew al
ready, that the young officer was real
good I'm, and I'm blowed if he didn't
give each of US two jolly good cigars
which he had brought from the officers
mess. So we lit up and slung along as
cheerful as grigs on q hearth, laughing
and talking as though war was out of
the question. 1t was nigh on 10 o'clock
before we got near the town. which was
quite deserted. 1t seemed like walking
through q dead place, for every house
was shut up and not light showing any
where. Then we made for the railway
station, where the telegraph Office was,
and there we saw light showing in the
window.
"'That's all right said the officer to
me. Push on, men; we shall all be glad
Of q rest
"Without a thought of anything wrong
we marched up to the station, and on the
platform slipped off our straps and belts
while the lieutenant walks up to the Of
fee and opens the door, Almost before
we could do more than open our silly
mouths out tumbles a lot Of Beers right
into the middle of us. We hadn't half a
chance, and not one of us got to his rifle
in time to fire even a shot. | marked one
chap with q clip on the jaw. but he paid
me ont for it when we were all strapped
up. curse him. for he damned his rifle
butt into the small of my back till |
could have hollered. Then they marched
us into the office, with our hands tied
behind US, and there we found the lieu
tenant. In front of the telegraph instru-
ment sat q shivering man. white as tai
low candle and looking fit to drop. while
on each side of him stood Boer in shirt
sleeves, with Martini rifle lying snugly
on his arm.
"'Now, roineks.' said big fuzzy whis-
kered man, I've trapped you like rats in
a trap. You didn't think that we were
going to sit still forever, did you? You
didn't think we had grit enough to get
behind your camp, did you?
eve were in hole. and that was GER
tain. and | gave up hope of ever seeing
the old regiment any more. Our chaps
tried to put bold face on it, but it was
a poor attempt. very poor attempt. l
looked over at the officer, and. by all
that's holy. lads. he was quite chirpy.
There was q bit of 4 smile on his face,
and it heartened me up.
"'Now, you,' the Boer snarled ut our
officer, you've got to telegraph up to
Newcastle US il from your headquarters
and order your regiment to go down by
rail to Ladysnith tomorrow. The cur,
there-he pointed to the telegraph man
knows the way to get to business. Ii
you hadn't come along making noise
enough for a whole commando, you'd
have caught us nicely. Now, then, we'll
give you FIVE minutes TO make up your
minds, and if you refuse-weli, every
man dies inside of seven minutes
"He said something to his men. and
| they trooped out of the room, and we
could hear horses moving up and down:
| The big clock licked away like IL bell, and
for few seconds no one said word.
suppose my face was the same color MS
the others, and theirs were green enough
"'Now, my lad began Mr.. Tryon'
coming near to the telegraph man, we've
got to do our duty'-his hands were tied
tight behind him, but he didn't vince, not
he. If you send off that message. these
devils will ambush the regiment or blow
up the train as it goes down tomorrow
and we may-mind, say may-save oul
skins. If, on the other hand, you wire
up the truth to Newcastle, the regiment
will march down with all precautions