Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-04-18
THE TRUMPET CALL
. HERE was something '

Mn hEhh Wds something worse tna
weeping and wailing among tn
Pink dragons when 1t becam
known that their pet squadron ha
been gobbled up by the enemy and sen
of to !anguish in the retirement of tn
racecOurse at Pretoria. Even their oil
rivals. the Tyrone fusiliers. with whom
they had met and fought in all parts q
the world with belts and fists, had moth
ing but pity for them, and delicatel,
forbore to make any remarks upon tn
news.
Since they were under orders for tn
Cape the Tyrone fusiliers were on thei
best behavior, and the Pink dragOon
at the depot felt too low and depresse,
even TO desire a farewell fight with til,
Irishmen.
So they chummed instead. For tn,
first time in the history Of the British
army Pink dragons and Tyrone fusi
liers were seen walking together. drink
ing together and smoking each other.
tobacco. Some Of them even wake
out with the same girl, and proud wer.
the damsels who walked out escorted
by fusilier and dragoon, thus form
ing a link. as 1t 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 fusiliers had peppered the
dragons under the mistaken impress
Sfn hot fhnr
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 filed up the pipes
with water.
Perhaps the truest story Of the feud
was that which told how, when quar-
tered in the same town, after the Grim
can war. the dragons and fusiliers had
fntermarried freely. SO that they had
become almost as one family. All had
gone well until the daughters of the
fusiliers who had welded dragons be-
gan to patrOniZe the daughters of dra-
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 befallen 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 a last farewell.
and close-cropped heads were cufred
Wi bring 'em back. dn't you fear.
an their 'orses, too" said the Tyrone
fusiliers.
An ould Kruger wild EN-" inter
posed corporal on his own account.
Although there was plenty Of room in
the special train. the Tyrone fusillers
preferred to travel fifteen in a COIN
partment, as being more sociable and
convivial than the orthodox FIVE a side.
So the bugler had a compartment ali to
and was spreading himself ac-
cordingly.
Don't you be afraid, Danny" he
said to the trumpeter; "Tll keep a good
lookout for your chaps when we reach
es pretorier, an I'll see what can do
TOR 'em.'
Don't you be too sharp an get a-cut- |
tin yerself. Bugler Simmonsr replied
the trumpeter. with gentle sarca SIN. |
along O. that new bay'nit O. !,
yours. an If you see my pertickler /
friend. Corp'ral 'Awkey along O. them |
pris'ners, give i'm my love an arsk i'm
4 e likes Pretoria better'n Portland. |
All right. guv'nor-all right! Keep yer
ands orr the army, carn't yer. Its |
l-lavin' its precious lives for the likes
} you, amt it?"
These last remarks were addressed to
he guard.
Don't forget them calls l taught
'err cried the trumpeter to his depart
ng friend.
Not 'arfr' shouted back the bugler
Then. having made a grimace at the
,uard, he pulled in his head and settled
himself comfortably in the corner to
tart q tiny packet Of particularly vii
ainOus cigarettes which had been
'ressed on him by a sympathetic friend
Is they marched out Of the barracks.
Beyond the trumpeter of the Pink
lraf ms, Bugler Simmons had had no
riends to see him Off. He had not
missed this last tribute to the departing
older, since throughout his short life
e had never enjoyed the privileges Of
He had been an orphan at the tender
ge Of 6 months. had been raised in q
: orkhouse school, and had drifted into
ne army by reason Of his proficiency
, sounding wind instruments.
One lady, indeed, as the troops had
larched down to the train, had, much
} his Indignation, lifted him in her
rms and kissed hun.
Just as II l was n bloomin' baby!'
e remarked scornfully to himself as
e sat in the corner putting bravely at
Is cigarette: wait till we comes across
,me O. them Beers, that's allr'
Five weeks later the bad luck Of the
ink dragons fell upon the Tyrone {
lsillers. and Bugler Simmons had his
rst chance OF tasting the stern reali-
es OF war to the uttermost dregs Of
,e cup.
or course. 1t was robody's fault in
and everyhody's fault in
neral. and the fusiliers cursed moth !
& but their own proverbial luck. when
ley found themselves at the nightfali
day of battle cut of frcri the army
nd surrounded by an Overwhelming
rec of Beers.
They occupied the position Of some
rength, such as the Beers themselves
ve-a bowlder-strewn kopje, Standing 6