The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-03-30
TIE Subaftern'S
A Story Of Plucky Young Officer In
the Boer War of 1881.
BY Frederick @. Engelback.

| OoOOOOooOOCoOO OoOOOOooOoOOC
| 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 Is drill.
ing along O. us it's we poor coves as got
to bear the blame IL they makes a mis-
take"
"And good job, too" chimed in a
fresh voice from behind. "lts 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 a
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. lads about them.
"I'd been in the corps 12 months when
the war began, and just missed being
sent to the depot with lot of our young.
sters. We had serving with lis young
officer called Tryon, and, do what he
could, the drilbook fair mastered him.
Gawd's truth! What mess he'd make
of our squad sometimes and how we got
it hot from the sergeant! Worst of 1t
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. W&, 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
at war, we were supposed to be at peace
and go In such times you get to expect
treachcry. Our telegraph office was 60
ing pretty nigh all day long, what with
one thing and another, and the colonel
knowing that there was an office at In
gogani, thought he'd see that all was on
the square. You follow me, ch?'
The question was beside the mark, for
every lads mouth and eyes were wide
open.
"Sure as fate, me and nine others were
%,lJ t, <ra 10 hot (, ,nyv 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 at 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 Pm blowed II 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 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 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.
"'Thats all right said the officer to
me. Push Oh, men; we shall all be glad
of rest
"Without 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 lot of Beers right
into the middle Of us. We hadn't half a
in time to fire even a shot. l marked one
chap with ip on the jaw. but he paid
me out for when we were all strapped
up, curse 1, for he jammed his rifle
butt into small of my back till
could have llered. 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 shivering man, white as tai
low candle and looking fit to drop, while
on each side Of him stood Boer in shirt
sleeves with a Martini rifle lying snugy
on his arm.
"'Now, roineks.' said big fuzzy whis-
kercd man, I've trapped you like rats in
n 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 your
"\Va In n hnIn and thnt
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.
looked over at the officer. and. by all |
that's holy, lads, he was quite chirpy.
There was n bit Of smile on his face,
and it heartened me up.
"'Now, you,' the Boer snarled at our
pffcer, you've got to telegraph up to
Newcastle as II from your headquarters
and order your regiment to go down by |
rail to Ladysmith tomorrow. The cur,
!here-he pointed to the telegraph man
knows the way to get to business. II
v0u hadn't come along making noise
enough for q whole commando, you'd
lave caught us nicely. Now. then. we'll
give you five minutes to make up your
minds, and II you refuse-well, every
nan dies inside of seven minutes
"He said something to his men, and
hey trooped out Of the room, and we
,ould hear horses moving up and down.
The big clock licked away like bell, and
'or few seconds no one said word. l
suppose my face was the same color as
he others, and theirs were green enough.
"'Now. my lad began Mr.. Tryon,
coming near to the telegraph man, we've