The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-11-15
! THE ARMY CHAPLAIN /.

the hot weather was beginning,
10 take charge of the souls of some
600 human beings.
He made quaint figure as he stood
beside the river steamer, in the cruel,
binding heat, waiting for the Burman
coolies to take his baggage up the
sand bank to the transport cart. The
large white sun-helmet had a ludicrous
effect above the thin, freckled face
and the short body; the loosely-fitting
duck suit seemed only to show up
more clearly the sloping shoulders and
narrow chest. Certainly not a man
to impress one favorably at first sight;
and it did not take the station long to
agree that his social qualifications
were in keeping with his appearance.
He was the guest of the regiment on
the night of his arrival, and sat in the
place of honor on the colonel's right.
The colonel heaved an obvious sigh of
relief when we rose, and the guest
was handed over to be entertained by
US.
We tried for many nights to make
something of him, for we were regi-
ment with reputation for giving q
happy home to strangers within our
gates, and we felt for once that we
were turning out failure.
He was not a success in the pulpit,
either; his best friends-if he ever had
any-could not have called him bril-
] liant preacher. The sermons he read
certainly must have been his own, they
were SO intensely uninteresting.
Tommy Atkins may not have strong
religious inclinations, but he is very
much a human being, and once he is
your friend there are infinite possibili-
ties. On the strength of polite but
forcible hint, the padre made q feeble
attempt to enter into barrack-room
life. The men bore it more or less pa
tiently for time, but soon began to
shnn him like the plague, or sham
sleep when he caught them in the
bungalow.
The hot weather had been worse
than usual, and had been sickly sea-
i son; and in the middle of it cholera
had come to strain tense nerves to
breaking point. The men, ordinarily
90 easy to deal with, were getting out
OF hand, and acts of insubordination
were cropping up daily, which neither
kindness nor punishment seemed able
TO repress. 1t eventually eliminated
through the padre.
Private Loxton, of company G, had
been brought before the commanding
officer, and punished for disorderly
conduct in church. The following
sunday, the padre, with culpable want
OF tact, leveled portion of his ser
mon at the offender, who sat there sui.
len from his punishment. Private
Loxton laughed out loud. There wa.
nothing for it but further punishment
and Private Loxton went to the al
ready well-filled cells. On the day Of
MS release, the color sergeant went
With troubled countenance, to his cap
tain.
Beg y'r pardon, sir, I don't quite
nke the looks of things in the company
1nere's Loxton, and Smithers, anG
1eown, and one or two more, alway.
nlspering together, and shutting W
Nnen go near. I treat them as ten
VERY as | can, sir. but it's no use; ant
mink there's mischief brewing"
Merrall thought for minute.
III tell you what, color sergeant
send Loxton round to my bungalow
Wath note this evening, and I'll hav,
quiet, friendly sort of chat with him
ma see what can do. He used to b.
decent enough chap, in his rougl
Say, until lately"
But Private Loxton had made hi
oWn arrangements for that evening
sad had set off, with rifle and ammu
lauon, to practice at the range. An,
A .nortly afterward the padre starte,
Jungle.
before he had gone far he hear,
sound of some one running fas
enlnd him. and turned round, midi
ondering how anyone could find en-
~ enough to run. Private Dawkin
.uted, gasping and perspiring.
me color sergeant saw you, sir, an.
81 81. me to say as Private Loxton 'av
sek is rifle for the range, but e 'asn'