The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-08

I with rising snarl. ITS full, It's
trickling all down my cuff"
''Never mind. bring what's left. We
must see before we can eat"
The lamps were filed and lit rough
handedly, and plate by plate and tin by
tin. with jackknives for tin openers. a
meal was dragged together.
The railway stan officer suggested that
II should be eaten in his room. and there
I enlarged on the duties and responsibli-
/ ties Of his office But the company were
/ tired. Moreover. r. s. O.'s were old birds
| TO them. They knew not less than eighty
/ OF the breed. and a few had been r. s.
] O.'s themselves
Il think" said the New Zealand doctor,
skewering cold timed herring with a
pocket knife. before I talked about
shooting rubbish up the line I'd try to
burn little Of the muck that's lying
about the station. Sweeping isn't any
earthly good
fOh. that department Is probably In
charge Of the officer commanding the
Royal Engineers" said the colonial cap
tain. with short, dry laugh. Vie mad
served IN. since the outbreak OF the war,
and counted thirteen engagements to his
credit.
"A little Of that lamp oil we wasted and
a match woulc do wonders" the New
Zealander insisted
Don't presume TO dictate TO the army
an imperial officer said. almost proudly.
I'm back an X. s. o. against any one
except"-he looked across the tabie-"a
sapper."
Were learning. I swear we're learn
ing. The young engineer flushed very
prettly. I'VE aren't such fools as we
were. The colonials have taught US n
lot. Take that Railway Pioneer corps
that's laying down the new line on the
north hank. for instance
Yes" the colonial captain grun:ad.
They're the pick of the Randall mine
managers and machInists and enuNneres
and boilermakers. They're working 6ou-
BILE shifts 10 finish the track because
they want to get home to Johannesburg.
Yes, I know about them" Again he
laughed unpleasantly.
"What?' the New Zealander asked
oh. the usual thing. They worked dav
and night, and OF course they wanted
more than service ration. so their COM
mandant-Phil Tenhroek. he's a big mine
manager when he's AT home-bouynt n
lot OF Bovril and peameal and made soup
or II and served 1t out to 'em at night.
z You can see their flare lamps across the
river now II you look. Day and night
they work. Well. the authorities found
he's spent FIVE whole pounds government
money and they told him he wasn't to
do IT, Mind you, that's now--now-now-
when every day-what am talking off,
every hours work means thousands of
pounds saved. Yes. they told him The
expenditure was unauthorized"
And them" said the young sapper I'M
easily.
"oh. then. You know Phil Tenbroek?
AT least I do. Phil sent a wire to Port
Elizabeth on his own hook for nifty
pounds worth OF Bovrii and peameal
He paid out of his own pocket. OF course;
but Philiy wants 10 get back to the Rand
as soon as possible and II seemed to him
the quicker that new line was laid the
better. And they'd have crippled the
whole corps-the best engineers In the
worId--for flyer, Nice tale. amt ftY
True, too. Look at their fare lampsl
They work"
Far away across the dark to the north
ward of the formlcss country ran lire
OF rre dots. The Railway Pioneer corps
were Mt work on the new track that
to connect with the temporary trestle
bridge. A dull boom came up the gorge
between the kopjes.
Blasting away the wreckage," the
colonial explained. Risky work at night
but Phil told me he was In hurry. Oh
Philly Tenhroeck Is n man. | bet he has
not taken off his clothes for a week"
Morning. hot and sultry. put out the
brought in train load OF troops from
the south to be added to the acres OF
dusty tentage around Folly bridge. The
travellers. including McManus, had seen
men and guns buck-w wagons doctors dust
aud wounded-stony hills and scrub
strewn downs--a few hundred times be-
fore. II pleased them better to observe
the II. g. o as he valiantly faced the
tenth day of his official life. The four
kafYirs had been disposed of. but ne was
still much troubled about the preached
whisky and much annoyed by the eccen-
tricities Of lunatic civilians who, solely
fer the jest OF n, wished To know when
they could get goods up TO Bloemfontein.
The hiE railway junction thirty mites be-
hind him was also A nuisance. II com
planned Of cougested goods yards and
desired him 20 the trucks Now. his de-
sire was to keep his end % the line neat
and open. and so far, he had succeeded.
He drew attention with pride to the long
empty stdiuEs which he had saved"
though he did not exactly specify the
purpose Of his economics There were
Tar too many people anxious TO go to
Rioemfontein. Officers. 80 course. if their
passes we're In perfect order. might be
allowed. but these idle civilians he was
free 10 say. annoyed him They simply
had no conception OF military matters,
and they never seemed to think a man
had orders. However. he had his orders
and. faithful as the Roman sentry over
whelmed In the lava % Nesuvius he
meant TO carry them out what other
wise was the sense ~ orders He paused
very often for reply. The station in
the warm. close air stunk "a heaven
Well that's an right" said tho New
Ncalander, "but when J was quite finished
with my orders II Seems - me- Id have
another cry AZ the rubbish about here Ny
word Look az that amount es unen-
played labor tn the camp
There were NO, fewer than two thousand
uen under canvas some Of them were
being drilled
McMaBas went for a walk through the
n}imosa bushes to loak az the hate bridge
II cost q hundred thousand pounds. and
somebody would have 20 account for It's
breaEsKe That Indirectly, was Ne.
Manus' department
Have N0u Reeu NJ MaHusf" cried a prt-
waite ~ the Railway Pioneer CORPS. as he
rssie up go the colonial captain sitting In
the window II What had bccn Folly
Bridge rcgrvshment room. "1'vo seen hsun
tie hooks as II he'd just come aut IT