Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-02-23
We'd done four years on the Pacific

anu were nOmeWafd pound, with |
Pleasure at the helm, when we were
brought up Mt st. Helena by the news
Of Isandhlwana. Old Dicky Bradshaw
brought us back here on his own, and
three weeks later we were landed and
working our way up to Eshowe.
"There's been some talk lately about
first class fighting men, We've tackled
several sorts Of them In our time, but
for sheer pluck the Zulu was second
to none, In my opinion. Some of them
would actually throw themselves on
our bayonets SO that others could get
through. Ii that isn't the real thing,
| should like to know what Is. But
they don't smell nice in a scuflle.
1--WE used to try a few navy lodges
on them when we were in lager. We
pretended to abandon gun once and
when they gathered round. looking
down the mNzzle, let her 60 with Il
long lanyard. The tricks didn't al
ways come off, though. Our Gunnery
Jack planned a grand coup once-he's
a captain now, lucky beggar."
"How was 1t you never got showed
up over 1t, old MANI" said the major.
do you get showed up in the army
for doing your bit without shoutlng?"
said Casemate. my guv'nor won't let
me 60 up. If he knows Johnny who
could give me shove, he'll ask him as
favor not to do it. because it might
smell unfair. But I'm satisfied. A
| man that likes his mates Is better off
In n wardroom than perlked up in a
captains cabin, alone with his nobili
ty. don't want the money. like
my job, and when I'm tired of it I'll
60 ashore and catch butterflies.
However, to get back to Gunnery
Jacks coup. We used to be worried
good deal by night attacks. The
beggars Used to try to rush us on dark
nights, and even single fellows sneak
ed their way into the camp sometimes.
"Jack laid out some mines at one
with. One middle watch the word was
passed that they were coming, and we
all turned out to receive them.
"There was some loose scrub little
distance off which had led Jack to eX
pect attack from that side and to lay
the mines there accordingly. We coult
see dark forms moving about in thu
scrub and edging toward us, though
rather slowly, and after a rather tire
some wait Jack at, length shouted
'Heave her! and touched the key.
"The whole earth seemed to rise vi
in front of us, and then a shower o
earth and stones fell all around. !
thing that rather surprised Jack wa
!, the hind leg Of mule which cam
flying through the air and bowled hin
over like rabbit. He said it was til
first time he had ever been kicked b.
q leg with no mule on it.
'In the morning we found the re
mains Of no less than six Of the cam
mules scattered about. They had &c
out somehow, through a soft place i
the aager and nibbled their way roun
to the scrub. Jack didn't do any NOR
!, mining"
THAT reminds me-" said the majo
= "of the mining battalion at Chatham
They blew up bridge they'd crosse
a trench by and couldn't get bac
again."
But what about Moses charm!
;. said the correspondent. "Where doc
=, that come inT"
- "That was another affair" said Cas-
=. mate more gravely. I'D almost TO
u gotten. We used to get single ngge
in at night, as said, in spite of IL
~ sharpest lookout. You can't see
- black man far in the dark, you kno'
=" One night | woke and saw big fello
trying to unhood my gun from the tel
~ pole. He was gigantic chap, an
= standing between me and tine te
door, he doomed like a house. IL
u cautiously for my revolver, but he
Their saw me or heard me, for his ar
~ went up, and just for moment
;" assagai stood across the light like
window bar, and then it came straig
-, at me-"
W, "But the good old charm checked
~ in midair," said the major
~ mot quite in midair," said the lie
~ tenant. 81 felt bang that thong
=. had STAYED my chest in, and then
-. was on me. We scuffied a bit but
~ got hold of the revolver and let nj
~ have a Mark III just as our fello'
=, ran in. The spear had hit the bac
" pouch in my breast pocket-of coul
~ was lying down all rigged-and
-. was brought up against the stopp
ID It's pretty hard, but he made DIT
-" n mark on it, you see. The matters
III the assagai at home now with the poi
va turned up like bent PIN
e,s "rhe drawback to your charm
~ that it only acts when it's in the line
=" fire." said the major. "Still 1t was
r.. let off, old man, and l consratul'
as you and ourselves, too, that you
va here to spin the yarn"
Wv "And so say all Of us!' sang the o
a. ers.-Navy and Army Illustrated.