Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-07-20

Wed done iour years on the racine
ana were Lomewnrd bound, with
Pleasure ~ the helm. when we were
brought ZIP At 81. Helena by the news
Of Isandhlwiua. Old Dlcky Bradshaw
brought us back here on his own. and
three weeks later we were landed and
working our way up to Eshowe.
There's heen some talk lately about
first class lighting men We've tackled
several sorts OF them in our time, but
for sheer pluck the Iulu was second
TO none, IN my opinion. Some of them
would actually throw themselves on
our bayonets 80 That others could get
through. II that isn't the real thing.
| should Ike to know what Is. Bat
they don't smell nice In n scutie.
we used TO iry n few navy lodges
on them when we were In larger. We
pretended to abandon n gun nee and
when they gathered round. looking
down the muzzlc. let her go with a
long lanyard The tricks didn't al
ways come of, though. Our Gunnery
Jack planned n grand coup oncc-hc's
a captain now, lucky beggar."
':IIow was 1t you never got showed
up over II. old man?' SAID the major.
do you get showed Cp In the army
for doing your bit without shoutingT'
said Casomatc. my guv'nor won't let
me go up. II he knows n Johnny who
could give me n shove. he'll ask hin as
n favor not to do It.. because It might
smell unfair. But I'm satisfied. A
man TINT likes his mates Is better off
In a wartlroom than perked mp In a
captains cabin. alone with his noblli-
~. I don't want the money. ! like
my job. and when I'm tired of II I'll
go ashore and catch butterflies.
However. to get back to Gunnery
jacks coup. We used to be worried
a good deal Ivy night attacks. The
bcggars used TO try to rush us on dark
nights. aud even single fellows sneak
ed their way into the camp sometimes.
Jack laid out some mines Mt one
place we pitched at to welcome them
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 a little
distance of which had led Jack to ex-
poet attack from that SIDE and to lay
the mines there accordingly. We could
see dark forms moving about in the
scrub and cdglns toward us though
rather slowly. and after a rather tires
some wait Jack at length shouted.
Hcave her. and touched the key.
THE whole earth seemed TO rise up
in frort Of us, and then n shower Of
earth and stones fell all around. A
thing that rather surprised Jack was
the hind leg OF n mule which came
flying through the air and bowled him
Owe Ike n rabbit. He said 1t was the
Arst time he had ever been kicked by
a lex with no mule on II.
I'm the morning we found the re-
mains Of no less than six Of the am
mules scattered about. They had got
out somehow through n soft place In
the laaSer and nlblled their way round
to the scrub. Jack didn't do any more
mining"
That reminds me-" said the major.
''of the mining battalion at Chatham.
They blew up n bridge they'd crossed
a trench by and couldn't get back
again"
But what about Moses charm2"
said the correspondent. Where does
that come imp
THAT was another affair" said Case
mate more %SIGvcly. ia almost for
gotten. We used to get single nigsers
in ut night. as | said. in spite of the
sharpest lookout. You can't see a
black man far In the dark, you know
One night ! woke aud saw a big fellow
trying to unhood my gun from the tent
pole. lie was "A gigantic chap. and.
standing between me and tine tent
door, he loomed like n house. | felt
cautiously for my revolver. but he cL-
tber saw me or heard me. for his arm
went up. aud just for n moment his
assagai stood cross the @lght like a
at me-"
But the good old charm checked II
In midair." said the major.
mot quite In midair," said the lieu
tenant. Il felt a bang that | thought
had STAYED my chest In, and then he
vas on me. We scutled a bit, but |
got hold of the revolver aud let him
have a Mark IL just as our fellows
ran in. The spear had hit the baccy
pouch in my breast pocket-Of curse
! was lying down all rigged-and 1t
was brought mp against the stopper.
It's pretty hard, but he made n bit OF
n mark on II, you see. The matters got
the assagai AT home now with the point
turned mp like n bent pin"
'"rhe drawback TO your charm Is
that It only acts when It's IN the fine Of
fire." said the major. Still It was n
let of, old man. and ! congratulate
you ard ourselves, too, that you're
here 10 spin the yarn"
"And so say all Of us!' sang the othe
ers.-Navy and Army Illustrated.