Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-10-05
By JOHN STOCKHOLM.

"Now, then, Casemate, let's heal
from you," said the major.
The gunnery heutenant-Gunnery
Jack he was called afoat-roused him
self with a start. 81 beg your par
don, chaps" he said. 81 can think OF
nothing but that broken recoil spring
of my AZ. It's hard lines to be hung
up like this just when you're wanted .
"Neyer mind, old man." said the adj
jutant. you've made hit if she new
er fires another shot. Your mems
shooting has been an eye opener"
'My old gunner's mate said when !
complimented him on good shot.
We'll, sir, with fixed target and us at
anchor, too, when once we get the
range something's got to shift If
we'd had few big guns in the Zulu
turnout, we should have finished that
job a bit quicker
"Were you in that swim, too?D said
the major.
EYES," said the lieutenant; 81 was a
young sub then-one of old Dicky
Bradshaw's boys from the Shah.
South Africa runs in our family. My
old dad was out here, too, in the Kaff1r
affair.
81 got that from him." he added, pro-
ducing from his tobacco pouch rather
dirty looking object like small eye
bolt or clock Key with hole in it.
1t was extremely heavy and hard and
as far as could be discovered through
it's outer coating of tobacco ash and
dust was of some metallic stone"
''What is it," said the war CORE
spondent, "a baccy stopper?"
'"That's what / use it for" said the
lieutenant, "but by rights it's charm
for saving life"
81 know a man myself" said the
major, "who carries a potato in his
pocket to keep off the rheumatism"
'"This might save you from hang
ing" said the adjutant. "but it
wouldn't help you much if you were
drowning. It's extraordinarily heavy
for it's size"
: SIT saved my life once" said the lieu
tenant quietly. "-~4.,"-a asss521s -'ssr,~ .
ga yarn, a yarnw said the major.
H"Order, please, for the yarn of the
mystic charm that keeps you from
harm and alarm. Pegs round first.
Now, then, Gunnery John, unfold your
curly tale"
81 must begin with the dad" said
Casemate. Gle was out in the Kafir
affair, as said, in 1852. He was in
command of the old Forty fourth"
"Begad! thought you'd got an
army back on you," said the major.
"Why did you leave us, Jeremiah|
you've heard of an old chief nam
ed Moshesb ?" resumed Casemate.
eyes, but he was farther north,
wasn't he?" said the major. 'eYou
mean Moses?'
This was a descendant of his, / |
expect. He was boss of the show
among the niggers here in the early
lays. He was the original early bird
about these parts. Well. a descendant
II this old Johnny was captured by
he Forty fourth, and. owing to some
bit Of dirty work he'd been mixed up
With. our. men wanted to chop him UP.
"But the guv'nor said, No. discipline
q discipline and q chiefs,a chief. al
hough, like the poor Indian of un-
utored mind, he clothes him before
ind goes bare behind He gave him
! tent to himself and a Bible to read
ind used to explain It. to him in the
evenings after lighting hours,
Curious chap the guy'nor was I'vel
heard him say that some Of the chief'sI
Questions used to keep him awake all
light trying to think OF the answers.
However, they got so. thick, that.
vhen they parted, the. chief. who was
DING down to the Cape for trial. gaye.l
i'm this bit Of STUFF. He said II wasl
he most precious thing he could give
i'm. 1t had belonged to Moshesh and
ad been kept In the chiefs family
ince the time of Ham, think. 1t was
safe cure for Ague and would guard (
be wearer against any form Of violent
cath.
'"The guv'nor said that as the result
t the trial was SO uncertain the chief
ad better keep it himself But the
Id man said he would rather die than
nything should happen to the guv'norl
nd forced it on him." i
"Rummy chaps these niggers.. said
ne adjutant. where they take. You
m fetch EN- with music too. A fid- j
LEI can Head EN- anywhere. they say" L
Eyes, they'll follow him with
ricks. said the lieutenant. Il was in /
ship once on the west coast that car
ed q band. and the seeded boys asked
lat all the instruments might be stop |
ed except the drum. A taste for mu-