Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-03-26
"WEEDS."


- dock, with a don't-care-a-fig-fo for
~ anybody air.
What's the charge against these fell
lows?' inquired the magistrate.
Drunk and disorderly, your wor-
ship, and assaulting the police"
There was no defense.
ANY previous convictions?' asked his
worship, with a sour look at the two
youths of promise.
Ripper thrust his hands deep into his
pockets; Snipey, somewhat older,
watched the dock-keeper with an
anxious eye. There were previous con-
victions.
THAT will dor said his worship,
severely. you are evidently incorrigi-
BILE. Such fellows are the weed. of SO.
ciety. It's pity you can't beer
plucked out. You will be removed to
the house of correction for three
months" y
A raW-footed and broken detachment
of British infantry regiment was
stumbling gamely along a dreary ra-
vine in the interior of China The regi-
ment helped make up a relief force
which was hurrying to the rescue of a
missionary station. Two smart COM
panles had mustered in the gray light
of early morning and had set out to
'econnoiter in the hills. Through a child
like faith in the efficiency of the in
formation supplied by so-called intel
'shgence department, the major com
manding the detachment had got hope
"lessly out of his reckoning. The intel
Igence department of the Chinese had
not misled them, and by the late after
noon the British had fallen into an am
Dusn. From the rock ridges tlanking
the ravine the Chinese showed now and
then the CLEAN of a scimitar to their
prey. Little puffs of smoke appeared
more frequently still, and were some.
times followed by sickening little
'.plops," when the bullet met flesh and
bone in the valley. The dead lay
sprinkled in the wake of the British in
dabs of scarlet, as if they were playing
a weird game of hare-and- hounds with
death.
:. The end of their endurance came
when the shadows of the rapidly an
preaching night closed in upon them
. The word to halt was given and obeyed.
although its mellow note killed all hone
Rations of flour and water were passed
round, and, with the sentries posted
the little body Of British soldiers sat
or lay at ease, rifle in hand, waiting
for night and-death.
Two hours passed; then the COM
manding officer was startled from a
doze by a hoarse whisper.
"Majer! majerv'
"Hallo" he snapped. "Who the
devils that?'
ME, majer-Privit 'Arrison. I've hin
a-talkin' the persition over with a mate
friend, beggin' yer pard'n. sir-o'
mine, an We thinks theers charnce o.
savin' the detachment"
There were a few eXDletiyes in the
darkness.
who told the privates the detach-
ment wanted any savingT'
Then there was a sound like a SUD-
pressed chuckle, and the whisper re-
asserted itself. By and by the exple-
tives melted into answering whispers,
then followed silence.
Ten minutes after there slipped into
the silence the rustic of gently moving
men.
"Snipey, ole manr'
"Kipperr'
Two hands groped ridiculously in the
-inky night until they found each other.
A few answering cracks from the hills
were followed by the hum of wasted
ammunition.
"Majer said as it was a five-ter-one
eharnce," replied Snipey, with some
thing of Importance creeping into his
tone.
"Wot else did 'e say, mate, when yer
axed 'im?"
Say? Why, a few bloomin' AIR
lifters at fust as it's is nature to. Then
says 1, Me an my pal, majer, reckons
as these pigtails wun't want ter tackle
in the darkness, a-cause they might get
cut up bit, SO they'll wait an pot US
comfortable in the mornin',' Right "
are, ole chap says e. Then | says,
But If we tried to do a guy, majer,
ole pal, they'd smell a rat, an be down
! on us like lot O. winter sparrers on a
hidden Considerable powers O. pen
etration,' e says. Then says l, ma
jer, here's our plan. Let one or two
stop behind an keep affirm from diff
ferent places, an they'll think we're
all ere; then the rest O. the detachment
can creep of foxy The majer swears.