The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-12-19
| 1 D!oesk
| I1 Adventdre.
Trooper Browne.

'TWO years and a half ago.
when the schools opened for
the spring. one OF the boys OF
the Whittier, J. McElroy
Browne. turned up missing Eight
days afterward his father, Daniel w.
Browne. with Offices In the New York
Life Building. received a letter saying
that about the time you will receive
this. dear father, will be sailing out
OF New Orleans for South Africa"
That explained why McElroy. or
| Mack" as his family name Is. was
absent when the Whittier opened. Fif-
teen years Of age. he ought 10 nave
turned around at New Orleans 10 come
back 10 school. He is back now, or
was here a week ago. having just
turned his seventeenth birthday. Bar
ring hole drilled through the calf OF
his right leg and the swing Of a cal
varyman. the Kansas City boy is none
the worse for his two years and four
months fighting on the veldt. He
was under fire dozens of times. cap
tured once, had four horses shot under
him, was hit once. and on one occa-
sion shared with an old East Indian
Britisher the distinction Of being the
only survivors Of troop OF 100 who
went into action. The two survivors
got away by making a break for the
brush and hiding out over night.
I'VE did not know a thing about his
going away said Mr.. Browne, Sr
yesterday. "He had been mixing up
with the mule buyers at the stock
yards. Next thing we knew he was
off for Africa with lot Of the mules.
Then We heard that he had enlisted in
Brabant's Horse. After that he went
into the Petersburg Horse, and finally
wound up with Steineker's Horse. He
was discharged from that command
last.
Mack had lots OF experience. but he
was hit only once. He was riding one
day when his foot went 10 sleep. He
ratified his boot around in his stirrup
TO awaken it, but il did not do the
trick. After a little while when he
was trying to get up circulation he
felt something 'slishing around in his
boot. Come 10 look it was full of
blood. A Mauser bullet had gone
through his leg.
He does not seem to think so much
about that wound as he did about
Jimmy eastman. a New Zealander
as fine as they make them. Jimmy, the
troop sergeant. was the life Of the COM
mand. His jokes were the richest
when the firing was the closest. lie
came of good family, was rich. and
about to be married. One day, Stein
eker's Horse was dismounted. Firing
was going on at 1900 yards. Mack,
my boy, lay behind n little hillock,
though on the side of hill with the
crest in front Of him. when Sergeant
Jimmy came up to speak TO him. Spat!
Something npped Mack's hat, and the
next thing he heard the sergeant tum-
BILE. The bullet had gone through
Mack's hat and Jimmy Cashman's
chest He died with a merry laugh
for his farewell to his comrade, poor
fellow. They buried him in his
blanket, the smile still on his dear
face Afterward, his family sent
man out all the way from Australia
10 find tn, grave and ship the remains
home, but no amount of money could
do IT,"
McEl:oy's latest action was inter
esting.
He told u.s. said tn. father of the
schaolboy," that Stcineker's Horse, $50
strong, was augmented by another
squadron of about 200, most of them
Beers. Mack's Captain ordered Stein
eker's Horse to rush a kopje on which
he estimated there were thirty-five
Beers. When Mack and the balance
of them got well within range. a vol
ley uuhorsed fifty of them. The COM
manding officer then discovered that
instead Of thirty five he had 100 men
to negotiate with, concealed and be-
hind breastworks. There was nothing
TO do but TO retire. for the rear Boer
squadron never budged. They just left
the British horse TO stand the brunt
of the losing attack. The enemy made
the most of the check and before the
fight was over they had killed or
wounded every man in the command
but about a Dozen"
Relating the capture OF McElroy, Mr..
Browne said:
with an East Indian soldier named
Cove he escaped being shot down in
n fearful little skirmish. He lodged
into the brush and laid out all night
Next morning he saw what he thought
was a British camp and started for It,
\ Boer halted him. told him he was
captured, took from him his watch
and about 5000 in money and his shoes.
and then let him 60 on into camp
When Mack got into camp he was
taken before the commandant-Detoy
he pronounced the name. Detoy found
out that Mack was an American and
asked him how it was that any Amer
lean could be found TO fight against a
republic. Mack told him how he hap
pened TO get into the war. One Of the
! men standing with Detoy then asked
Mack IL he would not stay and fight
with the Beers. Mack said that he
would be a traitor 10 turn against The
men he had served with. Detoy told
him, NY boy. l think more of you for
that than before and he allowed him
TO go. Mack told about being robbed.
and Detoy said he would try and have
the money and the watch restored
Nothing came OF 1t. however. Mack