The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-20

three with Sir George White in the besieged
place and three with Sir Redvers Butler,
fighting for their deliverance. Word had
come 10 the house the night before that
Ladysmith might be relieved any hour, and
everyone knew that unless help came speed
fly the garrison would have to surrender.
Duty took me to Cambridge that day. l
had gone upstairs TO get ready, and as /
was coming down again 1 heard a shout in
the hall as If something had happened. but
st did not occur to me what it was. My
hostess was speaking excitedly somewhere,
and / could not catch what she was say
ing. Servants had rushed out from bed
rooms and other places and were standing
On the landings. As / reached the hall the
butter. a most stately parsonage. broke
forth from his quarters and rushed past
me, carrying his coat on his arm, and then
an his shirt sleeves. having forgotten to
put on his coat. and without a hattie will
likely deny this. but he was a spectacle for
gods and men-he ran-yes. he who was in
tended by nature TO be an archbishop-ran
across the square. Then 1 understood and
termed to a footman, who looked as If he
would like TO follow the butler.
"~Ladysmith?" was all 1 said.
Yes" he cried. Word come-War Omc
sem neGG-DuNleIB Dic-Lldht SUR LAat
ne went out to the doorstep to catch the
first sight of the returning butler. Mean
while my hostess had come down to the
hall. and there had gathered the household
of all kinds and degrees-my host and the
other guests had gone out-hOusemaids,
ladies maids, kitchen maids. footmen her
majesty the cook and every other person
beneath the roof. high and low. and we
49, Ill .-o,obrs,.r Let tbaro had haap ouaa
mistake In the message and the news were
not true. Then the butler came across st.
James's square, and when ne saw US stand
tng-forgetting himself again-he waved
triumphantly-but now he had on his coat
and then " knew that Ladysmith was
saved. We gave some sort of cheer and
shook hanGs indiscriminately. each one
with his nelghbor. and with two or three
~neigh5ors. and talked together, mingling
names of generals and relatives, and places
and battles, while the butler. who had ar
rived and regained his breath, but not
yet his unapproachable dignity. assured US
that the siege was lifted and that White,
f. and what remained Of his gallant men,
were unconquered.
IL was the time for me to start. and I told
the hanson man TO drive round by the War
Office, that 1 might see this great thing.
When we got down the press were just
leaving with the intelligence, and the first
detachment Of the public were reading the
news. Each man took the news in his own
Fashion, one laughing and slapping his
legs, another crying and speaking to him
self. a third rushing out to cheer. and ],
why I, being an Unconditional Scot, remem-
bered that if I fooled away any more time,
reading news Of victories. 1 might lose my
train, so I rushed back to the hanson.
TITS all correct?" and the driver, lean
ing down from his perch, determined not
10 let himself so till he was perfectly GER
tain that. not only the correct tip had been
given, but that at last the event had come
e.
"An right" L said. Buffers army have
driven back the Beers. and the advance
guard has entered Ladysmith."
Whereupon he whipped of his hat. and
standing up in his place, a stout. red-faced
Englishman in sporting dress. he gave a
cheer all on his own account, and then
when l got in he opened the trap and
shouted down, "OId Buffers done It; he had
q bloomin' tough job, but he's a game
sportsman. and 1 said he'd do it. And old
Buffers done it" Again he celebrated the
event with a cheer, and We started for
Charing Cross.
Something occurred to me, and / pushed
the trap open. Look here 1 said. the
people near the Wal Office have heard the
news. hut after we pass Piccadilly Circus
you'll be the first man to tell that the
siege is raised"
Right, sir, I'm on the job. Old Buffers
done it." BY the time we reached Blooms
bury he had the whole country TO himself,
and he did his duty manfully. AS We crossed
a thoroughfare. he would shout to the bus
drivers on either side: "Ladysmith relieved.
1ust come from the War Office. Old Buffers
done IT," Then in an instant. before We
plunged into the opposite street, one could
see the tidings run both ways, from bus TO
bus. from cab to cab. and the hats waving
IN the air. and hear "Ladysmith and Bull
Ter Bloomsbury is a fearfuIy decorous
and immovable district, inhabited by pro-
fessors and British Museum students. and
solid merchants, and professional men. but
my driver for once stirred up Bloomsbury.
= householder would be standing in his
doorstep in tail hat and frock coat, well
brushed. and with a daintily folded UNI
brera under his left arm. fastening the
lett button OF the second glove, and look
ing out upon the world from the serene
superiority OF a single eyeglass. Then he
would catch sight of us. and the sound of
something my driver was Ringing to the
men on a furniture van.
whats that" he would cry in a sharp.
excited. insistent voice. Anything about
Ladysmith2 ."
Relieved from the hanson top. War
Once news. Old Buffers done it,"
Down fell the umbrella on the step and
down came the eyeglass from the eye, and
with an answering cheer the unstarched,
enthusiastic. triumphant, transformed
householder bolted into his home to make
A. known from attic TO kitchen that White
and his men had not fought in vain.
Round the dust bin at the corner of a
street half a dozen street boys were gath
.rsd and the driver in his glory passed a
word TO them also. They did not know
where they would get their dinner. and they
80 not had much breakfast: their whole
stock OF clothes would not have been worth
one shilling ninepence. and not one Of them
had a cap. but they also were a bit OF Eng
land and this victory was theirs, and the
,oSt 7 saw OF them they were standing each