The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-29
Stolen By Balloons.
By J. W. Quick.

My regiments fort, which lay be-
--ween Graham's Town and King Will
dams Town, was in my time as dull
slnd sun-baked a residence as ever
ested the patience and sObered the
spirits of the soldiers of the queen.
dhere was plenty of diversion and ex-
sitement during. the Kafir War. but
.apon peace being arranged we were
left as Mrs. Malaprop says. ito be
,Aered with ennui and donothingness,
.or the boundless veldt wrapt US
iround, in the dreary folds of its
tern solitude. Visitors were scarce;
-%aboons-in our district-were more
Plentiful than humans; these mischie-
Gus, ugly neighbors, ever resenting
.air presence in their country, roamed
bout in fierce gangs, their hoarse
ries almost the only sounds that dis
-sirbed the vast silence.
We were not cheerful company;
ar women had been sent down to the
APE before the outbreak; it was more
shan twelve months since we had
seard the rustic of a petticoat; our
manners were depreciating for want
4 the refining influence of woman's
resence. We yearned for the exhil-
rating babbie of female tongues, for
lie had almost exhausted our own con-
ersation. Our best stories from con-
'tant repetition had grown into hoary
..leaded chestnuts, and their narration
d mess met with derisive sarcasm.
We grew weary of the monotonous,
minteresting landscape; We were
,ared of the excessive blueness of the
dear sky. the constant glare of the
''ervid sun, and the too bright moon.
We longed instead for towns and thea
res, for display of millinery and pref
Y faces; in fact. for anything and
verifying we hadn't got. Captain
.durdo's charming young wife was
he first woman to return to the
.,prt: he fetched her himself from
iraham's Town, where she had been
ent for safety during the fighting.
A baby had arrived in the interval,
md as this delightful encumbrance
-secessitated nursemaid, the lady ar
lived, accompanied by Maggie O'Brien,
a light hearted girl, to whom all the
Jingle men paid immediate and amor
gus attentions. We in the officers
quarters with a zeal born of our long
4bstention from domestic joys, sur
rendered our affections to the baby.
Buffles was his pet name, a gem of a
baby, whose innate sweetness of dis
position threatened to dethrone his
.ire from his proud position of being
The most popular personality in the
Tort. The whole strength worshipped
Bufies. adored his mother and rever-
enced Captain Murdo.
Sergeant Jones held a reserve
force of affection, which, as the ac-
eepted sutton of Maggie O'Brien, he
1avished in addition on that careless
trifier. and when in a real park per-
ambulator she wheeled the baby in
the kloof, Sergeant Jones, erect and
-soldieriy, his chest expanded to the
utmost with the imitation of success
ful gallantry. was her constant. escort;
while score or more of rejected and
Jealous warriors, from distant points
VI vantage duu llOui wait VI oOulC"
thing better to do. looked on at the
counting with pathetic eyes of gloomy
interest.
The kloof was a patch of bush in
a rocky hollow that had been left
when the outskirts Of the fort had
been cleared for an unobstructed
range. There was grateful shade and
comparative GOODNESS to be found in
the kloof, and there Baby Buffies
usually took the air.
At early morn on one eventful day
Captain Murdo left the fort alone, on
a visit to a distant kraal. 1t was an
unusually burning and suffocating
day; the welcome GOODNESS of even
ing came at last, and we were seated
at dinner, which was graced by the
Ainspiring presence of Oar only lady.
bur manners had distinctly improved
nder her short regime, and our con-
brsation sometimes bordefed even ON
Killarney.
Suddenly. in the midst of our tests
pd laughter we were startled by va
accession of piercing screams froh
Ae direction of the kloof. end through