Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-02-10
Stolen By Balloons.
By j. w. Quick.

py De w. NkulCh,
My regiments fort, which lay be-
tween Graham's Town and King Will
liam's Town, was in my time as dull
and sun-baked residence as ever
tested the patience and sobered the
spirits Of the soldiers of the queen.
There was plenty of diversion and ex-
element during the Kafiir War, but
upon peace being arranged we were
left" as Mrs. Malaprop says, ito be
bored with ennpi and donothingness,"
for the boundless veldt wrapt us
around, in the dreary folds of its
stern solitude. Visitors were scarce;
baboons-in our district-were more
plentiful than humans; these mischie-
vous. ugly neighbors, ever resenting
our presence in their country, roamed
about in fierce gangs, their hoarse
cries almost the only sounds that dis
turbed the vast silence.
We we're not a cheerful company;
our women had been sent down to the
Cape before the outbreak; it was more
Suttu IWSlSe uloulAo oluSS VIZ uau
heard the rustic Of petticoat: our
manners were depreciating for want
of the refining influence of woman's
presence. We yearned for the exhil-
arating babbie of female tongues, for
we had almost exhausted our own con-
-versation. Our best stories from con-
slant repetition had grown into hoary
headed chestnuts, and their narration
at mess met with derisive sarcasm.
We grew weary of the monctonous,
uninteresting landscape; we were
tired of the excessive blueness Of the
cleat SKY, the constant glare of the
ferV!G SIN, and the too bright moon.
We longed instead for towns and thea
tres. for display of millinery and pref
ty faces; in fact. for anything and
M SnirSdHsA ena T1nTrrgyyoung-wfrfe Was.
the first woman to return to the
fort; ~ fetched her himself from
Gral.,w S Town, where she had been
sent for safety during the fighting.
A. baby had arrived in the interval,
and as this delightful encumbrance
necessitated nursemaid, the lady ar
rived, accompanied by Maggie O'Brien,
light hearted girl, to whom all the
single men paid immediate and amor.
Gus f..teut:ons. We in the officers
quart.cs with zeal born of our long
abstent!on from domestic joys, sur
rendered our affections to the baby.
Buffles was his pet name, gem of q
baby, whose innate sweetness of dis
position threatened to dethrone his
sire from his proud position of being
the most popular personality in the
fort The whole strength worshipped
Bufles, adored his mother and rever
enced Captain Murdo.
Sergeant Jones held reserve
force of affection, which, as the &C
cepted suitor of Maggie O'Brien, he
lavished in addition on that careless
trifler, and when in a real park per
ambulator she wheeled the baby il
the kloof, Sergeant Jones, erect ant
soldierly, his chest expanded to the
utmost with the imitation of success
full gallantry, was her constant escort
while score or more of rejected ant
jealous. warriors, from distant points
Of vantage and from want of some
thing better to do, looked on at thu
counting with pathetic eyes of gloom!
interest.
The kloof was patch of bush il
q rocky hollow that had been lief
when the outskirts of the fort ha
been cleared for an unobstructe
range. There was grateful shade an
comparative GOODNESS to be found l.
the kloof, and there Baby Bufle
usually took the air.
At early morn on one eventful da
Captain Murdo left the fort alone, O
visit to O distant kraal. 1t was a
unusually burning and suffocatin
day; the welcome GOODNESS of ever
ing came at last, and we were seate
at dinner, which was graced by tn
inspiri-. presence of our only lad.
Our nan1.rs had distinctly improve
under her short regime, and our col
versation sometimes bordered even O
brilliancy.
Suddenly, in the midst of our jes
and laughter we were startled by
succession of piercing screams fro
/ the direction of the kloof, and throug
the oyen window saw vision of Sc
geant Jones running swiftly pas
while the biare of an agitated bug
call intimated surprise. We hu
ried from the table, to find the me
hastily assembling in obedience to I'll
cal. and were informed by one, Pl
vate Jago, with all the asperity of
blighted existence, that while Sc
geant .:,aes had been fooling Wi
that ier. i.ful girl, troop of babool
had swooped down. upset the peral
bulator, and carried off the neglectt
baby.
This was horrible! Our baby-o
pet Bufles-at the mercy of bru
apes. Mrs. Murdo stared with ter
fed, incredulous eyes at the emp
perambulator the sobbing girls al
the penitent and bewildered Jones.
hot haste, armed search parties we
started off on the spoor of the ba
oons, but the darkness was gatherir
their traces tsoon became indisti
guishable, even their direction W
lost, and after few hours the baH
pursuers began to straggle back to t
fort. bitterly lamenting their failure
It has fallen to my lot to rema
behind, and, in the absence of her h,
band. perform the painful duty