The Washington times., 1906-07-22
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their body guards with liberal do
nations-and they remained en-
perors only so long az the Prae-
torians chose TO let them.
In 1872 they murdered the Emper-
or Pertinax. who seems 10 have
been an unusually fine specimen Of
the Roman emperor, and put The
empire NJ a auction. knocking X
down TO the highest bidder. who
happened &c be Juliug Didianus.
PertnaS ha6 ruled for eighty-six
days, but hf. successor was only
able 10 hole down the JOB for two
months, when the Praetorians made
one OF theil OWL projects. Severus,
emperor He promptly showed the
wisdom Of the selection by disband-
ing the Praetorians; though he re-
organized them ere long on a more
magnificent scale.
To come dowr to modern times
times that are stu within the
memory of living man-it is not
quite fifty years since history was
telling the same tale IN India, writ
ing into he, records IN letters Of
blood some gruesome chapters under
the heading Of The Great Mutiny."
II is &c be hoped that the chapters
now writing in Russia Will not be
such terrible reading as those were.
But always anc always il seems to
be the favorite regiments that are
the first 10 mutiny In the Sepoy
war it was the native troops whose
British officers trusted them most
implicitly who were the first to be-
tray that faith.
Some Of the greatest tragedies OF
that great tragedy were due TO the
blind and fond credulity Of old Ben
gal officers as to the starchness Of
their men. There was ColCnel Smith
OF the Tenth Native Infantry. station
ed at Futteguhr, seventy miles from
CawnpOre He cherished a piously
confident beliel in the oyalty OF hts
Sepoys. But they mutinied and OF
the little garrison Of thirty fighting
men anc sixty women and children
only one bOatload succeeded in reach
ing Cawnpore 70 eventually perish
amid the horrors Of that slaughter
house.
There was Colonel spottiswoods.
Of the Fifty-ffth Native Infantry,
stationed at Mardan. He blew out
his brains in grief and despair when
he saw HIS faithful Sepoys IN open
revolt His regiment fired on its Of
ficers and marched of to the hills
with its regimentaI colors. Nichol-
son followed and overlook it. hlled
$50 OF the men, captured another $50,
and executed forty Of them by blow
ing them from his guns-a pictur-
esque and dramatic form Of execution
original 10 the SepOy mutizy The
rest crossed the border end we're
hunted down by the hill tribes. Some
fell into the hands Of Mohammedan
fanatics and were ''converte ed" by
the arguments Of whip or sword, OF
were sold as slaves. They found
mutiny a bitter experience and prob
ably wished they'd been good. There
as all sorts of legends connected
with the wanderings OF this regiment.
of which Kipling has told graphical
ly in his story Of "The Lost Legion"
Then there was Colonel Simpson
in command of the Fifth Native In
fantry at Allahabad. He had the
most enthusiastic faith IN his men
regarded them as a regiment OF
dusky-skinned Sir Gallahads. each
one as faithful as Milton's Abdiel.
On the evening Of June 6, 1857, Col
onel Simpson read 10 his cherished
Sepoys the formal thanks Of the goY-
ernor general for their virtuous Of
fer TO go out and fight the wicked
mutineers at Delhi He odded on his
own account a glowing eulogy OF
their loyalty The SepOys cheered
him to the echo. and the gallant col
onel adjourned to the mess room,
there TO discuss with his fellow-ofi-
GERS the great comfort TO he derived
from the much enduring ddelity OF
their men.
Within four hours of being thank
ed by Lord Canning. and praised by
Colonel Simpson, the faithful SepOys
of the Sixth Native In antry had
murdered seventeen officers and all
the women and children of English
blood they could capture aid were in
fri march for Delhi. Simpson and
his officers ran to the parade ground
TO "expostulate" with their men.
Five officers were Immediately shot
down. Colonel Simpson was begin
ming to address a new series Of COM
plimentg &C his faithful Sepoys,"
but hey 'urned their muskets on
him and interrupted his eloquence
with a volley BY some miracle he
ESCAPED and galloped of to the fort