The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-02-10
FROM OLD KENTUCKY


you might have suspected that the
colonel was guying you. and you
would probably have been right. Nev-
HrtheleSs the colonel would have been
telling you the exact truth. Kentucky
had become too warm for him. The
immediate cause of this warmth in his
with another gentleman during
game of cards. in the course of which
he had been forced to use his pistol III
order that the other gentleman might
not use his.
Mr.. Sothern had had the good luck
to come out in a steamer chartered 10y
the British government for the trans
portation of supplies to Africa. On the
way out he had cultivated the ac-
Quaintance of the officer in charge
with an assiduity that can be appre
ciated only by those who have made
long voyage in supply ship. At first
that gentleman. lieutenant in her
majesty's service. did not respond cor.
daily to these advances. He changed
his mind a few days later. He was
practicing with his pistol at the time
with Indifferent success.
Harry Sothern. who had been watch
ing him, suggested that his aim was
too deliberate. The lieutenant turned
quickly and handed the revolver to
his critic, who showed him how it
ought to be done. When they reached
Natal the lieutenant introduced him
to the people whom it was desirable
for him to know. Just at this time the
Matabele war was on" After weeks
of waiting he got his permit to Join
bullock train which was on the way
to the front, where the lighting was
going on.
The main division of the British
South African corps had just defeated
a division of the Matabele army AT
kraal and had set fire to the villages
around that place Captain Williams
with about thirty-fve men, while pur
suing the enemy. was led into an am
bush and found himself cut off from
all chance OF escape in a small plain
surrounded by foothills fairly swarm
ing with the enemy. There was alb
solutely no chance for him. The pass
by which they had entered was al
ready occupied by the enemy There
was nothing to do but wait for help
or humiliation. He diSmOunted his
men in the middle of the plain among
a clump of bushes and small trees
The natives circled around out OF
range. INDUCING in what seemed to be
a war dance.
when | get out of this" began Har-
ry Sothern. I'm going into the under
taking business. There seems TO be
good field for it here"
An Old sergeant near by replied: on,
no; you're not. When you get out OF
this you're going to heaven if you've
been a good boy. If these devils leave
enough of you, you'll be a tit subject
for undertaking yourself"
Harry did not reply. He had taken
off his coat and was rolling it up to
put under the head of young ensign
who had been wounded as they enter
ed the pass and whom Sothern. amid
a shower of assagais and bullets. had
thrown across his saddle and had then
galloped after the rest. He could see
now that the boy was dying. and it
gave him a great thrOb of pity and OF
rage against those who had done it,
He wondered if the boy knew his con
dition.
A few minutes later the young sol
der was dead. Harry gently laid the
boys head back upon the ground and
then picked up his Winchester with an
oath. The natives were advancing all
around them with continuous shout
ing and beating of shields. The Eng
lish soldiers were picking off the Malta
belle warriors with a certainty and pre-
cision that nothing could withstand.
The natives broke and fed. With a
ringing cheer the men sprang to their
feet and fred and cheered together.
Harry Sothern staggered back with
bullet in his thigh.
Captain Williams helped his men
move the wounded to a more sheltered
spot behind the trees. Harry objected
to the arrangement for himself, say
ing: Don't bother about moving me
back. Just turn me over so can
shoot. I've got an engagement to kill
half a dozen niggers yet"
The captain laughed. Then. turning
to his men and for the first time
speaking to them as equals, he said
Gentlemen, lets sing Cod Save the
Queen.
Across the valley to the savages,
who were waiting like MIXTURES for
their prey. there floated the sound of
the national song from the threats OF
men who knew they would never sing
it again A Matabele chief who was
captured a few weeks later says that
the 5000 sayages stood awe bound for
moment before the handful of men
who were teaching them so easily how
not to be afraid of death. He says
that as they came across the valley for
the attack he could see a man in epau-
lets (the captain evidently taking the
loaded rifles from a wounded soldier
who was lying beside him loading
them as fast as the captain emptied
them. And he saw, too, man in CT
villains clothes-the same man who
had jumped off his horse to pick up
wounded man as they entered the val
ley-lying on his face and firing very
rapidly. And every time he fired a