The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-04-11
ORDEAL OF The
NEW RECRUIT
The Initiation Of an Embryo
General.

Inc OmcerS OF the tn nuSSaEB were
profoundly moved Commissions In the
regiment had from time immemorial
been reserved for the sons of noble
men. and now John Hunkins. the son
Of retired brewer. had been appoint
ed. There was babel Of vo4ces at
the junior mess, all raised In protest
against this invasion Of prerogative
Of the peerage. One man sat quietly
Neutrality-suspicious. a word. but he was a
younger son of a baronet who had
made money In trade and had been ad-
mitted to the sacred circle of titled
people because he had given his for
tune to the poor
Its very easy to get wild of these
common intwuders." said Lord Hart
ley "All we have to do is to fweeze
'em out"
"Just So" assented the Hon. Mr..
Maxcey.
But suppose their beggarly natures
are too obtuse to see what's meant by
the tweatment we give EN-" put in
the Earl Of Harrowby.
in that case" Hartley explained,
well appoint committee to visit
their rooms and smash their furni-
ture."
"A very effective measure" re-
marked the Hon. Mr.. Maxcey.
"Twotter," said Hartley, you don't
seem intewested In the matter at ALL"
Pm not
| "Oh. Twotter's not been one of our
kind long enough TO be intewested!'
sneered Harrowby.
That's just it." replied Trotter com
posedly.
| At this point who should walk into
the messroom but the subject of the
discussion, well built. ford young
Englishman. with faxed hair and blue
eyes.
Good evening, gentlemen" he said.
taking seat and helping himself. Pm
glad to be one Of you"
There was dead silence around the
board for some time, during which
iHunkins was satisfying his appetite.
The silence was broken by the Hon.
Mr.. Maxcey. Turning, be brought his
monocle on the newcomer and said:
Il say, isn't your father brewerT
HE was" replied Hunkins fmper-
Iturbably
"well. then, why didn't he bring you
lup to the business?"
"Isn't your father Lond Bungleried?
eyes"
"Well, why didn't he bring you up
to be gentleman"
Some Of the mess smiled. but those
who had been most active with their
tongues then and there resolved that
the brewers son must be frozen out
But Hunkins appeared to be too OBJ
Ituse to see their intentions or too good
lnatured to notice them. and they re-
solved upon more strenuous means. A
lcOmmittee went to his quarters and
smashed some chinaware which he
Igreatly priced The next evening be
visited the quarters OF three men he
suspected and smashed whatever he
could find that was easily breakable.
When the officers of the junior mess
Assembled for dinner that evening
There was a worse hubbub than when
they had discussed the new appoint
Iment In the midst of it In walked
lHunkins.
Gentlemen" he said. I've been
Iobliged to retaliate for the breaking of
my china without being sure Of the
men who did it. If have made any
mistake I'm ready to apologize and
REPLACE what / have damaged. If not
I'm ready to give satisfaction after
dinner on the tanbark In the riding
hall"
1t appeared that he had made no
mistake, for Hartley, narrowly and
Maxcey, whose articles he had broken,
all claimed the privilege of knocking
him out Hunkins undertook to salts
fy these gentlemen in the order nam
ed. He had good muscle and was a
fine boxer. Hartley was soon put out
Of the fight, but narrowly was not so
easily disposed Of Hunkins had need
for all his skill and endurance. He
finally knocked out the noble lord. but
when he had done so he was next to
knocked out himself. The best man
Of his three enemies still remained
beg pardon" said Trotter. stepping
forward TT wouldn't be becoming Of
us as gentlemen to permit newcomer
among us to fight three men on the
same evening I'll take Mr.. Hunkins'
place with Mr.. Maxcey."
There's no quarwel with you, Twot-
ter" Hartley protested
"Cewtainly not" said Harrowby.
But Englishmen respect courage, and
the others present thought that Hum
kins In fighting two men had done all
that could be expected of him Max
eey proved that he was not disposed
to take advantage of a winded adyer-
sary and consented to meet the sub
stitute. The fight that followed was
long one. The disputants were evenly
matched. and neither could get the adj
vantage Of the other. When it was
found almost impossible after the
twentieth round for either to come up
to the scratch the fight was declared
Of, and the incident of smashed furni
ture was a thing of the past.
And so was the objection to Hun
kins. He had won his way into the
most aristocratic regiment In the Brit
ish service by simply pursuing a
straightforward course Hunkins Is
now general. having won his princi-
pal promotion during the Boer war.
Trotter has long been a member Of
| parliament and at one time held a
seat in the cabinet Hartley and Max
cey were killed in battle. and Harrow
| by. who has succeeded to the title. IL
living on his estates.
L