The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-06
BY Rudyard Kipling
Only a Subaltern

subaltern at the helm. The Private glared un-
easily at the subaltern. who respected the reserve
of the Private
After six hours Dormer paced to the stern. sa-
luted and said:-"Beg y pardon. sir. but
you ever on the Durh'm canal7"
NO" said Bobby Wick Come and have some
tiffn."
They ate In silence. AS the evening fell Pri-
waite Dormer broke forth speaking himself
Hi the Durh'm Canal, jes' such
night come next week twelve month. a-trailin' of
toes in the water" He smoked and said
more bedtime
The witchery the dawn turned gray
river-reaches to purple, gold and opal; and II
though the numbering dhoni crept across
the splendor of a heaven.
Private Dormer popped his head out OF his
blanket and gazed at the glory below and around
"Well-blast-my eyes" said Private Dormer
in awed whisper. This ere is like bloom
In gallantry show For the rest OF the day
he dumb. but achieved ensanguined hlthi-
ness through the cleaning of big Ssh
The boat returned on Saturday evening.
had been struggling with speech since noon
AS the lines and luggage were being disem-
barked, he found tongue.
Beg y pardon sir" he said. but would
you-would min shakin' 'ands with me
"of not" said Bobby and he shook
accordingly. Dormer returned to barracks and
Bobby
He wanted little quiet and some fishing l
think" said Bobby My aunt but he's filthy
sort of animal! Have you seen him clean
them muchly- fish with is thumbs"
Anyhow" said Revere three weeks later hes
doing his best to keep his things clean"
When the spring died, Bobby Joined in the
general scramble for Hill leave, and to his sur
prise and delight secured three months.
LAS good boy as I want said Revere. the
admiring skipper
The best Of the batch" said the Adtutant to
the Colonel. Keep back young skrim-
shanker Porkiss sir. and let Revere make him sit
up
So Bobby departed joyously to simula Pahar
with tin box OF gorgeous raiment.
"'Son of Wick-old Wick of Chota- Buldana?
Ask him to dinner dear" said the aged
What nice boy!" said the matrons and the
maids
First class place. smla. Oh. ri-ipptng." SAID
Bobby Wick. and ordered cord breeches
the strength OF 1T.
We're a bad way" wrote Revere to Bobby
at the end of two months "Since you left, the
Regiment has taken to fever and Is fairly rotten
with 1.-TWO hundred in hospital, about a
dred in collaborating keep off fever-and
the Companies parade fifteen ale strong at the
outside There's rather sickness in the out
villages than 1 care for but then I'm so blistered
with prickly- heat that I'm ready to hang myself.
What's the yarn about MASKING Miss
Haverley up there? Not serious I hope? You're
over-young to hang mllstones round your neck,
and the Colonel will turf you of that in
double-quick time If you attempt it."
1t not the Colonel that brought Bobby out
of Smla. but much more to be respected Com
mandant. The sickness In the out-vilages spread.
the put of bounds, and then
the that the Tail Twisters go into
camp The message flashed to the Hill stations:
"Cholera-Leave stopped - Officers recalled"
Alas, for the white gloves in the neatly soldered
boxes, the rides and the dances and picnics, that
were to be, the love half spoken and the debt
unpaid! without demur and without question.
fast tonga could fly pony gallop. back
their Regiments and their Batteries. though
they were Fastening to their weddings. fled the
subalterns
Bobby received his mandate returning from
a at Viceregal Lodge where had
but only the Haverley girl knows what Bobby had
said how many waltzes he had claimed for the
next ball Six in the morning Bobby the
Tonga Office in the drenchng rain, whirl o.
the last waltz still in his ears. and intoxica-
tion due neither to wine Waiting in his brain.
Good man. shouted Deighton of the
Battery through the mists "Whar you raise
tonga? I'm coming with you. Ow! But I've
a head and half I didn't sit all night.
They say the Battery's awful bad"
MY faith. It'll be baly corpse than
bride. though. this journey Jump in. Bobby.
Chalo Coachwan!"
Umballa platform waited a detachment
of officers discussing the latest from the
stricken cantonment. and 1T was here that Bobby
learned the real condition of the Tail Twisters.
They into camp" said elderly Major
recalled from the whist bles at Mussoorie a
sickly Native Regiment they into camp
with two hundred and ten sick in carts. Two
hundred and ten fever only, and the balance
looking like SO many ghosts. with A
Madras Regiment could have Walked through
EN-"
Bobby pressed his forehead against the rain
splashed window pane the train numbered
across the sodden Doab, and prayed for the health
of the Tyneside Tail Twisters.
Bobby fought his way through the rain to the
Tail Twisters' temporary mess and Revere could
, have fallen the boys neck for the joy of
ing that ugly. wholesome phiz once more