The Springfield herald., 1913-04-18


the Distinguished Service
VV order. and now an assist
81 ant game warden in Brit
ish East Africa.
first saw the major In South Al
rica. and l got to know him. as rev
other men know him. while we were
both serving the British East African
government. This friendship between
us is one. for my own part. which
years can not lessen.
What history the man has back
OF his forty-odd years! What name
he has won for himself on the field
of battle and in police duties! 1t
seems almost impossible to tell all he
has seen. accomplished and endured
Perhaps one day some one will ven
ture to record In book form the many
deeds of daring this fraillooking Aus
tralian has to his credit It would be
a mighty task. but the result should
be worthy of the effort. for l know OF
no man who has more material to
draw upon. vivid true-to-life happen
ings In a varied career of excite
ment.
Ross was born in Australia way
back In the seventies or may be the
sixties. Emigrating to America when
still boy. he held first one post
and then another, until finally he drift
ed to Canada and enlisted In the
world famous Canadian mounted po-
lice.
Sometimes. II you can get him into
a talkative mood, he will tell you OF
riding many miles to capture danger
GUS criminals single-handed. Ross tells
with smile that he was never known
to fail on one of these hazardous un-
dertakings. If you look at his face.
you can understand why this is SO.
fortunately his record Is so well
known that 1t is not difficult matter
to gather material on his life.
l remember one day when we went
in camp together In East Africa
keeping law and order in a new dia-
mond field rush, which turned out
fizzle-Ross began to talk after din
ner of some OF his adventures with
the gun-men and Illicit liquor men in
the northwest of Canada.
He told US of one day capturing
band of four bandits. who we're noto-
rious for the number Of men they
had killed. Ross was sent out with
q trooper to capture them alive II pos
sible. Ye gods. think OF 1t! Two
men to capture the four worst men
in Canada! The two men rode across
the plains for several days until
they finally came upon the camp of
the bandits.
I'VE got EN-" ended Ross. Be
ing pressed for further particulars. he
reluctantly told US few details of
the capture.
Our arrival was surprise" he
continued. Il walked into their camp
accompanied by my trooper. Neither
OF us had drawn a gun. Bandits or
no bandits. they all know they can't
fool the N. w M. Police. One darn
ed fool drew gun. but I'm mighty
quick with my pea-shooter and winged
him. The others submitted, and we
brought 'em back to the chief. 1t
was sure some soft snap. that The
poor fellow ! had shot was buried
where he fell by his comrades They
didn't like doing 1t. but six-shooter
covering you makes a man do what
he's ordered. Leastwise. 1t always
has in my experiences"
1t is only by looking into his eyes
and catching the lines Of his mouth,
hidden partially by "a 2heayy mus
tnche, that one can read that behind
this hardened exterior turks heart
full Of kindness for comrade In dis
tress. Strange to relate he is pow.
er with women. All women like him.
and he himself loves the society of
the gentler sex. In the summer OF
1910 Ross was happily married in Lon.
don and has taken his wife back to
East Africa with him. Many a fair
lady's heart will be jealous Of the
woman who has become Mrs. Ross.
One day. when riding together
across the Athi Plains, Ross told me
that he had spent some years In
Utah. asked him II he was a
Mormon.
Sure thing. young feller. I'm bish.
op in the church" he laughed, and the
merry twinkle in his eye warned me
that little coaxing might bring out
a good story. And presently he
told me about his stay in Salt Lake
City.
Il gotten run out of there. mis-.
remember what for. The Mormon re.
ligion is sure some fine thing. All
your wives save up all the yeller-lee-
ged chickens to try and coax you to
favor them. don't believe in no suf.
frasette; Mormon ladies for mine.
Say. guess you better Join that out.
fit. All you gotta do is to stand IN
one day in the Tabernacle and an.
nounce that you've had revelation
for Sister Jane. and she becomes a
number five or whatever number ia
next vacant in your catalogue. / sure
had some mighty fine revelations in
Salt Lake City. Say. young feller.