Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-18
BY Rudyard kipling

will turn you out Of that in double quick time
If you attempt it"
1t was not the Colonel that brought Bobby
out Of Simla, but much more to be respected
commandment The sickness in the Out-villages
spread the Bazaar was put out Of bounds. and
then came the news that the Tail TWisters
must go into camp. The message flashed 10
The Hill stations; "Cholera-Leave stopped
officers recalled" Alas for the white gloves
in the neatly soldered boxes, the rides and the
danes and picnics, that were to be, the love
half spoken and the debts unpaid Without
demur and without question, fast as tonga
could fly or pony gallop, back to their regi-
ments and their batteries, as though they were
Fastening to their weddings, fed the subaltetns.
Bobby received his mandate returning
from dance at Viceregal Lodge where he had
but only the Haverly girl knows what
Bobby had said how many waltZes he had
claimed for the next ball Six in the morning
saw Bobby at the Tonga office in the drench-
ing rain, the whirl of the last waltz still In
his ears, and an intoxication due neither to
wine nor Waiting In his brain.
Good mani" shouted Deighton OF the Horse
Battery through the mist "Whar you raise dat
tonga" I'm coming with GU. Ow, But I've
a head and half. didn't sit out all night.
They say the batterys awful bad
MY faith. It'll be more bally corpse than
bride though, this journey. Jump in, Bobby.
Chalo Coachwan?'
On the Unballa platform waited a detach
from the stricken cantonment, and it was here
that Bobby learned the real conditions OF the
Tail Twisters.
They went into camp, said elderly Ma
jor recalled from the whist tables at Mussoore
TO Sicky native regiment, they went into
camp with 210 sick in carts. Two hundred and
ten fever cases only; and the balance looking
like so many ghosts, with sore eyes A Mad
ras regiment could have walked through EN-"
Bobby pressed his forehead against the rain
smashed window a frai nhRrn6
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 on the boys neck for the
Joy of seeing that ugly, wholesome phiz
more.
Keep 'em amused and interested" said Re
we're They went on the drink, poor fools af-
ter the first two cases, and there was no i'm
provement Oh, it's good to have you back,
Bobby! Porkiss is a-never mind.
Deighton came over from the artillery camp
to attend dreary mess dinner, and contribute
TO the general gloom by nearly weeping over
the condition of his beloved battery. PorlIiss
50 far forgot himself as to insinuate that the
presence of the officers could do no earthly
good, and that the best thing to do would be
to send the entire regiment into hospital and
let the doctors look after them" Porkiss
demoralized with fear nor was his piece
of mind restored when Revere said coldly:
oh, the sooner you go out the better if
that's your way of thinking Any public school
could send us fifty good men in your place,
but it takes time, Porkiss, time and money,
and certain amount of trouble to make
regiment 'Spose you're the person go into
camp for. Ell ~
Whereupon Porliiss was overtaken with
great and chilly fear which drenching rain
did not allay, and two days later quilted this
world for another where. men do fondly hope
allowances made for the weaknesses of the
flesh The Regimental Sergeant Major looked
YEARLY across the Sergeant's mess tent when
the news was announced.
There goes the worst Of them" he said. "Pll
take the best and then please God, it'll stop"
The Sergeants were silent till one said-'It
couldn't be him" and all knew of whom Travis
thinking.
Bobby Wick stormed through the tents of
his company, rayng. ~rebuking, mildly as is
consistent with the regulations. chatting the
faint hearted; haling the sound into the watery
sunlight when there was a break in the wealth
err and bidding them be of good cheer; for
their trouble was nearly at an end Scuttling
on his dun pony round the outskirts of the
camp and heading back men, who with the
innate perversity of British soldiers, were al
ways wandering into infected villages,
drinking deeply from rain flooded marshes;
comforting the panic stricken with rude speech,
and more than once tending the dying who had
no friends-the men without "townies"; organ
izing with banjos and burnt cork, sing songs
which should allow the talent of the regiment
full play: and generally, as he explained, play
ing the giddy garden goat all round"
You're worth half dozen of u.s. Bobby" said
his keeper in moment of enthusiasm. How
the devil do you keep it up?'
Bobby made no answer. but had Revere
looked into the breast pocket of his coat he
might have seen there a sheaf of badly writ
ten letters which perhaps accounted for the
power which possessed the boy. A letter came
TO Bobby every other day. The spelling was
not above reproach, but the sentiment must