THE HADA A PLAN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 727, 24 March 1876, Page 3

THE HADA A PLAN.

A gaunt woman jumped into the Central Station recently, bonnet askew and eyes blazing, and as she reached the searge.ant’s desk she exclaimed : “ I’m the Widow Coon Ah !” remarked the seargeaut. —“Audi want to know if my landlord can raise the rent on me ?” she went on. —I guess so—landlords can do almost anything.”—“ But I’m a widow.”—“ So you say.—” a widow fr m having her rent raised !” “ Never heard of one.“ Very well,” she said, shooting her teeth together, and sti iking the desk ; “if a widow hasn’t any rights I'll many somebody afore sundown —y .n hear me now !” And she kicked over a chair and w died out. In the mid 11 of tlie winter of IS3S. a fi'-e brok ■ out i i th; feni de seminary at LiimageF nice, ail spreal wi hj such npili y r.hitit fpa e l all the inmdei wo lid p rish. Su ' I ply there wis a cry that one li tl • gi. I hj d bo n left in her room. As the excite i -meet I'ors were beginning to pray f>r the unf 'i-tu ii 1 ;.; c'ul 1, a tall girl, with dishevellel h'o ilo hii- an I flnviug nightgown, ran though the m-iw 1, and, with a shriek, of “ I’ll save hj r !” tint us; above the s tund o’ ennki i g ti nh tr .a i ! falling maso try. il ish : I iut >th i dor-w y. i lou 1 hurrah, that w n prnlon ;e 1 to 1 he c ;ho only to he repeatnl a rain in I again, atfcno ted the attention of the devote is, and the pale face! girl wan seen hurrying th rough the flames with the tetri tied chill. A few days thereafter King Louis Puillipno sent the heroine a gnll mi lal fur her bravery, and a cap bain of the. French army, who hid witnessed tho girl’s pluck, beg re 1 an introduction. The ciptai iis now P -esi lent of France, and tho brave girl Madame Mac Mahon. Fashionable street sweeper--, is the name given to th new costume in Paris. We are told it (its flat in front, an 1 grazes tho ground at the si b-n, and runs off in ,a long narrow peak, trading a full yard on the ground.

A milkman was nwa'encd recently in the night with the nnnonncnicnt that in* best cow was choking. I’e forthwith jnntjcl up to rave the li f e of b's anima', wimp, ( 0 ! ho found a turnip stuck in the n outh of tho pump.

CAPTURE OF PARC A. —o— Tho Straits Times of a late date gives tlie following account of the attack upon nurl capture of Paros A larve force paraded and with their fi-M pieces started for the village of Paros, in possession of tho enemy, a ! ' Out three miles, from the Klana’s resi deuce "it the road to Terachee I. : eu'euant Peyton, with a few picked m 11 ot the 10th and some Arabs, felt the way in front as we advanced, to avoid coming unexpectedly on tho enemy. VVe were followed by the KJana and some armed Malays, the 1 liter of whom kept carefully out of action until the village was taken, much to everyone's gratification, ns they were more likely to injure their friends than their foes hy wild and excited firing. Having advanced along the jungle path until within a short distance of Paroa, « halt was called, and Mr Robins n with twenty Arabs were detached t > the right to threaten die enemy’s left flank, and make a lodgment in the village if possible. l n Arab sergeant and twenty more o f 1 he Arabs were sent out to the left to pick their way as best they could round to the enemy's right flank through the thick jungle ; both parties having also instructions to penetrate to the relief the position taken up by die enemy* if possible, and cut off their retreat The remainder of the force, with the exception of the gun, which came on so slowly th it it was decided not to wair for it, advanced slowly along the path leading to the centre of the eoenn’s stockade, waiting until the too flanking parties came ir to action. At about 7.30 a in the enemy’s gongs and shots on our right were he-ml, denoting time Robinson’s flanking party were now in action. The main parly now advanced along the narrow path which, just as it emerges from the jungle, passes over a small ridge which is about 170 yards from the front of the enemy’s stockade. Be tween this ridge and the stockade tln-re is only a narrow footpath winding through an almo-t impassible swamp. Behind the ridge there was g"Od cover, an-’, as the UUh doubled up and lay down behind it, the enemy opened tire on them, which was returned with >meh a continuous roar of musketry from tlm Henri-Martini that it must have rather astonished the Malays, Ih u y were, however, behind a powerful breastwork, and returned the fire with such i ff. ct that very soon men of the 1 0th, Ara' s, and police, were seen falling off the bank mortally hit and wounded, so that Dr Hoystead had more work on his hands than he could well manage. The flanking parties were already in action, having worked their way round on to the enemy’s flank, through jungle and swamp. A steady tire was now kept up from both sides until about 10 a.m , wh‘-n the enemy’s began to slacken a | little, but, as no one could distinguish | whether the shouts on nut flanks were ! from our own Arabs or hostile Malays, the position of the troops was sotme- : what critical, and reports ke f .t conj stantly coming in that our flmks were being turned. A bayonet charge across the swamp was decided upon, as a retreat with such a large number of wounded to carry, and the majority of tlie force being an undisciplined rabble, would most probably have turned into rout. Bavonets were fixed, and a t umber of the 10th and some Arabs charged across the swamp, led bv their officers. They reach' d the first stockade, a square redoubt flanking tlie f out of the | o i' ion, bayonetting its oc-npant-, Inti owing to the difficult nature of the ground, the casualties i t the advano Q aero s the swamp were large so tint only Lieutenants Pevton and Hinxman, with twelve of the 10th along with Captain de Fontaine and six ’ rabs reached it. In the meantime. Robinson's flu king party made good their fo ding in a similar outwork on the I-ft of the enemy’s position, lint as the main work cnnmandel it, the lire was so hot they were oh'iged to evacuate it. Th--* position of those who had already effected a lodgment in the outworks of the stockade was now epical .as they were exposed to tlie tiro of f-iend and foe, because the r "naiudcr of th" force, owing to the moke, could not make nut where they were. In about a quarter of au hour in the jov and aabvii-hnient > f everyone, the gnu at 1 >st an .eared, wh at Captain Murray and MvSki nets't to work, the onl difficulty being where to fire to avoid hitting any of our own si le now in the stockad- 1 . and then we heard ringing Bi-hi-h elf ers resound from the lefl, st ok'd', and W> ow knew win re on'- ftaends were After iib-nt nine -lets th° fire of the ene.mv visibly slackened, and some more i f the ’ Oth being now coTeeted ran irt'o «ho work ah-eulv taken, when a second ch't-'e was made from it on to the main work, a..d the enemy then took to their heels, with the exception of some of the Sri Menanti warriors who stuck to their posts until havonetted. As the Malays fled up the hill carrying their dead and wounded, tlie Iftti kept up a steady fire on them, killing and wounding many. The | village and stockades were set on fire I amidst British cheers. The roll was | then called and only thirty-one nut, of ! forty-five of tho i Oth answered to their names. Tho chad and wounded | were then collected, and the following is the list of casualties:—loth Ifegiment, two killed, two mortally wounded, ten severely; Captain de Font tine’s Arab Force, fi>-o killed, five severely wounded ; Police Force, four killed and six wounded. Captain

do Fontaine was liit in the thigh by a bullet, yet not incapacitated from continuing his duties throughout the day. Twelve of the enemy’s bodies were found in the stockade, which was unusual, ns Malays invnrinb'y carry off their dead and wounded. A pile ol thirty more bodies was found higher up the road by some Chinese coolies, and from native sources the enemy’s lo'S is estimated at over 100 dead and wounded It is reported that all their great fighting men were present at this engagement, and that their chiefs stood behind, kriss in hand, vowing to slay the first man who ran away, which perhaps accounts for Malays standing to their posts until Imyonetie.l. 'i he dead were certainly ferocious looking customers, with long matted hair flowing to their waists, and stripped for fighting, with the exception of a girdle of c’oth round the waist. One of them even when left for dead with a bayonet thrust through his body, recovered sufficiently to creep towards a private of the 10th, who was sitting with his back towards him, kriss in hand, to stall him in the back ; but luckily he was seen in time, and half a dozen bayonet thrusts put h : m out of the way of farther mischief. The Arabs fought with great bravery, following Captain de Fontaine wherever he led. When the village was burnt the dead were buried where they fell, wilh three volleys river their grave, as, owing to the number of wounded it was impossible to carry them home, and after this melancholy ceremony the force marched back to Itasa. lieutenant Peyton was the first man into the enemy’s stockade, closely followed by Captain de Fontaine. The wounded are all doing well. All the bullets extracted were made of tin, and ran round the ribs of the men hit in the chest, and were successfully cxt*acted. Captain Murray’s black retriever dog was seen gallantly leading the charge across the swamp on to the stockades, when he was shot down by a bullet in the leg. but he is doing well, and is much petted by the sol di era. who unanimously recommend him for a “ V.C.”