“JOIN AT ONCE.”

Dunstan Times, Issue 851, 9 August 1878, Page 3

“JOIN AT ONCE.”

A story is going the rounds (says the Bombay Gazette) which is too good to bo lost. A young sub-lieutenant left his regiment a short time ago on sick leave, and put up at tho best hotel not a hundred miles from P.ionah, where ha was immediately smitten by the attractions of a lovely maiden who was staying there, 110 proposed, was accepted, and the happy day was fixed. The colonel, however, disapproved of sublieutenants getting married, and particularly of the marriage of the sub in question. As he happened to be' a friend of the young man’s father ho thought "to prevent the union of the fond couple by sending a peromptoiy telegram couched in iho following words : “Join at once.” The son' Tit M,ars was in despair. He presented himself before his intended with the fatal missive in his hand and anything but a look of pleasure in his countenance ; but the lady was equal to the' occasion. With the blush of maiden simplicity and virgin innocence she cast _her eyes on the ground and remarked : ‘ Dear mo 1 I’m glad your colonel approves of the match ; but what a hurry he is in ! I don’t think 1 can get ready so soon, but I’ll do m'y best, because, of course, love, tho command of your colonel must be obeyed.’ The young warrior was puzzled. ‘Don’t you sec, my darling,* ho said, ' that this telegram puts a stopper on our plans 2 You don’t seem to understand the telegram. Ho says peremptorily, * Join at once.’ The lady’s blushes redoubled, but with a look of arch simplicity she raised her lovely eyes to her Jianci and replied : 'lt is yon, my darling, who don’t seem to understand it. Tour colonel says plainly, ‘Join at once,’ by which ho of course means get married immediately. What elso cau he possibly mean 2 A look of intelligence replaced the air of bewilderment in the young hero’s classic features, and bestowing a regidar fusilado of chaste salutes on her rosy lips, he accepted the explanation, and was enabled to answer the colonel’s telegram in forty-eight hours afterwards in these words : ‘Your orders are obeyed. We wore joined at once.’