A Noble Sacrifice

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 60, 20 November 1886, Page 3

A Noble Sacrifice

During the last war in Af ghanistaa. a young- officer, with a small body of soldiers, was sent upon some mission a short distance from the English -camp. As they were returning, riding gaily along a narrow mountain gorge, they suddenly perceived a troop of Afghans galloping' headlong down after them. Being greatly outnumbered, the best chance of safety for the little band of English soldiers lay in flight, aud being well mounted they soon began distance their pursuers All at once a shot from an Afghan rifle ctruck one of the soldier's horses which staggered a few paces and then iell, crushing his rider beneath him. Iv an instant, while the others swept on the young officer had drawn rein, flung himself from the saddle, and dragged the fallen man to his feet. " Quick ! my horse will carry two," he cried But, alas I the horse finding himself iree, terrified, perhaps, by the shouts of the Afghans, had galloped after his retreating comrades, carrying with him the only hope of the two soldiers. One minute more, and the noble young officer and the inau he had vainly tried to save were lifeless, pierced by the long knives of their merciless foes.