THE STORY-TELLER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5, 6 January 1900, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STORY-TELLER.

A MAN AND A MAXIM. A COMPLETE SHORT STORY OF THE TRANSVAAL. lIXUSTBATED MAIL. Lanoe-Cobpobal Hodgkins, of the Limerick Rangers, was a Cockney bred and born. He was also, I believe, the first Cockney known to exist ti-.u. maintain his reason m a real Irish regiment. Indeed, he was able even to secure a certain immunity — from bodily barm at least ■ — for his cot-mate, fellow- Cockney, and oonfidant— one Pitcher. Moreover, he was personally popular among the men. All this was probably due as much to the virtue of punch as policy, for he had a bitter tongue, and was particularly roughtongued, even for a Briton— that most rough - tongued specimen of humanity. Hodgkin's profession m his pre^ soldier days was probably prizefighting. Certainly he looked it. His tall, sinewy, square-rigged figure ; his confidant walk and talk, together with a very much broken nose, all suggested the prize ring. Why he enlisted Ido not knew. Perhaps he had had a Saturday night difference with the "Z" Division; possibly he had anticipated divine vengeance upon a welsber; or he may merely have sought sanctuary from the abuse of a widowed mother., Perhaps all tbree. Anyway, he was quite an ordinary blackguard m mostj things, and as good a soldier as everj : cursed his colour sergeant. ( : He was attached 'to 'the machine! ■ gun section, and was undoubtedly! ) the smartest man m it. His pride : m the gun was proverbial m the i regiment, and, indeed,, he seeped to, . consider it his own particular property. It was a light, trial pattern; Maxim, with a galloping carriage and' limber-box, and single-horse adjustment ; and it was for use with; mounted infantry. Its mechanism' was of never-failing interest to: Hodgkins. He would often give it au extra olean up on the quipfc, polishing it as never gun was polished. " Yes," I heard him say on the' day we received the news of the ; trouble up here. " Yes ! you bloomin' humped-back oross between a bicycle and a blunderbuss, you're goin' to do some work now, you are ; you're goin' to sweat an* aweat an' kiJJ niggers. An* b the great Oom Paul, if you don't shoot strite, may the cordite eat the riflin' out of yer inside. Kirn , hup there!" ■( " 'Ere Pitcher, " he continued, "Jest take a squint round an' say if you think ole silver-belly '11 do," "Ay, ay !" replied Pitcher, who was always extremely nautioal m; his language, having been a Thames lighterman m his salad days. " You might jest give 'er a swab round abaft the breech-block. Then we'll pijcie all hands to grog. I've got the I price of two." [ Hodgkins straightened himself and gazed across the parade-ground* " Here's Kitty," he said. " You skip, me eon. I shall 'aye much pleasure m takin' wine wiv 1 you on a. future occasion." Private Pitcher shook his head. He deprecated all intercourse with the opposite sex, whose influence he regarded as only one degree less demoralising than that of Royal Marines on shore leave. "Go slow, Jim," he said. "Go slow ! 'Arf speed's the word m tricky waters." Then Hodgkins settled himself oomfortably on the gun, and I, unseen, awaited events. He was not, I knew, particularly fortunate m his love-making. He had been pleading his cause to Kitty Gore, who lived m ihe " married lines" for many months but with no apparent progress. With much apparent indifference she went close and spoke soft words to him, and he smiled — the silly, supreme smile of a man who is being Pooled by a woman. Ido not know what she said or promised ; but, whatever it was, be believed her. On the third day we went up— a hundred strong, mounted infantry. Our seats were a bit loose at first, perhaps ; but a week's knocking about over' kopje and sluit soon put that right. And it came to pass, after many days of much dirt and no drink, that fifty men and a machine gun were despatched on an all-day expedition outside the safety zone, just to clear the air a bit, and — incidentally — : bring m any stray cattle they might meet. Hodgkina was the machine gun, and m the beat of the midday sun he was brought back to camp on an improvised stretcher, with a newly-acquired cut m bis head the size of his own fiat, which was mighty. The Sergeant explained. Hodgkins had behaved m the strangest manner after leaving camp ; he had called him (the Sergeant) a fool to his face, and, thereafter asserting that he meant to drive to the devil, had driven himself, the horse, and the gun, into a deep spruit, with the natural results. " It's Cape fever, I'm afraid, sorr," the Sergeant added, Militia. — Owing to the reverses received by oar army m (be Transvaal, it is considered by the Cabinet to hold an important meeting with a view of (jailing out the Militia, equally so important is the faot 'hat the shop for Xmaa and New Tear presents ia at the Medioal Halt, FaAHK Shaw Chem iat, BWnhein.— Advt. .

" Me brother Tim that was a private m the Munsters died of it out here m '80, sorr."

After dismissing the Sergeant, I sought out Pitcher, who was slightly drunk, tearful, and incoherent, and learned from him that Hodgkins had received a letter.

It was from Kate, who had, of course, changed her mind, if she ever possessed one. She was about to wed. She bade the luckless swain be brave, fdrget, and find another Nancy. The man of her later choice, however, was the Colonel's coachman ; a free-born Colonial of charming personality, who spake the taal like a native, and bad blue fingernails. His name was Albert Edward Gladstone.

It was on receipt of this news, so I gathered from Pitcher, that Hodg kins very inconsequently contracted Cape fever. That is to say, be sat on a bucket under a sun, minus bis helmet, and drank Cape smoke and brooded.

The doctor who examined Hodgkins said that he bad broken two ribs, and had aoquired a concussion of the brain ; furfchermoro, that be could not live an hour. At the end of that period, however, be. was back again to tell me that his patient- bad regained consciousness. " Perhaps you had better go m and see him, Marsh," be said " Though I warn you that you will find him rather delirious."

So with a hungry sigh I left my bread and biltong, and went off to tbe hospital tent. There were only a few mild cases of fever and heatstroke there, and ,tbe silenQe was unbroken save for the mutterings of poor Hodgkins. As I entered, he moved his head round with an effort* and though he did not Rpeak I knew

that his poor shattered mind held some awful thoughts. Presently he found voice and anathematised Kitty Gore.

Then he called me Pitcher, and asked me what m creation I stood grinning at him for ?

There was an interval of silence ; then more muttering. After which be turned to me again, and I saw by his eyes that a little reason had returned to him.

" Wh Beg pardon, sir," he said. " Any thin' the matter, sir ?"

" You're m the hospital, my man," I replied. " You have met with a slight"—

" Good Heavens. Beg pardon, i sir, I remember, sir. That there I bloomin' — r- that there sluit. 'Ow's I the gun, sir ? Is the little gun orl \ right, sir ? I must 'aye been barmy, •I 1»

" Oh ! don't bother about that," I (answered. "Lie quiet. The doctor 1 will be back m a minute."

" Don't bother, sir ? I can't help botherin', sir. That there little spittor 'aye been a good friend to me. And now — if. she ain't orl broke m bits — they'll go an* give 'er to some silly kid wot'll jam the riflin' an' — an' — I don't care. Curse you, Pitcher I Wot are you standin' here for ? Give us a drink of water — no, a pipe o' bacoa, male. Oh ! it don't matter, I can't smoke. Me 'cad's m me 'eels — me 'cad's m me 'eels. Get away, you fool."

I tried to steady him. I tried to make him understand that I was not PitcW, but Lieutenant Marsh, his officer. I asked if there were anything I could do for him. But he looked at me with awful eyes, and oried out that I should not strike.

" Don't 'it me, Pitoher, you mug. You can't 'it me. Me 'cad's m me

'eels — m me 'eels. Get away. Go an' 'ang yourself. No stop. 'Ere's Kitty. Give us a kiss, yirl. No ; go away. I'll wring yer little neck if you come near me. You're a good girl — a good girl. 11 'Ere Pitcher, " he continued, " take this 'ere and give it to — to 'er you know, 'er." He fumbled m his serge pooket and produced a crumpled photograph ; a very amateur effort representing himself. " She's a goo . 'Ere, find out 'ow the little gun's goin' on. I" — *- But the effort was too much for him, ; and with a gasp he sank back again, unconscious. News came m that, the gentle Matulus had, so to speak, started a new over, and were blessing the worthy burghers of Blokspruit with their close attentions. Help and food were ; . both required m considerable quantities and quickly. Therefore, to our intense delight, seeing that we had been m the saddle sinco sunrise, we were despatched to argue with them, taking with us three pieces of ordnance, which included two excellent machine guns, to assist m the deliberations.

So we sallied forth, a, somewhat mixed foree — Limericks, volunteers, and mounted police— a little over a hundred ia all, convoying four large waggons creaking with weevily provender. Po>i* Hodgkins 1 pet was one of the machine guns. Tha men m charge knew their work well ; but somehow they were not as Hodgkins — he hud seemed part of the gun — and I had a vague, indescribable feeling of something impending.

It was not a very high spirited little army. We had bepn hard at; work all diy, and were tired and sulky. S ) we plodded on — the men sleeping m their saddles, the offio r3

oursing under their breath — over the sandy, bumpy, ragged trail that^ed to Blokspruit, thirty miles away.

At length the evening wore away and darkaess'quickly succeeded twilight. Wherefore we haltered and laagered.

A laager is a sort of amateur fortress made of your stores and waggons, arranged m a rough circle or square, with the guns stuck at convenient corners. We .made a nice little laager. Then we kneehaltered tbe horses outside and proceeded to retire to rest. The gunners, of course, slept bandy to their guns. Some of the other men crawled under the waggons to sleep, but I preferred the inky canopy of the heavens. I had made myself oomfortable, and was just dozing off wheu I heard the souDd of hushed and hurried voices to my left. I guessed at once what had happened; the vedettes had ridden m, a moment later the 11 Alert" rang out, and all was at once bustle and business.

You see it was this way. The besiegers of Blokspruit, having been worsted, had wandered forth into the wilderness, and there they had met another small impi, also on pleasure bent, with the news of the despatch of our column. So the two had combined and evolved the excellent idea of seeking us first, and having taken us by surprise and cut us into small pieces, returning to Blokspruit, there to clinch the matter finally. Their sanguine expectations came near fulfilment, too.

We set to work, and quiokly bad things shipshape. The men were too tired to show any exoitement; besides, their knowledge of the foe was of that intimate description which breeds contempt. Much fuel was added to the fire. We w«ra al-

ready discovered, ao concealment of any kind was futile ; whilst we re quired' all tbe little light which was obtainable for out own purposes. Each man sawtto bia.rifle, and posted himself at a convenient spot m the barrioade. In a few minutes we were quite comfortable and ready for anything. We, m our corner, had no idea of the strength of the enemy norof their exact whereabouts. Meanwhile sounds of tbe inevitable war dance, without whioh no well- con ducted battle is considered complete up here, began to reach us.

Suddenly the fun began. A hail of bullets struck tbe earth into harmless cascades of sand around. us, and, with a cheerful yell some eight hundred gesticulating figures, looming big and black m the firelight, sprang up seemingly from nowhere all around us. Thete were no orders given. The bolts snapped greedily, and the men fired at leisure, each picking off his mark with graceful precision. So far the attack was certainly not formidable. Our friends the enemy were contenting themselves with making rushes at seemingly unprotected portions o? tbe laager, striking them wildly with Hssegai or axe, and then careering headlong back into nothingness. The whole at tbe expense of great Bliuohter, from their own rifles as well as ours. This gradually sifted d iwn into a sort of organised attack, whose terrors, however, were more apparent than real. It pressed hardest upon our quarter, but made little headway. We fired no volleys, but aimed to kill. " Baby" Gwynne (who commanded) gave a grunt and dropped the rifle he had borrowed. " It's only a flesh wound," he said. But be knew it was not. He knew that he would have to say good-bye

to his arm, and to the service. It was that shot that gave me my star six months earlier than I expected it. But tire work went on and there seemed every prospect of an easy: victory until — our Maxim jammed. It had been doing good work, and the terror of the thing had already begun to demoralise the niggers ; but now, as if m obedience to some unseen hand, it suddenly locked fast. Tbe man unshipped bolts and oiled the breeoh ; water was poured upon the oasing, and a policeman was borrowed to lend expert assistance. But all to no purpose. The gun was jammed, and was as useless for present as a telescope. The enemy, finding the " devil spitter" silent, took heart of grace and renewed the attack upon our corner with added numbers. 'Twas a good omen, they thought. If they c uld capture the noisy god, they might turn his malignant influence upon the white men. We beat them back once, but they came on again and again, killing or wounding one of our men at each rush. I began to feel apprehensive. The salty, sickly smell of blood lay thick around us; the horses, most of whom had been let into the laager as soon as the blaoks were soented, were plunging and kioking and snorting. A few of them had been struck, and the Bteam from their quivering hides rose up into the air. Men lay back and gasped and died.

Suddenly a horse with an unkempt figure upon its back lurched out of the darkness through the startled horde who were swarming round us, and crashed against the barricade. The rider> with a curse, sprang over, and rusbqd toward our gun. It was Hodgkins. His eyes were wide and staring) fixed as if of glass. The

bandage was still round his bead, but it had slipped, the wound bad reopened, and the trickling blood was drying on his face. The horse I recognised as my own mare ' Tante. 1 At the mere touch of his hand the gun righted herself. I was watching ; and I will swear that he never tampered with breeoh or lock. He touched the belt and she answered, spitting forth a deadly sting.

" Get back, ye beggars I Git back!" he shouted to the startled black men. "Ye can't shoot me. Me 'cad's m me 'eels — me 'eel'ar-me 'eel's 1" Kr— kr— kr— kr— kruk— kr—kr— ruk snapped the gun, as he swung her round upen the swivel.

" Kirn up ole gal, " he cried. " Knock the bloomin' beggars out-r---kill 'em. I 'card you callin' direckly you left camp. I noo 'twas you. But Katie was wiv me, and I couldnlt leav» 'er. But she went — she went — an' I came. I 'card you callinf, and I came. An' me 'cad's m me 'eels. Yes 1 ye godless 'eathen, me 'cad's m me 'eels— an' ye can't 'utt me. Ho ! back there. Me an* little spit fire here are goin 1 ter do for every howlin' mother's son of ye."

And then as he cursed and f ught, shooting straight and deadly, tbe ammunition ran out, and he called for more. And running forward to bring it, Pitcher fell dead with a bullet m his throat, almost at the madman's feet. "

Tbe men from Limerick, ceasing their fire at every opportunity, crossed themselves, and oast shuddering, furtive glances at tbe gruesome spectacle. But no one attempted to f. Ed the belt, so Hodgkins did it himself — still shrieking. And then, as be set tbe gun roaring and hissing again m company, our good Mother Moon came up from behind the hills, covering the tar(h and sky with her white winding sheet. At the sight of her smiling face we gave a mighty shout, for now we could see to fight m earnest.

But for this there was no necessity. Tbe niggers bad had enough. Hodgkins and tbe moon decided them. They declared their innings closed, and fled incontinently. The man at the Maxim remained stark and motionless, firing no shot, but keeping the muzzle directed towards their retreating backs.

And when at last, after waiting many minutes for word or sound, we went towards him, we found him—dead t The foam was dry upon his lips, and his eyea were dull and glazed. I touched his face, it was ice cold. But when I assured the surgeon (not the one who had originattended bin,) that but ten mmu l e3 previously the man had been alive and fighting, he laughed, and said the thing was impossible. He was a clever man ; and clever men, aided by cold reason, see only the obvious. The phenomenon of Hodgkins was beyond the reach of his understanding.

When we tried to wrest the body from the gun, we found it gripping tightly with a grasp of iron. We looked upon the horrible face — death had not improved it. Then fear came upon us, and we dared not touch the thing, but left it there all night— stiff and straight, kneeling to the gun.