THE BANDSMAN'S STRATAGEM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 21 March 1891, Page 4

THE BANDSMAN'S STRATAGEM.

Sorn^.v rsa'/ol was a trombone player "in tlio !>.•;!.! ofthe regiment. We had a ;.'p.:-:ij mess of our own, and were as ■harm- ..--.ci comfortable as most people, but we hi'.tl our grievances sometimes as the following will show : — . ? #Oih- piccolo player^was the proud owner '■'■' of a talking parrot.f the bi-^d^nwrgbag^ cat, and the first clarionet player &jt_cktfaw. Now the meat for each day's consumption v-3 brought to our room by ti^.cook, .and "he v.'. >;;'(.! ask our opinidmas/%) the bfi|t jway cf couivin;; it (whether toibe'bak'ed.Kboilea, or a lobsGousc) when the owners of the fe afoTemen^netl pets would step^o the front I and cut^a ; piece for each, aiwimtiag i» all ' 'to nearly one pound! ; "-.'.:■ This went on for some time, but not with* out a deal of grumbling, especially from those.- members of the mess who had no Eetfe' many and various were the plans rought forward by the latter to put a stop i to this daily occurrence. | ; At last a thought struck me. Having no- ] ticed a big, shaggy, dirty, hungry-looking ' dog at a certain pub., about two miles from the barracks, I visited the place, and after q a lot of coaxing induced him to follow me ; | that night when the other fellows were |p asleep I chained him to the foot of my bed. £'; Next morning, when the meat was brought 7^ in, I advanced, knife in hand, kns cut off^a 'fi hugp piece. , '"■ J • ' ■ '■ ' '■ ' ' '"' ■ % ''What's that for ?'.* was- niy greeting Pfrom all. r > "For my dog, of course; the parrot, cat feTgnd jackdaw are being looked after ; why |?S^__c-ulclri't my dog have his share?" Wfjfi Well, there was such, a fSfev, ,and ttfe reHafeSuU of it vet, th-" t the corporal (he was <«L i ned made, us put back MS?^' 1 ' ' r', ?nd gave orders that Wmj Ci * _ i ' i o i for pets. HrajStt* j ■ i -jt" something 'to ca 5 '