HE LET THEM OFF.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 39, 23 December 1893, Page 9

HE LET THEM OFF.

/Told by a “ First King’s Own Man.”) The article 3-011 published a few weeks ago on the history of the Coldstream Guards brought to my mind an incident which occurred at Aldershot a good many years ago. The Guards were stationed there at ‘the time, and one night several of them were locked up in the brigade guardroom for drunkenness. They appeared before the colonel next morning. He was in a temper and no mistake. “What do you mean!” he shouted, by disgracing the regiment in this way ? Your’e nothing but a set of <1 d snobs.” “ Please, sir,” replied the boldest of the delinquents, “ we’re not snobs, we’re sodgers.” “Fine soldiers, indeed! What liave you to say for making such beasts of yourselves ?” “ Well, sir,’’ answered the spokesman of the party, “ the fact is we was keeping up the battle of Alma, and couldn’t help it; but it won’t happen again.” '"“Well, see that it doesn’t, and be off with you,” said the colonel, who bad a soft place in his heart for Crimea men. That very night the same group of men were again overcome, and were again “ run in.” - Next morning there was another interview with the colonel.

• “ Ah,” he said, gleefully, rubbing his hands the while, “ so you’re here again, are you P Got you this time, I think. Can’t say you were keeping up the battle of Alma, can you P” “ No, sir,” was the response, “ but we was burying the dead.” “ You incorrigible scamps!” roared the Colonel, “ get out of my sight.” And they did, but not quickly enough to miss hearing the old fellow chuckling over the way in which, for the second time, they had escaped jmnishraent.