A VETERAN.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 76, 15 March 1879, Page 2

A VETERAN.

" In these days of frequent changes and transfers," suys the Indian Weekly Review, " it does not often fell • to tho lot of a regiment to reoeive the farewells of a colonel who has bcrved with its colours wore than 40 years. This happened tho other day to the 3rd Queen's Own Bombay light Cavalry, Noemuoh and we do not remember over to have read a more touching or mora soul-stirring address than .that which was made by Colonel Graves, C.8., on his leaving the regiment. ' I joined you,' said the veteran, ' us a lad of 10 on the Ist of April, 1838. Wo have been together in peace and war, in plenty and scarcity, in cantonment and camp, for more than 40 years; and I am the eldest soldier^—the father of the regiment.' Among the old colonel's boys there were gray-bearded warriors who had ridden with Win through Siudh, and above tho paves into Afghanistan, tit the old time in 18+0-41, when ho was still a griff. Their sabres had gleamed with his throughout tho whole of that advance on Cabool with Nott in 1842; thoy have served togothor in ovory action from tho w-tak-ing and blowing-up of Uhuaioe to the to tho ro-occupation of Cabool and Khilut-i-Ohilzai, aud tho ultimate rescue of Lady Salo and tho other prisoners. Many of thorn could remoniber a. day

long ago, when at Jellalabad, on the return of the avenging British army, the Bwarms of hill-men came fiercely preskiujj on its rear ; how young Graves and a Bound ron of his beloved 3rd charged back into the jaws of death, into the mouth, of hell; how the young hero's horse was shot under hiin when in the very midst of the Afghan thousand ; how, on the horse of a fallen comrnde, ho cliarged home again with all that remained of that devoted band, and by this brilliant exploit preserved the army from turther molestatiou for many days. Twice in Sindh, twice in Afghanistan, once in Persia, once in Abyssinia, these ' boys' liad followed their ' father' in many such a melee. And when, after all this, the old soldier spoke to thorn—of the pain and sorrow with which he was leaving them—' my regiment, so dear to me, my happy home for so many years'—who shall scoll' at these old veterans if their hearts rase in their throats and unwonted mists dimmed their eyes as they bade farewell to the old colonel P"