The Major's Playful Way.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 113, 1 August 1885, Page 5

The Major's Playful Way.

One evening in the autumn of '56, word reached the Major that a party of prospectors had jumped the "Nip and Tuck," claimed by him. The next morning the Major buckled on his favourite bone-handled revolver, and started out to expostulate with the boys in his peculiar way. Expecting to find them at work in the tunnel, he walked carelessly toward its mouth . The boy a were "layingforhim," As he reached the dumppile, commanding a view of the tunnel, he saw the muzzles of three guns frowning through' a clump of bushes at his mouth, and threw himself backward just as the boys blazed away. The ambushing party rushed out elated to look at the fallen Terror of the . Mines, Jim Turner, a wild Texan, who feared not even the Major's aim, being in ' the lead. * , , The Major, who sat upright at the foot of > the dump-pile unhurt, with his, revolver ready, " pinked him promptly, , The discussion which followed was concise,, and somewhat technical, . ".Gentlemen," 1 said, the Major, turning to the otheivtwo .assailants who Btood with unloaded guns, C^l. see yourblind and straddle it ;' I, Hold, a full ; hand(noddingtohis favourite bone-handled), and here (producing another) is my 1 straight , < flush." , "Majpr, , bedad,XpajssT' said Tom> Burke, a man from Galway, dashing through rj the ch^pparal.' M1.,0bip.," said .the.Major,,^ still speaking m.gaming-table\ slang, j.jahcL,, as he' sijdkej.thV^atffrom'GalwayjyeUed'atjT; the $fing of "a, bulled \yhere' ii p^dtrgh^di' where'll ;isVl t> said; ; .the^ Major,, s farming, to ' the) remaining assailant?,^Bdney t