BURNABY AS A BOY BRUISER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1315, 13 May 1897, Page 12

BURNABY AS A BOY BRUISER.

A good story concerning Colonel Fred Burnaby, the gallant guardsman, who fell at Abu Klea, was current in Bedford circles some years ago. Burnaby’s father was at one time Vicar of St. Peter’s, Bedford, and the future colonel of the Horse Guards Blue was home from Harrow for his holidays. He and a companion, a slim, weakly youth, had gone for a walk one Sunday afternoon to Els tow, the picturesque village which claims John Bunyan as @ne of its sons. Clustered at one end of the green, on which stands [the ancient Moot Hall, was a knot of agricultural labourers, who, judging by their conversation and behaviour, had just been turned out of a well-known Elstow hostelry. The lads had to pass Gris group of loafers, and, while doing so, Burnaby’s companion’s silk handkerchief was plucked out of his breastpocket by OllU of i.UC ill obi i.liud » ».Cm‘lS. Oi course, the owner of the purloined article asked for its restitution, and was met with a loud guffaw, and an “All right. Mister, it’ll, do lirst-class for me.” Burnaby, without seeming to take any notice of the affair, took bold of liis companion’s arm, and said, “ Come along, Jack. 1 hey then ptocoeded along the village street, until they

came to Bunyan’s cottage, into which Burnaby took bis fiiend. Leaving him there, tiio future Guardsman went back to tho village groon, and, confronting the bully who had snatched the handkerchief, which ho was sporting around his brawny neck, said, “ 1 want that, please.” “Wal, you’ve got to git it, then, young ’un,” answered the fellow, \sith a brutal sneer, at the same time squaring up to Burnaby. The latter, in a moment, hitting the fellow squarely between tho <-y u, suit him sprawling to the earth. Burnaby was now in for it, as the man’s friends came to his rescue. But the young Harrovian was equal to the emergency. Within two minutes he floored seven of the group, and secured his friend’s handkerchief. His only casualty was a discoloured eye, and, m* he walked away, he said, coolly, “ My name is Burnaby, of Bedford. If you want any more you know where you can have it.” He was never interfered with m Els tew again; in fact, the yokels, whenever l he passed through the place, used to point

him out as “ the fellow that floored seven of our chaps in no time.”