TWO SCARS

Otago Witness, Issue 1853, 27 May 1887, Page 30

TWO SCARS

v - AiCoooanut.lman's Stoey. Have anofeer shy, sir? Three shies a, penny! - „', Won't M have .any . more shies, sir, becos. .cokernats'disa^ees'with'yerT" Werry good.' 'Arry, tbe'gent won't have no more shies, so count the^sticks ! ! „, He's a, rum chap,, sir^ my -mate 'Arry is. See 'pw stiff he ''olds 'isself, like a cokernnt stick 'with the nooralgy in its neck. He|s aoldjSoldier, 1 'Airy is, and he always 'olds 'isself Jifi^fhatj.and he never says word unless )ie's* spoke, to 'fast, and thetf lie answers yer ,wery^short r as'th6ugh<'is tongue charged 'mv .three'wprds apenny. "But, l ain't ftiat sort, onyselfj 4? am rather -lowquacktious, and I pouldteu yer a tale "about 'Arry as would yer. • i , - T/• ■ ; ' Sit on ther. ,grassahd have a pipe with yer ■while 1 tells yer about it 1 Cert'nly ' I 'will.' ■THankee, sir. .' • \lv , .' , , { , It all come about along o' this pitch. Now, yer/don't know that in th'e 1 three- - chance - knock -'em - joff profession fa, great deal depends on the 'pitohj^hicfijis the ground where yer puts up" the. cokernuts. -Aunt Sally and three-shies^a-penny*is a "ighly^ diwertin', innocent, and 'ealthy recrehation, but \t ain't no manner o' use f6r^to r; deriy»that' it 5 ain't often — at leasVasja* regular thing— as we gets jpatteroriiz&f by such! a 'tip- top swell as yerself, sir, a-beggin'. yer pardon for, sayin' so, 'opin' no offense, which the same were not my intenshing.' Consequently jwe 'as to pick our ground according.. .It's a good level bit of grass ajslooks easy; shying, and a" nice, lumpy, awk'ard^bifr of ground fer the gents to stand on when I ', they .sky. I'm a-lettin' yer into someof the'professional secrets becos I know yer won't go back on a feller. -It Ibjsks nice and private this 'ere model pitch does, ihe !igh palm's there shutting off the grounds of the Colonel's manshing.; and there's the 'igh road where all the wans run to Hepping fp.rest. • ' , . It's, about, five years ago, now, that me and 'Arry first went' into partnership together. We was a'-'dqingthe Punch and Judy lay, and me an'd'-'im and the dawg was passing along 'ere one day. v 'Arry says, ' 'alt,' he says, wery short. \ ; • What's up ? M asks. , , 1 See that pitch ?' 'Arry says, pointing along 'ere. ; .- . ! ", l • Yes, I,' answers ; • what's yer lay ? ' ' Cokernuts,' he says. • Good,' I says, ' but we ain't got no sticks, and no nuts and no bags and no nothing.' I „ He jerks !is thumb' towards the Punch. 1 and Judy box, and the dawg, and he says, 'is this 'ere lay a-payin' us 7 ' 'No, says I, mournful; ','he Hingerlish people 'as forsook the ligit'met drammy. Punch and Judy ain't a-doing us no good, 1 I says, 'but is' rather alowerin' jof bur repitation. But we've got' W,' I says, and I guess we'll have to 'keep 'em, as the man said when 'is wife ijad three at a birth:' 'Arry stops 'short and snaps out 'What i would the man ha' done with them kids if he [could?' t ' Well, mate,' l says, 'I suppose he'd ha' liked to have drownded of 'em, as is only nateral ; but we can't drown the. Punch. 'and Judy,' arid what else can we do with 'em 7 ' jl says. ■ • Sell ,'em,' says' 'Arry. ' 'Sure, /enough, 1 soon' after, that we got a chance of disposing of thelegit'met drammy in the shape of; Punch, Judy, and the dawg, and the we started in the cokernut line. Our ifirst pitch was this wery spot, and we done a good trade.. > ' . The niafcshing belonged then to on old lady as, was $cry kirid'tq us. She never interfered with us, but let us make this plot a reg'lar pitch atall'oliday times, and sick like. Many a'mormiiVshe come out, and ' give , me ana 'Arry a -nice, little bundle of pipe-lights— tracts, yer know, sir — and she were always pleasant and sociable like. One mornin' she come but to" us with the tracts, and I was a-bowin' to ?er wery perlite, and .'Arry drawin' 'isself up, like a brick wall, ' A-believe/.slie says', »,I have , some s'.brt of right' over this plot of ground, as the owner of the manshing and the park, but so long as you behave yerselyes, and reads the tracks, I shall never disturb.you,' she says. ; ' "-'. '-Thank yer,yer ladyship,' I replies. 'Three shies a penny, marm,' I says, ■f is our regilar price, 'which !Arry will tell' the same; but any- time, mann, as yer ladyship would like a 1 nut, 'come and halve a shy for riothink, marm!' " , ' ' ' ' „ But .the next timu •»%« come round after .that, bad noose was told us. The old lady "ad- 1 gone where they don't never want no tracks? ' She/vyere dead^ sir," and them'ansning and,,park 'a<? -boon took' by a, pepper, yeller-faced; fiery- tempered hold Hangerlow Hinjiri 1 Colonel 1 , as was frightening everybody about, the place. 'He'il frightened the parson' till he could scarcely preach, and 'ad almost forgot one 'day ! t6 make/* a collection; the tradespeople trembled, as they see* 'is yeller' face a'colourm'the shop winders, and the servants in the manshing 'ad quite give up the ridaklous ideas oorf r callin' their lives their own. _ . ) s ' 'The place ain't the' "same, 5 says the chap as was 1 telling us 'since he came into it. Cayenne pepper is mild alongside of the Colonelj and ginger ain't in with ?im. As" sure.'asyou'i;e;'alive,' he says, ,' he'll march you two" off -this pitch in years before no time. He's death, he' says 'isself, on all wagabbriesV'trainps, and'wermins.' ' 'What's" 'is. narae?' I says.. ' Col. Ruf us, Pepperton.' I see a rum look come in 'Arry's face, and I; says : * Do.yer ker know 'im, 'Arry ?' ' Yes,' he, answers, and I knowed it was no use askin' him any more just then, becos' , 'Any .yerj", seldom says more than one word a honr at the outside. X The next' mornin' was " Saturday, and me and "Arry got the cokernuts up in good time. We 'ad several young gents a-throwin' wery early that morniri', and after they had gone aw?,y 'Arry. : run up the cockernut end of the pift.ik fpr t*y thjrow me up the other end to haci4:jt6,; ( the,i'eap' so. as to-be all ready and 'a#dy for' -the next customer, when he sees

fortß,e first tinfe thfe Hang&low Hinjin."?He cbmes 1 rushing ou'fc of'theJpark g^^esyiike a wildbuU, shakin' 'is fisfc, and 'is eypsiflaabing in 'is yellow ! 6ldface. • ; - 1 > '■- ••• if * • - •■•

1 Soon' as evW.h'e'.carhe on .the^grbund, I ccc 'Ariy drawi'iself, "up, arid begin salutin";.but the Colonel didn't see 'im, for he^was coming straight on, towardsrhe. at the 'pther'end. Soothe reached me, he made a few remarks. 'You thieves, scamps] wagabqnes, ■ tramps, rascals,- knaves !''-'" . '•■ ■ .-, . ■ 'I jbeg'ypur pardon, sir^'l says';/ b'ut'are yer alludin' to me or. to, ' Any ?^ I say's. • ! ■ l \ 'To both of you|' - he -hollers,' 'quite loud. 'Ctear.out of it,' he says. ' Clear' out sharp, or I'll shoot the two of you like dogs., This is my ground, and of? you go.' » •■ .* f I'told 'im all about, the'^young 5 lady .what was there afore *im,' and, how she never interfered with us, and give us tracks ; • but I better have' 'eld my tongue. • ' * si; .•■.-•.< ' ' Tracks 1' he shouts', 'youVonVget |ny tracks from me. What you'll have to dp now I've come here is to make tracks!- Be' off, youlazytbiev.es!'. "' .' ,".'.',"„' ' Now 'Arry 'ad' 'eerd all he, said, andt see 'is face gettin' blacker and blacker. > •- Jusf at the Colonel paused 'Arry .stood "straight, up with a nice knobby stick in 'is'andi arid a look in 'is face I'd never seed there afore, all the time I'd knowed 'im. if ' Colonel,' he shouts out in r a clear, loud, ririgiri' sort of voice, 'Colonel, I'm going". to throw these sticks up. to my mate. Please march but of the line of fire. ' OriceV' , ' ' How dare you V began the Colonel, not stirring. , ( ■ ' Twice,' sings 'Arry. " ' You adacious villian ! ' ' Three, times ! ' and swift and straight come the nice knobby stick. '. <, • 'Arry 'ad said true ; the Colonel was in line of firei and 'the nice knobby stick 'it 'im on the cokerriu't. '■ Off rolled 'is 'at and down fell Col. Rufus Pepperton. ' Carry off the wounded,' calls 'Any, preparing to throw up the other sticks ; but the next moment the Colonel was on 'is legs and making straight for 'Arry.' The "gardinger and two or. three other men came rushing ;out of the- park at the same time; and 'eld the' Colonel' back, while one of 'em went and fetched the perleece. % ■ ■ That evenin' me and 'Arry was in gaol, and the last words of the perleeceman, as he locked the door, was these, with a pleasin' smile : 'This is six months 'ardj' that's what it is ! ' "Ere's a tarblow for yer, sir. Me and 'Arry afore the beaks. There justicesses on the bench, perleecemen in blbo, court crowded. Old Colonel Pepperton lookin' savager and more yellerer than ever, with a nasty bit of a scar where the nice knobby stick 'it 'is cokernut; Me and my mate in the dock. , The evidence was all give, and I was discharged with a warnin' never to be guilty no more. I didn't leave the court, but stood aa close us I could get to the dock, where my poor old mate was standin'. Tilings looked very black for t 'im. 'It's twelve months' 'ard,' whispers the perleeceman to me ; ' that's what it is. Yon see,' he says, ' 'ow bloo the chairman's nose is. He, always goes in for twelve months' 'ard when 'is nose is that colour. It ain't drink ; it's indigestion. It's • a' ; ' beautiful bloo,' says the perleeceman, as T think must ha' been a bit of a hartist like ; it's a beautiful bloo; and with the two red noses alongside of 'im, as is sittin' there, it makes a wery pretty pictur'. ■ * The three judges' put 'their 'e'ztds together, and the old gent as carried' the bloo nose about says to 'Arry wery solemn : ' 'Aye you got anything to say for yourself?' ■ , ' 1 'E's never agoing to 'ang 'im ?' I says to the perleeceman ; arid then I ups and says to the judge : ' Please yer 'onor's worship, ray lord,'' I says, 'the' regular charge is only three shies a penny,' I says, 'as no doubt your majesty 'aye often 'ad a go at the nut yerself! at that price, as is riot extravagant. Three shies a penny is the reg'lar price, my lord, and 'Arry only 'ad one shy. --.Let 'im off easy, rhy lord ! I says, winking weiy re> spelful.' They turned me out of the court, neck and crop, but I, got in afore the row was over, and I 'ears the judge say again : 'Prisoner, 'aye you, anything to say for yourself ?' ' Arry pulls 'isself straight up, puts 'is 'and to 'is 'cad, salutin', and says wery shorL : 'Yes.' " ,' What, pray"?' says the proprietor of the bloo beak. 'This,' says. 'Arry, and I wouldn't 'aye believed^ as ,10,000,000 'osses could ha' drawed .'such a speech from 'im. ' There stands the Colonel,' 'Arry says, ' and .'ere I stand. The Colonel is 'ere to send me i to gaol, and I , airi 'ere to go to gaol,' and , all the crowd of people 'ere are waiting to 'ear me sentenced. There is the Colonel, and 'ere am I, face to face — face to face, , close, for the second time in our lives. Now, I'm just going to tell about the first time, and then let the Colonel send me to quod.'

' Prisoner,' says the bloo nose, as was undis* gestion, • this is all beside point.'

' Sir Frederick,' says the' Colonel, 'let the man go on, I beg of you,' and on 'Arry went to scene the first, just like a theyatre. ♦ The place is a burning plain in India, and the time is the mutiny. An officer has fainted, and lies' white and helpless on the earth, with the colours •of the regiment clutched' close and tight in both hands. He lies apart from the torn and" battered ranks he's been trying to hold together. A few rebels made a wild rush at the flag. The flag — the flag — is wrenched from the fingers, and they ride away. Then the officer comes to and he groans. ,'The colours! The colours! For mercy sake, bring me back the colours !'

' He tries to stagger on foot, but falls back again, too sorely wounded to rise ; and again he, sobs out: 'For mercy's sake," bring me back the colours !'

• A straggling soldier of another British regiment, cut off from' the, rest, hurries by, Look I he hears thacry,- gives one look at the officer, and one at the flying rebels who carry the^capwifed flag. -He springs, on a riderleefl

charger, gives rein, and goes for death or the flag.

' The minutes pass on, and at last the soldier rides back with the colours wrapped round his 'cart, and as he puts them once more into the officer's white fingers, they are dyed a deeper r«d by the blood which is flowin' from a wound in the soldier's breast.

' Colonel, where is the scar I gave you "because you treated me and my mate like thieves, and refused a fair warning? '

Like a man in a dream, the Colonel 'eld 'is finger to the scar on 'is fore'ead. Off 'Arry flings 'is coat, tears open 'is shirt, and 'olds 'is finger to a big, jagged scar near 'is noble 'cart.

'And 'ere,' he says, 'is the scar of the wound which that common soldier bore for you 1 " I never knowed properly what 'appened after that. But I remember gettin' on a form and yelling ' Ooray ' till I was again chucked out. I remember the Colonel springin' into the dock, shakin' 'Arry's 'and and callin' 'im ' comrade.' Then I remember 'im turnin' to the three noses on the bench, and savin' :

♦ This gallant fellow's story is true. I tried in vain to find 'im after the day he's been telling of, but the fortune of war parted

us.' Then the Hangerlow Hinjin turned and took 'Arry's 'and, and says :

' Comrade, lam ashamed of myself. But it isn't because of a bad heart that I am the crusty, ferocious fire-eater you have seen me, but because I have no liver 1 '

I don't know how they squared it, but I know 'Arry was discharged in triumph, and ever since then I've kept the nice knobby stick that 'it Colonel Ruf us Pepperton on the cokernut.

He wanted to pension us both off, and do all sorts of things for us ; but 'Arry wouldn't take nothing, except the free grant of this 'ere pitch whenever we want it. But I believe the Colonel is a-doin' something with the Government for 'Arry and me, too, unbeknown to 'Any ; and the roaring trade we do, sir, whenever we wisits this 'ere pitch makes me believe as the Colonel bribes everybody about the place for to come and throw.

'Ow much to pay, sir 1 I ain't reckoned up 'ow many shies you went in for, but I'll soon let yer know, sir. 'Arry count the sticks.