MIDDLEMARCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 38

MIDDLEMARCH.

Septcmbei 25. — Quite the event of the week — ■ in tact, 1 may say the event of the jeai — was the j-'Oturii ol Xiooper 'j-'lio .xipbon fiom South Alx-icj, in.anded home. ile tuiived Jieie tins morning by the 11.20 limn, and was accoided a most iieaiiy welcome by quite a large number oi ilie residents of tlie district. Aii tiie scliool thilc'ien were piescnt vitii their teachers,, each child caayui 3 a flag, and flpgs were hoisted m various places, giving our quiet little tewnbhip an sir of lite and bustle. As theie was no definite information till 5 o'clock the previous evemag, tne notice was so veiy siioit that iriejids at a distance had roi heaid when he would amve, or there would have been quite a iaige gatheiiiig to welcome our brave lad. IVLi 1 J. C. iJuckiand, who travelled from T.ueu Lake to be tiiere, on his arnval welcomed the tiooper back on bsliak ot the people. He made ■a siioit speech, which was to tiic point. In the couise of his remarks he said that, although Trooper Thompson had had the misiorttme lo bo stricken down with fever before he leachei the rront, yet he feH he was as much entitled io hoiioxu as if he had been wounded by a Boer bullet. He .went sway with the intention of doing what he could, or, as Mr Bucklaiid said, he would give us a quotation from Shakespeare (but which really belongs to Scott, 1 am proud to pay), "1 will do my best; no man can clo more." After this Mr Suckland called foj. thiee hearty cheers, and cheeis for tiie trooper's family. Mr James Carnero-i played some appropriate tunes on the bagpipes, which helped to stir our Highland blood. Tiooper 'L'hompson was entertained at lunch at the Banwtiy Hotel, and he is to be entertained pi a social on Friday night, October 5. lie is looking pretty well, considering what he has come through.