AN IMPERTURBABLE GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1213, 13 January 1886, Page 3

AN IMPERTURBABLE GENERAL.

The late Lord Strathnairn was one of the last and laziest of the " dandies," except in pursuit of a woman in lore and an enemy in war. He was the most indolent lack-a-daisical languid person who ever dawdled along Piccadilly. When he was devastating Central India, and winning the splendid victories that immortalised his name, he was so lazy that he could not be got to dictate the despatches recording his own triumphs. Months elapsed before these documents could be extracted from him, and then they were brief and meagre to the last degree. One day Sir Hugh was entertaining a gallant company to dinner during the crisis of the mutiny. With the utmost sang froid he was delighting those near him with one of his best anecdotes. In the middle of it hid orderly entered, and after saluting, exclaimed, " We have captured 200 rebels, sir." To him the General turned, and with elegant courtesy of manner, on which he prided himself, serenely replied — "Thank you, sergeant." But the man still remained. Again interrupting his chief, he said — " But what are we to do with them, sir?" "Oh," replied Sir Hugh with a soft smile, " hang them of course," and he resumed his anecdote. In '» little while Sir Hugh was again interrupted in the middle of another story by the sergeant who, came in and said — "Please sir, we've hung the lot, sir." The General turned, bowed slightly, and in the sweetesc manner lisped — "Thanks, sergeant — very many thanks," and then went on with hia anecdote as if nothing had happened. This story came to the ears of the Queen, and she was so angry that it nearly cost Sir Hugh his peerage.