Drums of the Fore and Aft.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XII, Issue 2314, 27 July 1889, Page 2

Drums of the Fore and Aft.

The following is extracted from “Tho Indian Railway Library,” a series of stories depicting Indian life, published at Allahabad : An infantry battalion full of young soldiers and new to India is sent to fight in Afghanistan, and two young raserds of drummer boj’S are allowed to accompany the battalion. In its first engagement the regiment behaves badly—ruos away, in fact—and many of its officers are killed in their endeavour to get their men to face the enemy. The two boys have been left with the band in the background, and when the general “ skedaddle” takes place, they are not able to keep up with the rest of the band and hide behind a rock. We will quote the story : “ We’re all that’s left of the band, an’ we’ll be cut up as sure as death,” said Jakin. “ I’ll die game, then,” said Lew thickly (they had picked up a water-botile full of rum) fumbling with his tiny drummer’s sword. The drink was getting on his brain as it was on Jakin’s. “ ’Old on ! 1 know something better than figbtin’,” said Jakin, stung by the splendour of n sudden thought due chiefly to ruin. “ Pipe our bloomin’ cowards yonder the word to come back. The Pathan beggars are well away. Come on, Lew! We won’t get hurt. Take the fife an’ give mo the drum. The Old Step for all your bloomin’ inside’s worth ! There’s a few of our men coming back now. Stand iid, ye drunken little defaulter. By your right—quick inarch !” He slipped the drum sling over his shoulder, thrust the fife into Lew’s hand, and the two boys inarched out of the cover of the rock into the open, making a hideous hash of the first bars of the “ British Grenadiers.” As Lew had said, a few of tho Foro and Aft were coming back sullenly and shamefacedly under tbe stimulus of blows aud abuse ; their red coats shone at the head of the valley, and behind them were wavering bayonets. But between this shattered line and the enemy, who, with Afghan suspioion, feared that tho hasty retreat meant an ambush, and had not moved- therefore, lay half a mile of level ground dotted only by the wounded. The tune settled into full swing, and the boys kept shoulder to shoulder, Jakin banging the drum as one possed. The one fifo made a thin and pitiful squeaking, but the tone carried far even to the Goorkhas. “ Come on, you dogs!” muttered Jakin t 3 himself, “are we to play for ever ?” Lew was staring straight in front of him and marching more stiffly than ever he had done on parade. And in bitter mockery of the distant mob, the old tuue of the Old Line shrilled and rattled : “ Some talk of Alexander, And some of Hercules, Of Hector and Lysauder, And such great men as these.” There was a far-off clapping of hands from the Goorkhas and a roar from the Highlanders in the distance, but never a shot was fired by British or Afghan. Two little red dots moved forward in the open parallel to the enemy’s front. “ But of all the world’s great heroes There’s none that cau compare With a tow-row, row, row, row, row, To the British Grenadier !” The men of the the Fore and Aft were gathering thick at the entrance into the plain. Tho brigadier on the heights far above was speechless with rage. Still no movement from the enemy. The day I stayed to ”watch the children. Jakin

hilt.;d and beat tho long roll of the “-Assembly,” while tho fife squealod despairingly. “ Right about face ! Hold up J Lew—you’re drunk,” said Jakin. They wheeled and marched back 2 Those heroes ot antiquity Ne’er saw a cannon ball, Nor knew the forco o’powder-—” “ Here they cornel” said Jakin, “go on, Lew 1” “To scare their foes withal.” The Fore and Aft were pouring out of the valley. What officers had said to men in that time of shame and huiniliatiou will -never be known, for neither officers nor men speak of it now. “ They are coming anew !” shouted a Mullah among the Afghans. “Do not kill the boys ! Take them alive and th-?y shall be of our faith.” But the first volley had been fired, and Lew dropped on his face. Jakin stood for m minute, spaa round nnd collapsed, as tho Fore and Aft came forward, the inalidictious of theii officers in their ears, au-i in their hearts the shame of open shams. Half tbe men had seen the drummers die, and they made no sign. They did not even shout. They doubled out straight across the plain in open order, and they did not fire. The Fore and Aft then retrieve their reputation, and with the Highlanders and Goorkhas win the battle, and the story ends thus: But some say, and among those be the Goorkhae who watched on the hill-side, that the battle was won by Jakin and Lew, whose little bodies were borne up just in time to fit two gaps of the big ditch-grave for the dead under the heights of Jagai.