HOW LADY MARIA LED A CAVALRY CHARGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XII, 16 September 1899, Page 511

HOW LADY MARIA LED A CAVALRY CHARGE.

Dolly’s grandmother had brought her from Paris, for her birthday, the most beautiful wax doll, with blue eyes and golden hair, and cheeks like the pink roses that grow in the garden.

Such a dress as she had, too —all of pure silk and white lace, and a strawhat with white feathers and yellow .buttercups in it. And she was so big "that Dolly couldn’t carry her very far, but had to have a mail-cart for her to ride in.

•I shall call her Lady Maria, after grandmamma!” proclaimed Dolly, when she had looked at the bronze shoes with the silver buckles, and tied on the dainty straw hat for the tentn time.

“I think she is very like her,” she went on. “She is a darling. And so is grandmamma.” And she gently and cautiously kissed the pink cheeks, so that the roses should not come off.

And then Lady Maria was taken upstairs and introduced to the nursery party, who were all very curious, but proud that such a very fine lady had come to live among them. The other dolls were civil, but rather cold, when the new doll was introduced to them. She was a foreigner, and didn't understand English ways, and they felt sure they wouldn’t get on together. But Dolly took her to her heart at once, and soon everyone in barracks knew Lady Maria as well as they knew her mistress. For Dolly's father was colonel of a dragoon regiment, and they lived in a pretty white house, with a garden full of flowers, just outside the big barrack-gates. “When I grow up I shall be a soldier, and carry a sword like father!” Hugh used to proclaim a hundred times a day in the nursery.

“1 shall ride on a white horse, and wave a beautiful gold stick in the air. and wear a much finer and more lovely broad sash than even father wears!”

And Dolly and Hugh laughed very much when Daisy made this speech. “Why. Daisy, that’s only the drum major, who tells the band what tunes they have to play! And besides.” added Hugh, “girls ean't be soldiers, or even in the band.” Which made Daisy feel very hurt, and nurse had to come and comfort her; and. as nurse thought the drummajor a very fine fellow indeed. Daisypromised to try and be consoled. Lady Maria used to go with the children to the drill field to see the regiment go through its drill. And how they used to love the musical •ride, when all the horses kept in time with the band, and took their steps quite as carefully as Hugh and Dolly did in their dancing class! And then she used to go as well to the treat to the soldiers’ children, to the athletic sports and to all kinds of lovelythings. But I don’t think she enjoyed anything as much as the children did. “The general comes to-day to review the regiment; but it won’t be till after lunch, so you can go on to tne drill field as usual this morning.”

And father, in his uniform of scarlet and gold, that the children so much admired and respected, threw Baby Nell into the air as he spoke. It was a sweet morning in May, and the sun was so bright, and the birds

singing so delightfully, that the children rushed off to the drill field as soon as breakfast was over, nurse far behind them. But Sarah the nursemaid ran on with them, as eager as they to pick daisies to make chaius of, and' to pretend to be the general while Hugh and Dolly galloped past on walking sticks to show they were the regiment. And Daisy beat on a toydrum, with a sash round her shoulders to represent the band. And LadyMaria sat beside Sarah on the grass, and was the Queen. For it was a birthday review that was to take place that day, and of course the Queen must be there, because it was her own special day. It was quite too lovely till Dolly was sent for to drive with her mother into the town, and had to run off to get readv.

“You will look after Lady Maria, won’t you. Daisy, and bring her home in baby’s mail cart if she gets too tired, won't you?” And. of course. Daisy promised faithfully. But after a little time a circus passed on the road, with three baby elephants walking in the procession. each with a white dog riding ou its back. And everyone ran to look at them, and then it was dinner time. And poor Lady Maria was forgotten and lay at one end of the drill field, very disgusted at being left out alone in the sun.

And then the general came, and everyone went into the drill-field, and the troops were drawn up at one end. and -the band played fascinating marches.

And then the bugles rang out ciea. and loud, and a sudden order was given, and a regiment started to gallop across the field and then wheel and come back again.

Off they started, with the sunshine on the back of their swords, in a quick rush over the grass. But suddenly a thrill of horror ran through the soldiers who led the charge. Was that a

baby asleep on the grass right in front of them? In another moment they would be upon it. But the next second Trooper O’Fla naghan called out:

"Sure, it's only the Lady Maria! But Miss Dolly will cry her eyes out if she is hurt!”

And as they swept onwards, he suddenly leant down from his saddle, ami. with a rapid, quick thrust, lifted the doll on his sword and set her on his saddle before him. And the men gave a cheer as they saw what he had done. And Lady Maria, her hat all on one side, and her fair hair all blown in the wind, swept proudly by at the head of the troops, as though she was quite used to lead a cavalry charge every moment of the dav.

How everyone laughed and cheereel w hen the colonel put Lady Maria into Dolly’s arms, and how Dolly huggea her and loved her. and cried over her. and then had to take her up to the general for a special introduction!

And the next day he sent her a dear little silver medal, tied with the regimental colours. "For my new recruit.” he wrote on it. And Lady Maria now always proudly wears this whenever she goes out to tea or comes down to dessert.