290 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



" How much I have to be thankful for, not only 

 for restored position and means of future distinction, 

 but for safety and preservation during this terrible 

 war, and for my dear wife's escape." 



One or two pleasing incidents in that brief 

 period of domestic happiness have been thus de- 

 scribed by a lady visitor at the Cowhouse : " When 

 at Umbala, on ten days' leave, in November last, 

 the wounded and convalescent Guides (his old corps) 

 were all day straying into the compound simply 

 to salaam the sahib. And if, when lingering on the 

 steps or in front of the study door, they were 

 questioned what they wanted, their answer would 

 be, ' Nothing ; they liked to look at the sahib.' 

 And so they hung about his steps, and watched 

 like so many faithful dogs. Especially there was 

 an Afghan boy (he had once been a slave) whose 

 very soul seemed bound up in the master who 

 had rescued him from his degraded position, and 

 for whom every service seemed light. He would 

 watch his master's movements with a look of 

 very worship, as if the ground were not good 

 enough for him to tread." 



