HAMMERSLEY'S PLUCK 



THE cup stands over the fireplace in the 

 hbrary, between the regimental colors. 

 Its history is tradition now and every 

 subaltern learns it by heart before he 

 has been in the regiment a week. It is part of his 

 education. I knew the story well as they tell it, 

 for Hammersley and I were brother oflScers, but 

 the real facts of the case I learned only a year ago 

 this fall. 



The hunting season was open and I had already 

 missed several good * 'kills" for want of a proper 

 mount, so it happened that I was in the Midland 

 country looking about for a horse or two that 

 could jump, when one day I heard of a dealer not 

 far from where I was stopping. His place was a 

 rather dilapidated, unpromising one, and I ap- 

 proached it with some misgivings that my time 

 had been wasted, but there was a pleasant sur- 

 prise for me when the "Midget" was led out. 

 Never have I seen a finer animal — nearly seven- 

 teen hands, an eye full of courage, and a thorough- 

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