REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 241 



them down wells. The y8th stopped at Bareilly when the 

 Mutiny was over and Tom went to Dinapore. Then he 

 joined the ygth Highlanders at Lucknow and went to Mian 

 Mir. Tom was thirteen years with this fine regiment, follow- 

 ing it to Ferozepore, Nowshera, Attock, Peshawar and 

 Komti. When it went home in 1879 he joined the y2nd Regi- 

 ment at Deolali in the Bombay Presidency, staying eight 

 years at Umballa and Peshawar ; he accompanied the ygth 

 to Afghanistan, waiting two months at Kohat for Shir 

 AH Khan, the Amir, to meet General Roberts, but the wily 

 Afghan never turned up. Shortly afterwards .orders were given 

 that no barbers were to be allowed to go to the front, so Tom 

 went home to Chupra, where he has since remained, having 

 bought a little land. He was greatly grieved this year at the 

 loss of his only son, of whom he was very fond. Tom is 

 a most amusing old fellow, but never intrusive; he has 

 a wonderful memory, and it is very interesting ,to hear 

 his anecdotes about the various regiments he has served 

 with. There is a good story told about him and Antony 

 Patrick Macdonnell. When the latter first went to Chupra as 

 Collector, he sent for Tom to shave him and began pumping 

 him about the planters of the district, but Tom shut him up, 

 neatly saying/' I never go about gossiping, Sir, a still toiigue 

 makes no enemies." 



CHAPTER XL. 



YEAR 1894. 



In April 1894 died at home one of the most popular of the 

 Sonepore Stewards and again the Indian Planters' Gazette 

 had the sad task of writing the obituary of one of Behar'-s 

 best planters. The Editor said : " We little thought when 

 bidding poor Willie Elliot, Godspeed, on his leaving for a trip 

 home, scarcely two months ago, that we had wrung his honest 

 hand for the last time but alas! that it should be so; this week's 



