From Dug out -

and i
B lle t

DE A R LI T T L E M A MA .

’
Do n t stare It isn t s u ch an o d d
’
.

’
begi n ni ng whe n th e re aso n s give n The .

othe r day i n bill ets a F re n chwoman

—
showe d me a lette r oh the p rid e o f h e r 1
,

fro m he r soldie r son Be i .ng in F re n ch an d ,

r ov e nga le at th at I co u l d n t g e t the hang of

’

p ,

m u ch of it b u t it b e g an wi
,
th C bér ep e t i
te ,

Ma m a n Eve r si n ce it h as str u ck me that

.
,
“ ”
De ar Mothe r is m u ch too stai d a w ay t o
ad dress y o u If that big b aby o f a man
.
,

who s doi n g i n Bo ches with san g u in ary

’

e nj oyme nt d own Alsa ce way can u s e an ,

afle c t i o n at e dimin u tive t o his b i g M am an ,

s u r e ly I can do the same She M a m a n m a r

.
, ,

cba nde de t a ba c i n the N o rth is the largest ,

woman I have eve r se e n She h as th re e .

3 5 77 72
chi ns n o waist the arms o f a p rize fi gh t e r
, ,
-
,

an d sh e weighs fo u rte e n ston e i f an o u n ce .

Yet she is P io u P io u s P et i “ -
t e Ma m a n
” ’
,

an d n o highe r than his he art N o m an s .

’

mothe r is .

’
S o th at s the re aso n why I ve t ake n a le af ’

o u t o f P io u P io u s l e t t e r d e ar littl e Mam a
’
-
, ,

an d I wish I had half his vo c ab u lary o f

chér i ie r an d m i There s
’ ’ ’ ’ ’
s , g
an e r m , g non s .

n o do u bt abo u t it th e E nglish l ang u age ,

c u rdles a p rop e r exp ressi o n o f s e ntime nt .

’
I d give anythi ng t o b e a bl e t o s ay s o m e
’
thi ng to b u ck y o u u p p rop e rly b ut I m ,

afrai d I d on t kn ow h ow Ordin arily I m a

’
.
,
’

rotte r at letter writi ng as y o u know Afte r

-
,
.

we eks o f h andlin g an e ntren ching tool ( I

ge n erally d o my wha ck at it with my C o m
’
p any) my finge rs si mply c an t get a grip o f
a p e n I ll do my best , except t o give yo u a
.
’

di ary o f the u s u al st u ff abo u t han d t o han d - -

e n co u nte rs wild charges an d othe r he roi c

,

de e ds I b ar all th at Y o u can get it o u t o f

the p ap e rs i
. .

f y o u w an t i t N o m an can re ally .

2
 F r om D ug -
out a nd i
B llet

des cri be what he s do n e u n de r fire H e

’
.

’
doesn t know anyt hi ng ab o u t it whil e it s ’

’
g oin g on an d afte rwards
, h e d be bo u n d to
’
g ive a wro ng i mp ressio n o f it I m doin g .

my bit o r tryi ng to an d the re s an e n d

, ,
’

o f it .

’
What I m con ce rn e d with most is yo u r
self I kn ow yo u re going ab o u t smili ng
.
’

an d d o ing t he i
n n u m e r a bl e t h in gs of eve ry

i
d ay l f e t h at w o m e n fi n d t o t h e ih
r an d s . Bu t
’
I m eq u ally j olly well s u re that the smile
comes o ff at night an d th at yo u r p raye rs are
p an gs Also th at y o u lie awake i n the d ark
.

n ess and wo n d e r w h e r e o n the bare e art h

—
somewhere i n Flan de rs yo u r brave
b oy is lyin g An d i n the morn ing y o u wake
.

u p from an ho u r s t ro u ble d sle ep feelin g

’

lik e a b ad egg an d p u t o n th e smile agai n

,

to go d own t o bre akfast with i nste ad o f an

app etite I kn ow yo u do
. .

Do n t wo rry The facts d o n t w ar r a n t i

’
. t
’
.

Most d ays the f e llo w yo u re g r o us i

n g ab o u t
’

is u n de rgoi ng n othing worse th an he alth y

[ ]
'
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 F
r om D ug -
ou t and Bi
llet

e xe r c1 s eth at m akes hi m hard as n ails They .

m ay b e lo n g ho u rs b u t they se e m short
, .

Whe n he h as tim e t o thi nk it s o f yo u an d — ’

di n n e r The. an d
g e n e rally sp e aki ng does it famo u sly Y o u .

’
can t exp e ct the m t o write yo u r letters
fro m h o me as well
’ ’
An d d o n t f o r a mome nt i magi n e the re s
any d i s c o m f o rt i
n a be d o n what y o u c al l t h e
“ ”
bare e arth I ve he ard m e n who have
.
’

b e e n ho m e o n short le ave say that a sp ri ng

mattress an d pillows kept the m awake .

Whe n bye bye ti me co mes ro u n d yo u roll

-

yo u rself i n yo u r bl anket a n d i n a m ome nt

are sl eepin g the sle ep o f th e he althy j u st .

Ho u rs of it Ho nest ! With o r d i
. n ary l u c k

y o u get all the sleep an d rest y o u want an d

wake u p fi t as a fi d dle shake yo u rself lik e a
,

d og an d start anothe r d ay o f al ar u ms an d
,

ex c u rsions .

F ellows with b ad n e rves o r we ak t u m

mies go b a ck ho me an d t alk we i r d ly o f wh at
—
they ve u n d e rgon e s u ff e ri ngs an d want
’

[ 4 ]
 F
r om D ug -
o at a nd Bi
llet

of foo d That so rt wo u ld s ay t h e same thi ng

.

of a hard r u n wi
'

t h t h e be agles The s u fi e r .

i ngs of all except those wh o try and stop

’
high explosives with thei r he ads d o n t
-

amo u nt to more th an bliste re d fe et o r the

gall of a p a c k strap An d yo u can be h appy
-
.

’
tho u gh h u ngry so lo ng as y o u do n t have
,

to make a ho b by o f goi ng witho u t foo d .

Backwoodsme n an d cattl e p u n che rs far -

fro m the so u n d of war freq u e ntly have t o

wait fo r thei r din ne r u ntil they can get it ,

an d go witho u t if they can t ’

.

O f co u rse it s war an d som e war at th at

’

, ,

an d it p rovides sights e n o u gh to dist u rb

fastidio u s tastes Bu t oh belie v e m e we
.
, , ,
’
e nj oy it ! We re o u t he re f o r E ngl an d ,

—
ho me an d d u ty o r is it be a u ty — ri ght
e n o u gh ; b u t do n t make any mistake we
’

do o u r fighti ng for the love o f i t — fo r th e

s cr u m o f i
t The Bo c h e s o n ly fi g h t f o r h at e
.
,

whi ch is why a goo d m any of the m sq u e al

at th e sight of the me rry b ayon et The .

Ge rman is re markably like the villai n of

[ 5 ]
 F r om D ug-out and i
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the pie ce all hatre d an d b om b ast an d give n

,

t o the gn ashi ng o f te eth Th e b o m b ast .

’
goes o u t o f hi m whe n he s t a c kl e d t h o u gh , ,

an d o nly the hatre d re mains Bu t h at e .

’
n eve r w o n a war yet Th at s why Tommy .

’
is so f u ll o f co nfide n ce H e s n o t down .

he art e d o h de ar n o !
, ,
’
War s o nly h ard o n yo u wo me n an d th e
’
chaps w h o h ave to stop at ho me I d o n t .

m e an the sla cke rs an d th e strike rs Tbey .

o u g h t t o b e c o ll e c t e d i
n d u st c arts an d u se d -

fo r what th e Bo ch es c al l can no n fo d de r -
.

’ ’
They re aski ng for it We he re do n t .
, ,

want the m i n the sam e tre n ch with u s .

Yes war s h ard est o n yo u wo me n Y o u

’
.

can t help se ei ng thi ngs i n a s o rt o f twilight

nightmare The i de a o f bloo dshe d u m
.

’
n e rves yo u Y o u d o n t show it i n p u bli c
.
,

b u t we kn ow Eve ry m oth e r s s o n o f u s
’
.

’
eve ry man i n u niform who s got a mothe r
or a siste r or a wi fe o r a swe ethe art at ho me
-
kn ows h ow y o u fe el Y o u go abo u t .

p rete n di ng to b e che e rf u l an d hop ef u l b u t ,

[ 6 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd Bi
llet

de ep down i n the smo u lde ring vol can o o f

—
yo u r he arts an d yo u re all vol canoes i n ’

se ntime nt ebere p t i
,
te M a m e n —’
y o u se ethe
with tro u ble d e motio ns Th e pity o f it is .

that no ne o f y o u womanly wo me n can help

’
it Yo u ll make sacrifi ces yo u ll smile
.
,
’

b u t whe n y o u p u t the sword i n o u r han d

y o u d rive anothe r i nto yo u r o w n he art as
well Y o u thi nk o f u s as the we e mites we
.

u se d to be to be co ddle d an d t u cke d u p i n
,
’
be d Y o u can t se e that we re grown u p
.
’

an d simply revelling i n o u r j o b .

’
It s n o t altogethe r b e ca u se he s a Ge r ’

man that T o m m y li k e s killi ng him tho u gh ,

’
that s goo d re aso n e no u gh b u t Tom my
bei ng a fi gh t i n g m an b y i
,

n st in c t e n j o ys w a r

for its o wn sake Y o u can t get away fro m

.
’

it : war is a ne cessity of m as c u li n e h u man

n at u re The fighti ng spirit is p ro b a bly as
.

i ne radi cabl e i n a he althy yo u ngste r as his

liki ng fo r an u n de rdon e bee fste ak If it .

’
we re n t wa r wo u ld have go ne o u t of
,

fashio n lo ng ago As long as me n manage

.

[ 7 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut an d B llet i
thi ngs i n this worl d th e re will always b e
wars fie rce an d sav age a c co rdi n g to thei r
, ,

n at u re M e n are b u ilt that way

. .

I re ally thi nk all the goo d me n of the

n ati on are o u t he re alre ady It wo u l d d o .

yo u r he art g oo d to see the brothe rly spirit

that p revails amo ng all cl asses lords an d ,

l ab o u re rs d u kes an d d u stme n Wh at a
,
.

happy wo rl d it wo u l d be if all b u t the

co m man di ng few we re p ai d n o more than
seve n b o b a we ek an d their ho u rs o f la bo u r
,

we re co ntroll e d by nothi ng b u t n e cessity .

The n if y o u d ep orte d the able b odie d lo u ts -

who exp e ct othe rs t o do th ei r fighti ng f o r

the m an d p u t a p ai nless e n d (p refe rably
,
’
at the Dogs Hom e ) to the noisy eleve nth
ho u r p atri ots who are i nte rfe ri ng with the
co n d u ct o f this war we sho u l d be cele
,

b r at i n g the Mille n ni u m .

Wh at yo u goo d p e ople at ho me o u ght

t o co n ce ntrate o n j u st n ow i nste ad o f ,

bothe ri n g yo u r he ads abo u t o u r imagin ary

s u ff e ri ngs is j u st the eve ryday thi ngs that
,

[ ]
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 F r om D ug -
out and i
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i nte rest yo u most I gathe r yo u do n t

.
’

re ad no v els or go to th e Acade my or gi v e
di n ne r p arties and dan ces o r do any of the
-

things y o u u se d to like doin g I bet y o u .

d o n t t ro u ble to look u p the p ri ces of ol d

’

silve r an d chi na at Christi e s last s ale ’

,
’
tho u gh that s yo u r ho b by any more th an ,

Jane i n the kit che n with he r Bill at the

’
F ro nt is excite d by what s goi ng o n i n
p oli ce co u rt circles Yo u re all take n u p
-
.
’

with war n ews .

It s a mistake O u t he re we re fe d u p
’
.
’

with the s t u ff t h e p ap e rs are f u ll of st u ff that ,

re fle cts the frame o f min d o f yo u p e ople

at home We do n t ca v il at th e abse n ce of
.
’

’
ra ci ng n ews We s u pp ose the re s a g oo d
.

re aso n fo r stoppi ng it Bu t we d m u ch .
’

rath e r re ad abo u t the Derby an d the L ege r

than what the long range corresp on de nt -

of the D a i ly h as to say abo u t N e u ve

Chap elle What we look for at le ast
.
—
—
Tommy d oes is the u s u al five col u mns
con ce rnin g the l atest myste ri o u s m u rd e r ,

[ 9 ]
 F r om D g out a n d
u -
B llet i
o r a des cription o f a twe nty ro u nd p rize -

fight I nste ad we h ave t o wade thro u gh

.
,

p ages o f what we r e s u pp ose d t o b e d oing ’

,

whi ch is the limit b e c a u se most o f it is ,

“ ”
i m agin ary an d the rest slo b b e r Why .

’
c an t so me bo dy p rint a p ap e r f o r u s f e ll ows
at the F ront with all the war news left o u t ?
We re doi
’
ng o u r bit We do n t want t o .
’

r e ad ab o u t it
I ve c ove re d a lot o f p ap e r for a m an w i
.

’
th
’ ’
a hol e i n his arm The re it s o u t 1 That s .
,
’
why yo u re getting six p ages p asse d by the
Censo r It s n ot wort h p u tti ng m e t o b e d
.
’

’
f o r I m fit e no u gh to b e on t he war p ath
.
-
,

b u t o u r R A M C is like a d oting mothe r

. . . . .

Talk ab o u t kissing the pl a ce to m ake it

well !
N ow do n t worry the re s a de ar little
’ ’

soul C o u l d I p ossi bly write all this if I

.

we re slowly ble e ding t o d e ath o r co u ghing ,

’
gas o r raving i n d eliri u m ? F a ct is I m
, ,

l u x u ri ating i n the Base Hospital and get

ting fat o n all the deli ca cies of the se ason .

[ 10 ]
 F r om D ug-out a nd i
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’
M u st stop now Siste r says so S he s . .

L ady the s yo u ngest da u ghte r

-
’

—
,

y o u know L.ast ye ar fair bl u e and white ,

d ress spangle d fan That s h o w yo u d

, .
’ ’

have des cri be d he r on a d an ce p rogramme .

I had two waltzes with he r soon afte r she

w as p r e s e n t e d The n b u tt e r wo u l d n t h av e
’
.

melte d in he r mo u th S he was awf u lly .

girlish and rathe r de m u re N o w she s by .

’

way o f b ein g a cap able u nd e rst u dy to a

swagge r H arley Street s u rge on S he j u st
-
.

’
looks at y o u and y o u do what yo u re tol d .

’
S he s twenty and she s se e n men die and
,
’

help e d the m ove r their l ast fen ce in style .

’
Whe n the war s ove r and she m arries she ll
’

be one of the mothe rs of re al me n .

S o l ong ebére M a m a n p e t i
,
te m ign on j e , ,
’
t em bm t f e The p retti est F re n ch is n t fra
’
.

grant e n o u gh f o r y o u It s o n ly yo u I thi nk .
’

of whe n my mi n d s on anything big o r ’

there s anythi ng big to do The re h ave

’
.

—
be e n girls b u t o nly o n e shrin e I pl ace a .

can dle before it now M O TH E R— .

I H
I
 F r om D ug-o ut a nd i
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Give my l ove to E ngl an d whi ch me an s

,

y o u fi rst.

Yo u r lovi ng s o n ,

C H O TA .

trite I want P io u P io u s to u ch 1
’
H ow -

[ 12 ]
 S W EE TH E A R T .

Whe n I w as a boy an d he ard abo u t

“
the toast o f swe ethe arts an d wives I
t o o k t h e word sweethe art to mean mothe r .

I don t think I was so far o u t eithe r And

’
, .

when as g rown men we d rank it at mess

, , ,
“
finishi n g with the inevita ble and m ay t h e y
neve r me et I always made a p oint of le av
,

ing o u t the r ib al d t ag and d rank o n ly t o the

ne arest and swe etest and de arest of beings
who stood to m e for both Messes are get
.

—
tin g me re me mories now u nless y o u can
call thre e m u d cake d obj e cts e ating o u t of
-

a me at tin i n a f u nk hole b eing at mess

- -

b ut I nev e r miss d ri nking t o the only sweet

he art I know whe n I t ake my gr u el all t h e
,

same .

O h yo u p re ci o u s littl e so u l a tho u s and

,

[ 1 3
]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd Bi
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th anks f o r yo u r che e ry l ette r It di d m e a

.

worl d o f goo d I co u l d re ad into it how

.

p e rfe ctly delighte d yo u we re to k n ow t h at I

was s afe in hospit al and o u t o f the e ne my s ’

’
r ange I believe y o u d r at h e r like me to be
.

p epp e re d (in a h armless w ay) eve ry n ow

and the n so as to b e able to s atisfy yo u rself
th at I w as i n b e d an d o u t o f d ange r most
of t he time I Wh at an army it wo u l d b e if
mothers h ad thei r way 1
Talking o f that re minds me how m u ch
m ore seri o u sly a ki ddie thinks o f h i s h u rts

t h an a m an d oes Do y o u re me m b e r the
.

way I ripp e d u p my kne e and m ad e a mess

of my nose whe n my bike ran away and l ai d
m e ge ntly o n a p i lé o f H i nts at the botto m o f
a hill somewhe re Bos co m b e C hine w ay ?
O r th at ti m e whe n I c au ght my eye on the
key o f t he n u rs e ry d oor an d fainte d o n th e
m at ? L ord h o w I t r i e d t o ke ep a s t i
ff u pp e r
lip My instin cts we re all f o r roaring like a
.

b u ll ; b u t some b ody a littl e f airy wom an

,

wit h chestn u t h air kept o n ro cking m e i n

,

[ I
4 ]
 F r om D ug out a n d
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Bi
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co u rse t o b e at w ar and not ge t ac c u stome d

,

t o th e sight o f bloo d is an i mp ossi bility .

Y o u g e t c all o u s o f it whe n y o u se e m e n
l a u ghing t h o u gh they re cove re d wit h it ’

fightin g tho u gh t hey can t se e f o r i t dying

’
,

f o r t h e loss o f it .

An d j u st as y o u get t o t hink o f bloo d as

a c u st o m ary sight s o y o u b e com e a c c u s
,
’
t o m e d t o th e i de a o f d e ath It s all aro u n d .

y o u
,
n o t re m ot e as i n ti m e s o f p e a ce It s .

p e ace th at m akes t he love o f life so f alsely

p re cio u s In pl a ces wh e re a m an c ar rie s his
life in his h ands and i
.

,
n w ar h e se e s d e ath in ,

its ri g ht p e rsp e ctive whi ch m e ans od dly

, ,

e no u gh th at it s shorn o f its t e rrors P e r

,
’
.

h aps it ne e d e d a g r e at w ar li k e t his t o bring

t hi ngs i nt o fo c u s again .

I m n o t o n e o f the ove r religi o u s and

’
-
,

o u t h ere y o u h ave n t m u ch ti me f o r the o

’

l ogi cal sp e c u l ation (yo u r simpl e f ai t h an d

the p raye rs y o u t a u ght me fill the bill as
f ar as I am con ce rne d ) b u t p arad ox as it
m ay se e m war kno cks the mate ri alism o u t
,

[ 1 6 ]
 F rom D ug
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o and Bi
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of the m ost h ard en e d o f me n Y o u get to .

belie v e absol u tely in a life afte r de ath .

Whe n yo u ve se e n the spi rit flaming at its

’

hi g hest j u st before it le aves the b atte re d

body y o u ref u se to believe that tot al e x
tin ction is its en d E n d u ran ce epi c i n
.
,

s acrifi ce and he roism m u st h ave a bette r ,

fate War t akes y o u d own to be d ro ck

. .

I ve re ad yo u r l ette r f o r the third time

’
.

It s getting cr u mple d Yo u r de ar little

’
.

p raye r at the en d is all y ou b u t mothe r 0 , ,

’

mine its spirit is rathe r re minis ce nt o f th at

,

pi ct u re in t he P uneb y o u se nt me in
whi ch the sm all g irl ki d wi s h e d she was an
-

angel s o th at she might d rop bo m bs on the

Germ ans !
I was inte rr u pte d j u st now b y t h e m an i n
the ne x t cot to mine a C a n ad i a n wo u nde d
, ,

i n the he ad They s ay it s all u p with the

.
’

p oor ch ap H e s a giant o f a fellow an d

.
’

when he fe els like it whi ch h e ofte n d oes,

’
when he s in p ain and t he n u rses are o u t
of e arshot his l ang u age m akes the wind ows
,

[ 7]
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 F rom D ug -
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rattl e T h e y s ay h e s done som e fine things

.
’

,
’
b u t he won t b e d rawn o n the s u bj e ct .

F ive min u tes ag o he s ai d he d like to se e

’

’
the lette r I was re ading I di dn t like .

h anding ove r the he art o f my m othe r f o r

a strange r t o p ry i nto so I m ade the ex c u se ,

th at it was p rivate .

H uh ! he gr u nte d F ro m some .

”
fool skirt I re ckon
-
,

N o f r o m m y m o t h e r , I s ai
.

“
I d on
’

,
d . t
’
t hink it wo u l d i nte rest y o u It s all ab o u t .

my home an d a b az aar t hey h ad f o r the

,
’
R e d Cross and h o w the gard e n s l ooking
, ,

an d wh at it s like in t he eve nings sitting

’
,
”
alone and thinking o f u s o u t he re .

“
He st u ck o u t his h and S e e he re .
,

son ny h ave y o u got a monop oly in

,

mothe rs ? I d on t re me m be r mine Be a ’
.

”
frie n d an d p ass it o n .

The re was s u ch a wistf u l look in his f a ce

—tho u gh it sets h ard e n o u gh whe n his
’
wo u nd is being dresse d o r he s l etting
—
hi mself go ab o u t the Bo ches th at I g ave
[ 1 8 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B lle t

hi m the lette r He grab be d it witho u t a

.

word and t u rne d ove r o n h l S S ide t o re ad

,

it I think he was trying to m ake believ e

. .

it was hi s lette r He took a long time ove r

.

it and I t ho u g ht he h ad fallen as le e p w h e n
, , ,

all o f a s u d den u p went his han d to the

,

b and a g e ro u nd his he ad and he h ad it o ff .

N u rse came r u nning u p and aske d him

what he me ant by being so n a u ghty and ,

fixe d hi m u p again .

“
S orry Sis he ap ologize d
, ,
I m u st .

have been d re aming I h ad a h at on an d

took it o ff to a l ady .

He gave me ba ck yo u r lette r afte r she d ’

“
gone an d all he sai d was
,
My yo u re ,
’

’
ri ch ! I didn t regret sharing it with him ,

afte r all .

’
I m gl ad yo u didn t send m e the whole
’

’
o f C anon Lyt t e lt o n s sp e e ch What the re .

’
was o f it m akes m e gl ad I wasn t at Eton
S ome o f the fellows o u t he re wh o we re are
f e ar f u lly w r at h abo u t it The re s t o o m u ch
’
.

of that sloppy sentim ent being l adl e d o u t

[ 9 ]
"
I 2
 F r om D ug
-
o u t and B llet i
i n England The as t o n i
. s hing t hi ng i s t h at a

he ad m aste r o f a p u b l i c s c h o ol p r e s u m a b l
, y
a good Christi an an d a c l e ar t h i n ke r s h o u ld ,
’
re ason so b adly I don t set myself u p t o
.

b e an a u th ority o n the Bi bl e b u t sp e aking

,

from me m ory it se e ms t o m e that the

,

i nj u n cti on to lo v e o u r e ne mies an d d o g oo d
t o th ose wh o hate u s w as not ad d ressed t o a
p e ople Christ tri e d t o get at the he art o f
.

the i ndivi d u al He di d n o t con ce rn Him

.

self with n ations n o r with war Unless ,

.

’
I m wrong th e only ti me He to u che d o n
,

the l arge r iss u es that might sp ring o u t o f

His t e aching was when He sai d I com e
n o t t o bring p e a ce b u t a sword .

The re are d e e ds th at are beyond f o r

g iv e n e s.s I ve se ’
e n som e o f the m and
he ard fi r s t han d ab o u t othe rs The re is
-
.

som ething in con c eivabl e a bo u t the b r u

t ali tie s o f the Ge rm ans They d on t b e ar ’
.

t alking ab o u t Bu t I wo u l d h ave like d

.

to sh ow C anon Lytte lton and the othe r

cl e rgyme n who p re a ch abo u t tol e ration
[ 2 0
]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B l let

to o u r e ne mies a littl e ch u rch we c ame

across a month ag o The re we re sights
.

t he re t o awe an irreli g io u s m an The .

pl ace was wre cke d and wre cke d i n a way

,

t hat only fie n ds co u l d h ave t ho u ght of .

If anyone n e e d e d convi n cin g t h at t his i ;

a holy war in whi ch t he e ne my are t he

p owe rs o f D ar kn e ss an d n o othe r t h ey h ad
,

b u t t o look o n t h at hellish d evast ation

ri b al d words s crawl e d on a cr u cifix holy ,

im ages d e fi l e d eve n a stat u e o f t he Virgin

,

and Chil d disfig u re d It was s u ch a girlish

.

litt le Vi rgin a fa ce so se re n e an d h appy

,
.

The b r u te s had h a cke d it ab o u t an d st u ck

t he st u mp of one o f t h e ir fo u l cig ars
—t ake n
t he t ro u ble t o gu m i t — b etwe e n t he holy ,

smiling lips ! That s wh at t he Ge rm ans

’

d are t o d o t o t he Mot he r o f Go d ! Can

y o u wond e r at t hei r crimes ag ainst t h e
mothe rs and 3 1 s t e rs an d wi v es o f Belgi ans
and F re n chme n ? Wh at wo u ld they not
d o t o t he mothe rs of Englishme n if they
co u l d i
— f t hey eve r se e the Day ?
[ 2 1
]
 F r om D ug-out a nd Bi
llet

T he y won se e t he Day o f co u rse O u r

’
t ,
.

m e n are firm on that p oint They know .

wh at t hey re fighting f o r now not only

’

t hei r bit o f gro u n d in E ngl and whethe r —

“
it b e a vill age allot me nt o r a co u nt ry
ho u se with sho oting — b u t t h e hon o u r o f
t heir wom e n t he s afety o f littl e chil d re n
,
.

At first t h ey co u l d n t u nd e rst an d th e bit

’

t e r n e s s of t he F re n ch an d Belgi ans ag ainst

t hese u nsp e akabl e bru t es Tommy fo u ght .

wit ho u t m ali c e Bu t not n ow N ow h e is

. .

b e ginning t o writ e hom e a bo u t t h e t h i n gs

’
he s s e e n an d p e rhaps he ll s u c ce e d in
,
’

r ou si n g t h e sl acke rs and stirrin g t h e n ati on

g e ne rally .B u t o h t,
he ,
l a ck o f p rep ara
tion t his short age o f sh ells t hes e st rikes
, , ,

t h e slow sl ow dis c u ssions in P arli ame nt

,

It s s u ch we ary he arin g for u s ou t he re

’
.

’
At tim e s t he st rongest m an s h e art lose s
f ait h i n his co u nt rym e n .

’ ’
P le as e d on t t hink I m d ep resse d It s
’
.

only t h e l yi ng he re in active an d fe elin g

well e no u gh t o b e u p an d d oing t h at
[ 2 2 ]
 Fr om D ug -
out a n d i
B llet

i ng The light is failing in Engl and b u t

.
,

pl e ase God only for th e ni g ht I c an se e

, .

y o u sitting in th e soft glow o f a shad e d

l amp n e ar t he op e n win d ow I c an se e t he .

big bowls of rose s eve rywhe re smell t he m ,

and th e night sto cks j u st o u t s i

-
d e A big .

mot h d r u ms in fro m t he g ard en b r u she s ,

against yo u r ch e e k an d st artle s yo u so t h at ,

y o u look u p fro m yo u r wo rk — a soldie r s ’

—
shi rt o r pyj a m as an d y o u g e t u p and w alk
i n t he g ard e n b e c a u s e s u dd e nly yo u r
t ho u ghts h ave flown to m e and we s o ,

oft e n w alke d in t he g a rd e n aft e r dinn e r ,

y o u and I u, p and down t h e l awn .

C o me along litt le wo m an,

He re s ’

yo u r sh awl L et s h ave a st rol l t ogeth e r

.
’ ‘

my b ody in F r an c e yo u rs in E n g l and b u t
, ,

o u r s p irits sid e by sid e in o u r d e a r ol d

g a rd e n L i
. s t e n t o t h e nighting al e s Whe n
t hey st o p fo r b re ath t h e soft w arm sile n c e
of the n i g h t w r a p s u s ro u nd I s n .t it p e a c e
’

f u l I : t he re a w a r going o n o r is it only
.
,

a d re am ?
[ 4 ]
2
 F r om D ug-out a nd i
B llet

Think it a d re am and s le e p t hro u gh

it We o u t h e re will t ake c are t o g u ard
.

y o u f r o m it s re alitie s Good. n ig h t d e
-
a r e s t , ,

God ble ss y o u ( as if H e co u ld do any

t hing e lse l ) .

Yo u r C H O TA .

’
H u sky (t h at s t he big C an adi an) who ,

h as b e e n wat ching me s c rib blin g s ays ,

rath e r i ro n i c a lly t h at I o u g ht to h ave be e n

a ne ws p ap e r corre s p ondent H e wants .

me t o le ave a s p a c e fo r hi m to writ e yo u
so met hin g at t he b a ck of t his ! u e e r .

—
ch ap p oo r ch ap .

( E nclos ur e)

DEA R E NGLIS H WO M A N ,

H e s t he ri g ht so rt yo u r son b u t
’
, ,

Ge e what a mothe r h e m u st h ave ! He

,

let me re ad yo u r lett e r I ho p e y o u d on t
.
’

mind It roa r so me lett e r P le as e writ e

. .

ag ain s oon b e fo re t hey p u t the s c re e n

,

ro u nd me .

Yo u r o be d i e nt ,

[ 2 5 ]
 ( 3)
LI T T L E B R AV E H EA R T ,

It was j u st like yo u t o write to

H u sky If anythin g c o u l d have ke p t him
.

alive that swe e t lett e r o f yo u rs wo u ld have

’
do n e it M o re s the p ity th e p o or fellow
.
,

di e d the d ay b e fore it arrive d H e had a

.

p e rsiste nt hall u cin atio n at the l ast that

ange ls we re all aro u nd his b e d H e go t .

’
q u ite angry b e c a u se we co u l d n t s e e the m
.

O n e o f the n u rs e s wh o h ad b e e n i n a chil
d re n s feve r hosp i
’
tal tol d m e that so m e
of the p o o r mite s t he re u s e d to have similar
d el u sio ns H u sky re min d e d he r o f th em
. .

H e die d i n his sl e e p B e s u re the re are

.

crowns se t with ro u gh diam o nd s sp e cially

ke p t in the Elysian Fi el d s f o r valian t
so u l s like his .

26 1
 F r om D ug-out a nd i
B llet

Il e ft hospital thre e days ago Yo u d .

’

fe el s o se re ne if yo u co u l d s e e m e now .

I m lite rally in th e boso m ( for they ve

’ ’

take n m e to th eirs) o f a typic al u pp e r

cl as s B elgian family They ve t u rn e d
.
’

their ch ate a u into a c o nvale s ce nt hom e

’
f o r o f fi ce rs It s a n o ble o l d ho u se f u ll
.
,

of b e a u tif u l f u rnit u re of the c o u rtly

p e riod fro m whi ch the Fre n ch an d
B elgians ge t their exq u isit e m ann e rs .

(This p lac e might almo st be said t o b e

i n F ran c e it s s o cl ose t o th e frontie r
,
’

an d b ein g j u st o u t of th e trac k o f i
,

n
v as i o n it h as l u c k i
,
ly e s c ap e d d e str u ctio n ) .

At p re se nt the re are o nly t w o othe rs

“ ”
h e re like myse lf b e in g c u re d as if we
,
’
we re b aco n b e fore it s se nt o ff to b e
“
smo ke d ”
O n e i s th e N awab o
.

a harde n e d warrio r of twe nty two H e -

.

was at d e ar o l d Wellingto n so we have ,

exp erie n c e s i n common The othe r was .

a B u gle r now p romot e d to a 2u d L ie u

,

t e n an cy O n the s u bj e ct of his commission

.

[ 7 ]
2
 F
r om D ug -
out a nd i
B llet

t he re h angs a t ale whi ch he won t o r ’

m u stn t t ell Bu t knowing whe re h e was

’
.

l ast in a cti on an d som ething o f his re gi

me nt I c an m ake a p retty shrewd g u ess at
it Whe n things are going a bit wrong an d
.

so me u nfort u n at e l osing his he ad ord e rs

, ,
“ ”
t h e retire an d i nst e ad a b u gle r so u nds
,
”
th e ch ar g e the re by s aving the sit u ation
,

—e h ? I t h i ’
n k t h at s t h e k e y t o t he myst e ry .

This is a war in whi ch t h e rom an c e o f p r o

m otion wo u l d r u n t o vol u mes .

We re t he b est o f p als in spit e o f the fa ct

’

t h at t he N awab first saw th e light i n a cradl e

j ewell e d in s eve nt e e n hole s I in a sw i n gi ng ,

contrivan ce o f silk and l ace an d b ows ,

an d t he Bu gl e r p rob ably i n an imp rovise d

s u g ar b ox whi ch l at e r o n d eve lop e d
-
,
’
whe els an d t u rn e d int o a m ail cart We ve '
-
.

’
all b e e n t h ro u g h t he s a me mi ll sin ce It s .

h ard m ar ching s h rapne l and m a chin e

,

g u n fire b a
,
rb e d wi re and all t he re st o f it
t h at leve ls c ab b age s and kings .

Abo u t o u r h ost s We h a v en t se e n M .
’
.

[ 2 8 ]
 F r om D ug-ou t and i
B llet

le Comt e He s an Artille ry o ffi c e r on
.
’

the Be lgi an St aff M ad a me is the id e al .

Comte sse of t radition aristo crati c and ,

exq u isit e S he m ake s y o u t hink of the

.

Ve rs aille s o f old He r eight e e n ye a r old

.
- -

d a u ght e r Dé si r é e by n ame is on e s id e al
, ,
’

of wh at a girl s ho u ld b e The re a re litt le .

ce re moni als in o u r d aily int e rco u rs e .

Whe n M ad ame t ake s le ave o f u s we kiss

he r de li c at e fi n g e r tip s In re s p onse t o -
.

’
M ade moise lle s c u rt sy t h e old wo rld ,
-

g ra ce of whi ch wo u ld b e th e d e s p ai r o f a
ho ckey p l ayin g hoyd en we a re a cq u i rin g
-
,

a b o w of q u it e Continent al e le g an ce .

My two co mp anions a re a bit e nvio u s

of my F re n ch S u ch as it is it en ab le s me
.

to ke e p u p a conve rs ation wit h M ad e

m oi
’
s e ll e They p ret e nd I m c u tting t he m
.

’
o u t b u t of co u rs e t he re s no q u e stion o f
,
’
t h at In t he fi rst p l ac e I h ave n t e no u gh
.
,

of t he bom me ga la n t i n me and s e condly , ,

’
one wo u ldn t d re am of fli rting with M ad e
m oi s e l l e D é si r é e o r inde e d any ot he r
,

[ 9 ]
2
 F
r om D ug -
out a nd i
B llet

we ll b r o u ght u p F re n ch g i rl S he s m uch ’
’

- -
.

t o o inno cent J u st n ow M ad e mois e lle is

.

sitting s ewing whil e I writ e A litt le w ay .

o ff M ad a me l a C o mt e ss e is g at he ring
ros e s wit h t he N aw ab an d t h e ex B u gle r
,
-

holding he r b askets H o w p e a c e ab le we
—
.

m u st look we fighting men fo u rt h rat e

,
-

S amsons sho rn o f o u r st re ngt h !

M ade moise ll e int e rru pts m e I t r ans .
2

l at e t h e conve rs ation t h at e ns u e s .

’
M sie u r writ e s wit h a f a cility Is it a .

lett e r t o t h e fi an c é e s he asks m i s chiev

o u s l y ( he r fe minin e w ay o f v o i ci n g p oo r

H u sky s ass u mption th at I a m writing t o

’

”
a fool ski rt ) -

Bu t no M ad e mois e lle I writ e t o t h e

, ,
.

”
litt le mot he r al l alone in Engl and I t e l l ,

he r.

“
S p e ak t o m e o f m ad a me yo u r m o
”
t h e r s h e e nt re at s ve ry ch armingly
,
.

S o I t e ll h e r ab o u t y o u I h ave neve r .

s aid so m u ch ab o u t my moth e r t o anyon e

b e fore in my life It d oe s me good t o let.

[ 30
]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B llet

Bu t t h at is yo u ng fo r a mothe r of on e
”
s o big ! s h e c ri e s The n it is t r u e wh at
.
,

I h ave b e e n t old I n Engl a nd all t h e

m othe rs and g rand mot he rs are yo u ng ,

always wit h t he g old e n h ai r and t he co m

p l exion p ink and we ll p owd e re d -

( To o m any o f t he m are b u t it won t d o ,

t o ad mit it ) .

“
That I fan cy is a slight e x ag g e r a
, ,
“
tion I rej oin
,
S o m e of t he m p e rh ap s
.
,

ler p ap illom d e r oe i é té d i s fi g u r e t he ms e lve s

,

s o b u t t h e litt l e mot he rs w ho sit at ho m e

,

g row ol d g ra c e f u lly .

C omm e m a rti
an ?

Bu t on e do e s not c al l M ad a me l a
”
C omt e ss e o l d .

S he s miles an d aft e r a p a u s e s ays a litt le

,

wistf u lly “
O n e d ay p e rh ap s whe n I , ,

a m m arri e d I will t rave l t o E ngl an d and

m ake t h e a cq u aint an c e o f yo u r m ot he r ,
’ ”
M sie u r .

“
Y o u are t hen fi a nce? I ask in s u r ,

p rise .

[ 3 ]
2
 Fr om D ug- out a nd Bi
llet

Oh ,
bu t a m t o o yo u ng Do u bt
no I .

”
le ss in ti m e t h at will arran g e its e lf .

“
An d the choi ce
S h e pi cks u p h e r s ewing again The .

choi ce will b e with my p are nts bi e r: en ,

An d will yo u r choi c e b e thei r

choi ce ?
S he looks u p the n an d I re ad in h e r
,

eye s t he most p e rfe ct fili al t r u st and

love .

“ ’
Bu t of c o u rse M sie u r ; fo r t he ir
, ,
”
choi ce m u st b e t he b est .

We ll it s ve ry p retty and d u tif u l and

,
’

’
an ex ce lle nt p l an as a r u le I m told t his , ,

Contine nt al way o f making m arriage s I .

’
don t know why I ve re co rd e d t his t rivi al
’

’
conve rs ation It didn t se e m t rivi al while
.

it was going o n .

I h ave anot h e r we e k he re I b e li eve I ,

.

sh all miss the d e li c at e refin e ment of t his

[ a ] 3
 F r om D ug- o u t a nd Bi
llet

p l a c e and its ni ce p e o p le whe n I m gon e ’

,

b u t whe n I get into t h e thi ck o f it ag ain I

s h all fe e l mo re t h an eve r t h at I m fighting ’

f o r Be lgi u m as we l l as Engl and Y o u .

’
won t wond e r at t h at whe n I t e ll yo u wh at
h a p p en e d t his aft e rnoon .

I w as sittin g at my b e d roo m window

whi ch ove rlooks t he g ro u nds an d t he
g at e s at t hei r ent ran c e when u nexp e ct ,

e d ly as I g at he r a bi ggis h c ar t u rn e d i
, , n

at t he m The re we re two l adie s and a

.

Be lgi an o ffi c e r in it an d t he c h au ff e u r w as
,

a s o ld i
e r I h a d j u s t ti me t o noti ce th at o n e
.

o f t h e l adie s w as fai r an d s light and t h e n ,

I lost sight o f t h e c a r as it d rew u p di re ct ly

u n d e r my window F ive min u t e s aft e r
.

w a rds th e visit o rs c am e o u t o n t o t he
l awn wit h t he Co mt e ss e and M a d e m o i
s e lle .

’
The litt le fai r l ady s b a ck was t owa rds
me s o I co u ldn t s e e h e r f a c e Bu t I sho u ld
,
’
.

h ave j u d ge d he r t o b e ve ry disting u ishe d

an d p at ri ci an eve n wit ho u t t he d e fe re n c e
[ 34 ]
 F
rom D ug-out a nd B llet i
the Co mt e ss e showe d he r The ot he r fe l .

lows m u st h ave a p p re ci at e d t his t o o f o r ,

t hey j u m p e d o u t of t hei r g arde n c h ai rs

and stood at atte ntion u nti l t he y we re
m ad e known to he r .

F o r myse lf I did not int en d j oining the

,

p a rt y The l ady was cle arly o f i mp o rt

.

an ce and I tho u ght it mo re t a ct f u l t o st ay

,

whe re I w as Bu t M ad ame s ami ability

.
’

was not going t o allow h e r t o fo rge t an

u ndisting u ishe d g u e st A s e rv an t w a s se nt
.

t o fet ch me I f e lt u n a c c ou n t a b ly d i
.
,
ffi d e n t
as I went o u t o n t o t he l awn I did not i n .
,
’
conseq u en c e c at ch t he l ady s n ame wh e n
,

I w as p re s e nte d t o he r b u t whe n she ,

—
t u rne d he r fa ce t o me s o yo u ng b u t so
s ad as if it h ad se en a t ho u s and agonie s
,

my e mb arrass ment vanishe d I t w as a fa c e .

so f u ll o f soft wo manline ss and p ale c are .

It h ad in it s o mething o f th e exp re ssion of

t he m a rt yr t he ange l and th e mot he r as
, ,

we ll I fi n d it diffi c u lt t o d e s crib e its e ff e ct

.

on me R eve ren ce I t hink it was Fo r al l

.
, .

’
35 3
 F r om D ug -
out a n d Bi
llet

—
th at sh e h ad a w ay a ce rt ain swe e t si m
,

p l i
c i
t y
— t h at w as ve ry winning .

All t his whi le t h e ex B u gl e r w as p al -

p a b l y s u ff e rin g agoni e s o f n e rvo u sne ss .

H e c o u ld b are ly an s w e r w h e n s he s p oke to
hi m Bu t t h e N awab m ad e u p f o r t h at H e
. .

h as a won d e rf u l O ri ent al fl u e n cy whi c h

n ow and t h en b ro u ght a fli cke r o f am u s e
me nt i nt o he r s o rrowf u l f a c e I t hink sh e .

m u st h ave inti m at e d t h at she w ant e d t o

t alk t o me fo r p re s e nt ly I fo u nd mys e lf
,

alone with he r In a s low swe et voi ce she

.

p u t o n e q u e stion aft e r anot he r N o t p e r .

s on al on es S h e o n ly w an t e d t o he ar of two
.

—
t hin gs armie s and s oldie rs S he t alke d of .

t h e m wi t h u n as s u m ing i nt i m a c y S he s ai d .

t h at fro m t h e b eginning of t he war sh e h ad

b e en moving ab o u t always moving neve r
, ,
’
i n on e p l a ce S he h a d s e e n Be lgi u m s
.

t ravail in eve ry on e o f its p h as e s an d t he ,

m e mo ry o f i t w as r e fle c t e d in h e r f ac e All .

t h e ti me I co u ld se e t h at sh e w as re p re ss
ing h e r fe e lings L ike a m an who fe e ls
.

[ 36 ]
 F r om D ug- o ut a nd Bi
llet

st rongly s he u s e d the fewest p ossib le

,

wo rds Y o u co u ld s e e t h at s he was s u ff e r
.

i n g a c u te ly .

H ave y o u re lations fi g htin g M a ,

”
d ame ? I aske d g re at ly b l u nde rin g
,
.

” “
All of my s ons s he re p lie d ,
Those .

”
t h at h ave n ot al re ady fall e n .

“
Bu t fo rgive m e M ad ame yo u r s ons , ,
”
m u st b e child ren .

He r eye s fille d My l i
t t l e one s a re s afe
.

in E ngl and ; b u t eve ry B e lgian d e ad o r ,

fi g hting is my s on she s aid w i

,
”
t h t re m e n
,
“
d o u s e motion I a m R a che l M onsie u r
.
,

le C apit aine and I c annot b e com fo rt e d

,
'
.

”
I c an b u t t ry t o co mfo rt .

And s o only did I st u mb le on th e t r u t h ,

t hat I w as in t he p re sen ce of t he most t ragi c

—
of living fi g u r e s B e lgi u m s ind omit able ’

s pi rit in c a rn at e in he r b rave litt le ! u e en .

I think t he s u n got int o my eye s th en .

H u llo I m d own t o my last she et o f

,
’

p ap e r and as I m w riting in my b e d roo m

,
’

an d it s n e a rly midnight I c an t go an d
’ ’

[ 37 ]
 F r om D ug out
-
and i
B llet

fet ch mo re The ho u se hold i s as le e p and

.
,

I w o u l d like t o t hink t h at t he litt le w an d e r

ing ! u e en wh o re sts h e re fo r t he night
, ,

is as le e p t o o and d re aming not o f he r

—
, ,

st ri cke n co u nt ry b u t o f t h e D ay B e l
,

g iu m
’
s D ay o f R e s u r r e c t i
o n —whi ch will
s e e it fre e d fro m t he u nsp e akab le Ge rm an ,

t ri u mp h ant t h ro u gh s a c rifi c e s an ctifie d as

,

only a n atio n c an b e t h at h as s u ff e re d and

b e e n c r u cifi e d .

Good night d e are st All my love I

-
,
. .

’
didn t me an t o c ram it in s o s m all .

C H OTA .

[ fl]
 F r om D ug-o ut a nd i
B llet

’ ’
Th at s N at u re all ove r S he d o e s n t allow
.

y o u t o exp e rie n c e m o re th an o n e e motion

at a ti m e I know th at th e fo u r d ays I ve
.
’

j u st s p e nt in t h e t re n che s h ave le ft t his

o n e i m p re s s ion o n my min d a shatt e rin g
ro ar whi ch n o l ang u age can de s c rib e .

Y o u m ay sho u t at th e t o p o f yo u r voi c e
t o t h e m an alongsid e fo r s o mething o r
’
ot he r an d h e d oe sn t t ake t he s light e st
n oti c e When in t u rn he b u rsts his l u ngs
.

t rying t o s ay s om et hing y o u t hink h e s ’

only m aking g ri m a c e s I n th e p e riodi c al

.

l u lls y o u find yo u rse lf a d e af m u t e Y o u .

kn ow t he g u ns h ave c e as e d fi ring by t he
abs en c e o f con c u ssio n b u t y o u c an t h e ar
,
’

anythin g for all th at and yo u c an t s p e ak

,
’

f o r ho ars e n e ss Aft e rw ards whe n yo u ve

’
.
,

g o t yo u r voi c e an d he aring b ack y o u c all ,

“ ”
it a bit of a racket .An ot he r p roof o f
t he t ransit o ry n at u re o f t hin gs
H e re I am i n t he R e s e rve L ines R e
l at i
.

’
v e ly it s q u iet
— t he q u ietn e ss o f the
c rowd at E p s o m o r a b u s y d ay at Wat e rloo
[ 4 ]
0
 F r om D ug out
- a nd i
B llet

— ’
St atio n a nd I m t aki ng advantage of it
t o writ e t o y o u Bu t t he din of a ctive war
.

conditions isn t q u it e o u t o f my he ad yet

’

and I m not at all s u re th at wh at I m g o i

’
ng
’

t o s ay will have ave rage cohe re n ce I m .

’

always e nvying the lit e rary ge nt s who

m ake we e k e nd t rip s t o the F ro nt They
-
.

n ot only s e e int o the min d o f F re n ch o r

Joff re an d kn ow exa ct ly wh at is h ap p e n
’
ing (whi ch we o n t he sp ot d on t ) b u t t he y ,

pi ct u re it in wh at I b e lieve are c alle d

”
fl amin g wo rds I s u p p ose it s the nois e
.
’

t hat ins pi re s the m in t he q u iet an d s e c lu

sion of t hei r st u die s whe n they re at ho me ’

again
O ne of o u r me n b a ck fro m a c o u nt ry
R e d C ross hos pit al h ad so mething to s ay
abo u t the nois e s the re A railway line ran .

at the botto m o f t he g ro u n ds an d a l ady ,

visit o r anxio u s f o r his co mfo rt p u t t he

“
q u e stion, An d d o the t rains dist u rb
”
y o u ? To mmy I g at he
, r st a re d at h e r ,

u n co mp re hen dingly The tr a i ns !

. Di d the
[ 4 1
]
 F
r om D ug -
ou t a n d i
B llet

ge nt le s oft ly m u rm u ring t rains dist u rb

.
-

hi m ? H e w ant e d t o l a u gh b u t s e eing how ,

re ally sym p atheti c s h e w as h e answe re d

“
me e kly We m an age t o sle e p t h ro u gh it
, ,
’
l a dy
I r e m e m b e r s ayi n g t h at t h e getting b ac k

t o m y C o m p an y w o u l d b e like going ho me
It wasn t q u it e th at : rat he r mo re like t he
’

b e ginning of a n ew s chool t e rm O n thos e .

o c c asio ns y o u looke d fi rst f o r yo u r p art i cu

l ar p als c u rio u s t o he a r t hei r exp e ri en c e s

,

sin c e yo u d s e en t h e m l ast an d t o t e ll yo u r
’
,

ow n . Th at p a rt o f it w as v e ry si mil a r ‘

H e re f a m i
,
li
a r f a c e s t h e r e we re t o o
—so me
o f t he m a ct u al ly thos e o f o l d s choolfe llows
-
an d t he i r owne rs b a d t hings t o t e ll N ot .

s cho olboy ya rns b u t sto rie s fo r all t h at

, , ,

whi c h in t h e fo rm o f d e at hle ss hist o ry

, ,

wil l b e writt e n f o r t h e b oys o f t he next

ge n e r ation O h y e s ve ry li ke s chool
.
, , ,

eve n t o th e g ap s in t h e ranks re p l a ce d by ,

the n ewc o me rs S o m any o f t he o l d f ac e s

.

—
missing goo d me n who h a d h ad t hei r
[ 4 2 ]
 F r om D ug-o u t a nd Bi
llet

l ast re mo v e In the ol d d ays it was a n a me

.

h a cke d wit h a p e nknife on a d e s k now a ,

ro u ghly p aint e d ins c ri ption o n a p l ain

wood e n c ross to re me mb e r t he m b y .

L ooking at those piti ab le c ross e s m ake s

m e thi nk of p oo r o l d C olon e l N ewc o me
an d wond e r whethe r t hey h ad ti me to get
in Ad s u m b efo re they went o u t .

The re we re no t u ck b oxe s in t he -

t ren che s o n my fi rst mo rni ng the re b u t ,

when th e d awn b roke an d it was s afe t o

light a fire t e a was b rewin g in b u lly tins .

”
H ave a c u p si r ? s ays some one an d
, ,
“ ’
wit h m u ch p ride The re s cond e nse d
,

milk in it . Mighty st rong an d g rate f u l

was t hat m u g o f t e a My cig arett e c ase
.
-

“ ’
co me s o u t afte r it Th anks si r Don t
.
,
.

”
wast e a m at ch Aft e r yo u si r And we
.
,
.

light u p fro m a sti ck t ake n fro m t he fire .

“
Gl ad t o s e e y o u b ack si r Whe re did t hey
,
.

”
get yo u ? In t he arm ? The n we ch at
cas u altie s The slight one s are dis c u sse d
.

with p rofe ssion al i m p e rt u rb ability ; b u t

[ a ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B ll e t

whe n it s a c as e o f a p al o r an o fli
’
c e r los t

fo r all ti me s o re afli ictio n comes into t he

f a ces o f the gro u p o f me n aro u nd A few .

b ald wo rds a g r u ff voi ce ave rted eyes te ll

, , ,

mo re e lo q u e n t ly t h an any lengthy glowing

’
de s c ri ption o f so me b ody s he roi c end .

” “
He w as t h e best ch u m I e v e r h ad Ah
he was a gent le m an he was A fine r o fli
.
,

,
ce r .

neve r lived And the re s j u st as m u ch

.
’

fee ling in the t one f o r t he o n e as the othe r .

Then the s pe ake r fi d ge t s with the b olt o f

his ri fle looks t o se e i f his m ag azine is
,

c h arged and with set j aw g O e s down the

,

t re n ch Y o u find hi m p re sently with his

.

finge r o n the t rigge r st aring thro u gh s o me

p ee p hole p atiently waiting t o ave nge h i
-
s

loss .

It was a th ree mi le t ra m p in the d ark the

-
'

night befo re and the me n st arted o ff with

,
“
He re we a re ag ain O u rs isn t exactly a
”
.
’

m u sic al re gi ment b u t t he c hee ry wo rds

,

and the rhythm of the ai r g o t into my toes .

I m a f r ai di
“
t g rad u ally ch anged t o Gre en
’

[ 44 ]
 F r om D ug -
ou t a n d Bi
llet

’
l and s i cy mo u nt ains tho u gh the wo rds
s o u nded rathe r like K athlee n M av o u r
nee n I m n o t q u ite s u re ; m y e a r f o r m u s i
.
” ’
c

is abo u t as d e fe ctive as the a v e rage Ge r

m an s It s u n ac co u nt ab le to me h o w the
’
.
’

Bo che s h a v e got a re p u t ation fo r being a

m usi c a l n at i S o far as I c an see it s on ly ’
on .

b ased o n t hei r franti c de sire to m ake a

noise The w ay t h e y i
. n t e r f e r e wit h a pi ano

i s u n be lievable O c c asion ally they h ave

.

o n e in thei r t re n ches and if we re c los e ’

e no u gh t o he a r it the me n co mp l ai n of ,

the abs e n ce of t u ne in the pe rfo rm ance .

Wh at the bl aze s are y o u p l ayi n one ’

’
o f t h e m sho u ted ac ross on c e W agne r .
,
“
c ame the re p ly Wel l . g r u mb le d ,

Tommy “
I don t wonde r we re fi g h t i
,
’
n
’ ’

y o u abo u t it
It is n t q u ite ac c u rate to s ay t h at the t u ck
’

box is neve r seen in the t re n ches I t s t a ke n .

’

the re fro m Bill ets o r the R e se rve L ine s if ,

it arrive s in ti me Y o u are in high favo u r

.

with the re sid ents of o u r d u g o u t on a c -

[t4 5
 F r om D ug
-
out a nd i
B llet

c o u nt of th e l ast p a rc e l Grate f u l th ank s

.

we re a c c o rde d y o u ( and Ho ly R u ssi a) f o r

the c avi a re e s p e ci ally Whe n o u r mes s
.

s e rvant o p ene d t he j ar he looke d at it

do u btf u lly an d h az ard e d th e O pinion th at
s a rdin e o i l h ad g o t into th e s ago and
t u rn e d i t b ad. Bu t he h ad b e e n m ade s u s
p 1 c 1 0 u s by the olive s one o f whi ch h e h ad
,

t asted and the n gone o u t h u rri e dly We .

he a rd afte rwards h e d exp re sse d his dis

’

g u st t o s o me o f t he rank and file at o u r

”
li king f o r pi c kled p l u ms .

I c onfe ss we ard ent ly l o o k f o rw a r d t o the

re cei pt o f the se t re ats Y o u c an b u y p ra e
.

’
ti c ally n othing in the vi ll age s They ve .

b e en c le aned o u t o f eve rything e at ab le

long sin c e Bu t we s u ff e re d a t e rri b le dis
.

a p p oint ment ove r a ce rt ain b o x a littl e ti me

b a c k It was s e nt t o o n e o f o u r fe llows by
.

his siste r The contents looke d m o s t i

. nv it
—
i ng tins and j a rs and p a c kets o f va rio u s
cooke d foods and c ondi me nts Th at d ay .

’
f o r so me re ason t he Co mmiss a ri at was n t
[ 4 6 ]
 F r om D ug-out and i
B llet

me ans t h e Bo ches e m p loy for killing u s

o ff b u t I m n o t s u re I wo u l d n t as soon b e
’ ’

l ai d o u t wit h c he mi c als as h ave my i n

t e ri o r a rr ange me nt s r u in e d by t he a b o m i

n ations whi ch ve get ari ans d e light t o fe e d

on .

This dist ast e of t hei r s fo r goo d whole ,

so me me at i s i n co mp re he nsi bl e t o m en
who n e e d it W e re fle s h e ating c re at u re s
.
’
-
,

I t ake it o r w e s ho u l dn t b e p rovi d e d with

’

,
’ ’
c anine t e eth I c an t con c eive o f Josh u a s
.

army blowing d own t h e walls o f Je ri c ho

o n a ve get ari an diet F le sh pots an d fi g h t .
-

in g me n s e e m a re ason ab le eno u gh c o m
’
bin ation An d if it s right t o ki ll t o e at it
.

c an t b e w rong t o kill t o li v e Th at s wh at ’
’
.

we re d oing he re now The en e my as we l l

’
.

’ ’
as o u rs e lves We c an t he lp it It s a c as e
. .

o f d oing as y o u a re d one by an d d oing it

fi rst if you c an Th e diff e ren c e b etwe e n

.

u s an d t h e Bo c h e s is t h at they p re fe r u n d e r

h and w arfare an d we hol d wit h st rai ght

fo rw a rd fighting I m q u i t e s u re t h at w h e n
.
’

[ 4 8 ]
 F r om D ug out
-
a nd i
B llet

“
t he com m and me nt Tho u sh alt do n o
”
m u rd e r was h an d e d o u t t he re we re ,

eithe r no Ge rm ans in t he c rowd o r t h at

t hey p ret e nd e d not t o u nd e rst an d t he
’
l ang u age They ll h ave a lo t t o answe r fo r
.

by an d by The re s always a big bil l t o p ay

.
’

W he n t he indivi d u al kno c ks u p ag ainst t he

’
t ablets o f ston e an d th e re s no re ason t o
,

s u p pose th at a n ation wi ll b e let o ff .

’
We ll t h at s all f o r to d ay A d u ll lette r
,
-
.
,

I m afrai d b u t I w arne d yo u it mi g ht b e
’

We re none of u s ve ry goo d off i

.

’
— ce rs o r
—
men ar d es c ri bing o u r ow n lin e o f b u si
n ess (the evid en ce of t he h a p enny p ap e rs ’

notwithst an ding) ; b u t set u s a co mp osi

“
tion on Hom e an d the re wo u ld n t b e ’

e no u gh ink and p ap e r to go ro u n d We ll .
,
’ ’
t h at s wh at we re fighting fo r is n t it ? ,
’

Home an d t he swe et fa ce d women who -

h ave m ad e it S o long litt le M ot he r It

.
, .

m u st se e m s o l ong t o yo u I kn ow ,
.

Eve ry bit of my love .

[ 49 ]
 D EA R ES T ,

I know y o u p u t yo u r he a rt in t h at
P S
. De ar Boy d o t e ll me mo re ab o u t
,

our s el a
’

y f
. I m lways m e aning t o b u t ,

di re ct ly I b e gin I u n a c co u nt ab ly d ry u p
, .

’
Th e ess enti al t hing i s I m re m ar kably ,

we ll I sho u ldn t b e i n h a rn e ss ag ain i

.
’
f I
’
we ren t Yes the knitt e d a rrange me nt
.
,
’
fit s p e rfe ct ly ; in fact t he re s al most t o o
m u c h fit abo u t it b u t I s u p p os e it wil l,
’ ’
st ret ch I ve got it o n an d I won t d is c a rd
.
,

it honest Inj u n My kit is in fai r rep ai r

, .

ll h h no m en d s my so cks
’

g e n e r a y t ,
o u g o n e .

It s ave s t ro u b le t o g et n ew on e s a bit t hi ck ,

an d hefty fro m t h e A S C ( hosie ry d e

,
. . .

p a r t m e n t ) .

I m e ant t o h ave as ke d yo u in my l a s t

[ 59
]
 F rom D ug-o a t and Bi
llet

lette r t o d ro p a line to M ad ame d e

to than k he r f o r he r m any ki n dnesses t o
’
me An d don t fo rge t t o in c l u d e M ad e
.

m oi s e ll e Dé si r é e A d e a r little gi rl t h at ;
.
,

s o diff e rent fro m the o rdin a ry r u n o n e

me ets When I le ft t he c h ate a u s he g ave

.

—
me a so u veni r a litt le mothe r o p e a rl -
’
-

c ru ci — ’
fi x a t alis m an t o ke e p me s afe I ve .

an i d e a it will .

Anyhow going a c ross an exp ose d sp ot

,

a co u p le of d ays ago to the s u pp o rt o f the

Bri g ad e on o u r ri g ht we ran into a hottish
,

rifle fi re We co u ld n t s e e whe re it was

.
’

’
c oming fro m an d t he re wasn t any cove r .

It was rathe r like being u nexp e cte d ly

c a u ght in a h ai l sq u all The only t hing to .

’
d o was t o s p rint fo r it As y o u know I m .
,

p retty goo d o n th e q u a rt e r mile m a rk so -

,

givi “
ng the m e n a View H allo I set t he ”
,

p ace Being a few yard s in advan c e I

.

di dn t exp e ct t he m to c at ch u p with m e
’

b u t t o my s u rp ri se the be gga rs did S ome .

o f th e m in f act go t in front an d sp re ad
, ,
“
[ 51
] 4
 F r om D ug -
out and B llet i
ou t in a so rt o f s c re e n b etwe e n me an d t he
sp ot whe re t he b u llets we re coming from .

When I t u mb le d t o wh at t hey we re at I
ye lle d t o t he m t o e as e u p Bu t d o y o u .

t hink t hey wo u l d ? N ot t hey t hey p re

’
t e n d e d t h e y di dn t he a r When we g ot o u t
.

of t he t ro u b le two o f t ho se goo d fe llows

b eg an giving e a ch ot he r fi rst ai d They .

h ad d e li b e r at e ly t aken t he fi re m e ant f o r
m e ! I m th ankf u l t o s ay t hey we re only
’

s u ff e ring f ro m fle s h wo u n d s an d I felt it ,

in c u mb e nt o n m e t o exp ost u l at e p ointing ,

’
o u t wh at t hey d g o t f o r disob eying o rd e rs .

Th e y only grinn e d O n e o f t he m h ad t he
.

a u d a city t o d e ny t h at he was wo u n d e d at
all ; s ai d his nos e always st arte d b le e d ing
when he r an f ast (his c h e e k w as l ai d op e n ) ,

an d t he ot h e r c app e d it by t rying t o ex
p l ain away a d a m age d h an d as the re s u lt
’ ’
of avi n it in the air whe n Bi ll b arge d
i nto m e sir ,
.

’
They re u p t o the se g ame s all the ti me ,

always thinking o f t hei r offi c e rs I ve s e en .

’

[ 52
]
 F r om D ug -
out and i
B llet

t he m wo u nd ed and ke e ping on as if n o
thing h ad h a p p e n e d I t s n o t t h at t h e y d o n t
.
’ ’

—
f e e l t h e p ain m ake no mist ake ab o u t th at
’
-
they won t fe e l it D u ri ng an advan ce i f
.
,
’
cove r s s c anty they won t mono p olize it if
,
’

an off i c e r is anywhe re abo u t Whe n y o u .

do t he s m alle st thing f o r t hei r c omfo rt o r

conveni en c e t hey re q u i ck to ap p re ci at e
’

it in s u c ce ss thei r enth u si as m is t he mos t

s ane ly de light f u l thin g con ceivab le a
reve rs e doe sn t dish e arte n the m They
’
.

g r u mb le at t r ifle s and l a u gh at di ffi c u ltie s .

O h Tommy s a wond e rf u l ch ap Whe n I

,
’
.

st art t alkin g ab o u t hi m I d are s ay I get

monotono u s i n my p rais e b u t t o th e u n ,

endin g glo ry of the army he d e se rve s it all .

’
The re s so me thing ab o u t hi m di rty o r ,

cle an swe a ring o r si le nt gl ad o r s ad h u rt

, , ,

o r whole th at is j u st u nbea t a ble Y o u c an t

’

, .

kno ck hi m o u t If o u r fe llows are devot e d

.

’
t o u s it s only a c as e o f re ci p ro c ation
, .

They look u p to u s and b e lieve in u s and

obe y u s wit h the s ame b lind he ro wo rshi p -

[ 53 ]
 F r om D ug-out and i
B llet

t h at yo u ngst e rs h ave f o r t h ei r bi g p u b li c
’
s chool b rot he rs It s q u it e t o u ching . .

I wond e r i f y o u wi ll think it st rang e th at

in th e h e at of action o r rathe r in the warm ,

glow of anti ci p ation t h at p re c e de s i t me n ,

fre q u e ntly int e rc e de with thei r M ake r t o

he l p t he m in t h ei r ki lling ? The oth e r d ay
I h e ard o n e f ai rly s o b o u t this p r aye r whi le
he lo ade d hi mse lf u p with h and g ren ade s -

O h L o rd don t let m e ge t d on e in by
, ,
’

’
t h e m Bo c he s til l I ve s ent at le ast t h re e of
e m t o e ll O h L o r d who kn ows wh at wa r
’ ’
.
, ,

is c o s Y ou ad i
’
tin c ave n m ake it so
’ ”
Fo r
’
,
.

mys e lf in t he mi dst o f al l t h e infe rno I

,

s e e m t o he a r the c l anging o f o dd frag

ments o f all t he B attle Hymns I ve eve r ’

known .

J eh ovah of th e Tb u n d er s , L or d G o d of l
b at t e s , a i
d

H e h as s ou n d e d f or t h t h e tr u m p e t t h at s h a ll
n e ve r c a ll r e t re a t

H e ii
s t tings ou t th e h ea r t s of m en be f or e

H ij u d gm
s en t s e at

O ur G od im
s ar c h i n g on

[ 54 ]
 It is l ate and I a m ve ry s ad was .

ki lle d ye st e rd ay al most by my sid e It is a

, .

kno c k to lose on e s ve ry b e st friend I f I

’
.

we re a wo m an I s ho u ld c ry I al most wish .

I co u ld He was s u ch a fi n e ch ap s o c he e ry
.
,

and s u ch a good soldie r And only twe nty .

six ! The m en ado re d h i m It s e e ms s u c h .

‘

a hop e le ss wast e o f good m at e ri al I .

’
o u g htn t t o s ay t h at I s u p p ose F ro m t h e
,
.

’
milit ary p oint o f view t he individ u al c an t
’
b e conside re d To fight f o r on e s c o u nt ry
.

and t o di e f o r it if n e e ds b e is only on e s
, ,
’

’
d u ty as we l l as on e s p rivi le ge S c o re s o f .

good m e n as wo rthy and S p le ndid as

’
h ave b e en t aken Bu t it s t he s e lfish p e r
.

’
s on al loss t h at s c u tting d e e p into me t o
ni ght .

56
 F r om D ug-out a nd i
B llet

P oor R u pe rt B rook p u t int o wo rds wh at

we in a rtic u l ate one s c an only e cho They .

sho u ld be c arve d in ston e and p u t u p in

We stminste r Ab b ey or be tte r still i n Be l ,

gi u m on a mon u me nt to co mme morate the

—
hono u re d d e ad i m mort al vers e i n prais e
o f the i mmort als writte n by on e who is

alre ady co u nte d amongst the m .

f l
I I s h ou d d it h i k
e n on l hiy t s of me
Th h at t e re s
’
s om e cor n er o f a f i
or e gn fi e d l
T h if
at s or e ver Eng l an d .

The n co me words I forget and the n ,

A d u s t w h om E n g l an d b ore s h ap ed m ad e aw ar e ,

l
, ,

G a ve o n ce h e r flowe r s t o h er w ay s t o r oam ove ,

Ab l hi li
, ,

od y o f E n g a n d s b r e a t
’
n g Eng s h a r , i
i l
.

W a s h e d b y t he r ve r s , b es t b y s u n s o f h om e .

We b u ri e d thi s eve ning Whe n .

I t u rn e d away with a he art of le ad I co u ld

al most he ar his boyish voi c e reite ratin g the
words th at always c ame most re adily to his
“
li p s : B u ck u p old ch ap It s all in the
,
’

d ay s work
’
.

[ 57 ]
 F r om D ug -
out a nd i
B llet

’
I c an t re alize th at he i s re ally d e ad My .

mi n d ke e p s reve rting t o th e d ays o f o u r

’
first me eting It s gettin g o n for twe nty
.

ye ars ago b u t it s e e ms o n ly ye sterd ay th at

we we re little c h ap s o f ei ght and te n an d
very sore h e arted at le avi n g ho me for the
-

first ti me We s le pt i n the s ame dormitory

.
,

and s mothe red o u r gri e f u nde r the b ed

c lothes b u t whe n like wh ale s we h ad to
, , ,

c o me t o the s u rf a c e t o b re at h e we he ard ,
’
e a c h other s sob s We ch u mme d u p t h at
.

ni ght Do y o u re me mb e r his co mi ng to
.

st ay with u s the first hols and h ow shy h e

was whe n yo u kiss ed hi m ? H e tho u ght
y o u looke d t o o yo u ng The n We llingto n
and S andh u rst stre ngthe n ed the bond b e
twe e n u s A few ye ars o f soldie ring and
.

n ow —fi ni
sh !

L ittl e ’
so u l it s al l so s ad I m u st write
, .

’
to the girl (the re was o n e ) There s so little .

” ’
I ca n s ay
'
I love d hi m t o o c an t co m
.
,

fort h er I know I n e e dn t ap ologi ze for

.

’
letting mys e lf go on c e i n a way Yo u ll .

[ 58 ]
 F
r om D ug-o u t and Bi
lle t

’
u nderst and There s a gloo m ove r u s all
. .

De ar o ld i s we l l d u g i nto hi s l ast
tre n c h t o ni g ht Thi s ti me ye ste rd ay we
-
.

were c u rled u p i n o u r b l ankets h avi n g a

fin al pi p e and wat chi n g the st ars He is I —.

me an was or is it sti ll is
,
—s u ch an i
m
a gin at iv e bei ng f u ll o f s p e c u l ations abo u t
,

t he infinite and the u lti mate me aning o f

—
thin g s the gi ant ! u e ry .

We ll he knows mo re th an I do now
,
’
u nle ss there s no answe r at all .

[ 59 ]
 (7)

M Y D E A R E S T MO T H ER ,

I h ave h ad s u c h a swe et letter

s o u n exp e ct ed — fro m my littl e B e lgi an
fri end It was li ke a ros e o u t of he r g ard e n .

Writte n i n E nglish t o o ! I c an pi ct u re h ow
ofte n the little gold e n he ad m u st h ave b e nt
i n p retty u n c ert ainty over the E nglis h di c
ti o n ar y I c o p y the l ette r f o r yo u I wo u ld
. .

s e nd it b u t it might get lost in transit and

, ,
’
I ve rathe r a f an cy t o ke e p it Y o u h ave
.

only to i m agin e the writing the c le ar— ,

symmetri c al h and the F re n ch t e ac h (D é

sir ee w e nt to s chool at a Fren c h co nve nt ) .

D E A R M LE C A P I T A I N E
.
,

I n th e ti me s o f p e a c e it wo u ld not
b e corre ct e th at I write t o a gentle
m an u nm arri e d b u t thes e are the d ays
,

[ 60 ]
 F r om D ug out
- a nd i
B llet

of the w ar so t erri bl e to c a u s e on e to
,

follow first the ins piration of the he art .

The re fore I h ave the p ermission o f

M a m an to inq u ire fro m yo u the news
o f yo u r h e alth and t o expre ss the hop e
,

th at we se e yo u agai n p res ently n o t ,

b ar: dc com ba t as we s ay in F f en ch b u t ,

we ll and for a s m all re stin g .

M am an and myse lf h ave b e e n

e x tre me ly hon o u re d to re c eive a so
ch arming and th ankf u l lette r fro m
m ad ame yo u r mother Tr u ly we de .

s e rve no th anks f o r th e s m all hos pi

t ality it w as o u r hap piness t o extend
t o y o u and yo u r ami ab le co mp atri ots ,

of whi ch we thin k always with gre at

p le as u re N everthe le ss the lette r of
.
,

m ad ame yo u r mother was ch armin g .

I h ave m ad e a little re p ly to it and ,

y o u wi ll p ardon me th at I h ave s poke n

t o he r m u ch of y o u of how y o u look
,

and of yo u r g ood s pirit f o r it is not ,

pro b able M l e C apitai ne that yo u

,
.
,

[ 61 ]
 F r om D ug -
out a nd i
B l let

t e l l o f s u c h m atte rs yo u rs e lf whi c h
are alw ays o f gre at i mp ort an c e to a
mother .

We are gre atly o c c u pi e d at thi s

‘

mome nt b e c a u s e o f s eve n more of the

wo u nd e d wh o co me to u s sin c e ye ster
d ay N everthe le ss M a m an d e s ire s me
.
,

to s ay th at whe n t h e opp ort u nity ,

gre atly to b e d esire d sh all arrive and ,

y o u fin d yo u rs e lf i n o u r n ei ghbo u r
hoo d we sh all b e d e sol at e i f yo u do not
revi sit u s .

Ac c e pt M l e C apit a in e the most

,
.
,

a mi ab le s e nti me nts and the good

wishe s fro m M a m an an d myse lf f o r
yo u r s u c ce ss and yo u r contin u al
s afety .

Yo u r littl e fri e nd b e lge ,

D ES I R EE

P rob ab ly y o uas k why I write i n

e n glis h whe n y o u u nde rstan d the
‘-

fre n ch so we ll It is if yo u wi ll p le as e
.
,

[ 62 ]
 F r om D ug
-
o u t and i
B llet

try h as e s c ap e d the d e fi li n g h and o f th e

i n v a d e r N a t u r e s e e ms to b e trying t o aton e

f o r his misde eds In this zon e s u c h e x c e p

.

tions are rare e no u gh Y o u co me a cross .

the m li ke s u rpris e s Yet i n t he most u m

.

like ly p l a c e s N at u re ke e p s o n str u ggling

t o ass ert he rs e lf A fe w ni
.
g h t s ago we s le pt
i n wh at was le ft of a d e s erted farmho u s e o n
t he e dge o f a wood It h ad bee n b adly .

s he lled an d the gard e n literally u p he aved .

Bu t two things p ersisted i n i t — the birds

and t he flowe rs Ve ry few of t he flowers
.

are growing where they wer e p l anted The .

g u ns h ad b lown the m roots and all this , ,

way an d that and whe re they h ad f alle n

,

t hey h ad t ake n root agai n i n crannies o f ,

the walls on the re m ains o f roof a mong

—
, ,

he ap s o f dé b ris anywhe re s to c ks swe et

, ,

W i lli a ms s n a p d r a go n s l o v e lie s b le eding

, ,
- -
,

forget me n o t al l t he ho me ly flowers
- - -

y o u love . The e ff e ct wo u ld h ave str u c k

y o u as f a r c i
c a l i
f t h e r e h adn t bee n so m’
u c h
o f tragedy in it .

64
 F rom D ug-out and Bi
llet

As for the birds I ve neve r s e e n so m any ,

’

gathered togethe r in p e ace ti me In the .

morning their son g sh a med the révei llé It .

was o n e contin u o u s sere n ade N at u rally .

,

I c an t s pot the diff e re nt varieti e s by their

’

note b u t P r e t t y D i
,
ck of O u rs w h o is by ,

way o f being a n at u ralist and c ontri b u te s

to the Fi eld g reeted e a ch by,
n ame and
whistled re s p onse s t o thei r c alls We .

others h ad to give u p all atte m pts at a l ast

snooze .

T he li l b i
tt e r d s s a n g e as t ,

T he li l b i
tt e r d s s an g we s t ,
A n d I sm il ed to t h i n k G od
’
s gr e a t n e ss

F l owe d a r ou n d ou r i n com p l ete n e ss ,

R ou n d l
o u r r e s t es s n e s s H i s r e st .
"

I c an t think whe re those line s co me

’

from b u t they fit the o c c asion and I rathe r

,

like the m O dd how stray e nds o f ve rs e

.

sti ck in the me mory O n e forgets a u thors .

and ori gin b u t th at d oe sn t preve nt t he m

,
’
,

like birds co min g home to roost

,
.

[ 65 ]
 F
r om D ug
-
o u t and i
B llet

And now I m u st t e l l y o u abo u t Ki m .

O ne d ay p e rh ap s yo u ll s e e hi m H e s j u st
’
.
’

t he u gli e st p u p p y y ou c an i magin e with ,

the most b e a u tif u l eye s th at ever shone in

’ ’
dog s o r h u m an s fac e B arri ng his eye s h e
.

’
h asn t a p hysi c al p oint to re c o mme n d hi m .

The little b e gg ar app e are d o u t o f nowhe re

whi le we we re o n th e m a rc h a we e k ago
’
and att ac he d hi mse l f to me H e did n t .

look lost or st arving o r mis e rab l e so I told ,

hi m t o g o ho m e I s ai d it i n E nglish whi ch
.
,
’
of c o u rs e h e didn t u nde rst and He st u ck .

t o m e all d ay and alth o u gh I lost si g ht o f

,

hi m whe n we re ache d o u r q u art ers f o r the

night he w as o n h and wh e n I t u rne d o u t
—
,

i n th e morning waiting I g ave hi m hi s .

b re akfast and trie d to dis miss hi m H e .

j u st wagge d his t ail an d li cke d my b oots .

H e li cke d t he m as tho u gh h e did it o u t o f

’
l o v e n o t p u p py p l ay an d I h adn t th e he art
,
-
,

t o drive him o ff A ft e r t h at we u nderstoo d

—
.

e a ch othe r H e b e lon ge d a littl e d o g o f

.

—
F l and e rs t o me .

I 65
 F r om D ug-out a nd i
B llet

Eb b en, m on bra v e ,
’
vo c ii w ino ( f ! ca m a
”
r a der , I s ai d in the lang u age h e w as u s ed
t o and by th e franti c delight he showed
,

I veri ly b e lieve he u nderstoo d me ac c ent ,

not withst an ding .

S oon h e was ch u mming u p wit h the

men an d fin ding a p al i n eve ry o n e o f
,

the m N ow we sho u ld fe e l q u ite lost with

.

’
o u t Ki m s o n a me d b e ca u s e he s a
,
little
” ’
fri e nd of all the world Still he s a tre .
,

m e n d o u s anxi ety and more re ckle ss in his

disre gard o f she l l fi r e th an the most c are
-

le ss o f To m mie s H ow h e h as m an age d
.

’
to es c ap e bein g p otted I don t kn ow To .

g et ove r the p arap et of a tre n ch and b ark

at the Bo ches give s hi m more enj oyme nt
’
th an anything e ls e It s a b usine ss t o get
.

hi m b ack witho u t riskin g h u m an life .

’
I h 0 p e he ll get thro u gh all right I .

sho u l d miss hi m now I t s e e m s m u ch more.

th an a we ek sin c e he st art e d to e at o u t of
my h and He fan cie s rati on bis c u it n o e nd
.
,

and I fairly e nvy his te eth I wonde r wh at

“
[ 67 ] 5
 F
r om D ug
-
o ut and Bi
llet

Ffiiand Be n gy w i
ll thi nk him if they eve r of
’
m e et hi m Yo u ll have t o exp lain t o the m
.

th at h e m u st b e t re at e d with gre at re s p e ct ,

sin c e they s o t o s p e ak are the b ackb one

, ,

l e ss kn u ts o f th e d o g wo rld wh ere as -
,

Ki m is the se as o n e d warrior and worth a

’
d oze n o f t he m in all th at m atte rs H e s .

’
lying at my fe et as I write He s s o re ad y .

with his a ff e ction ate p ink t ong u e t hat I

think I ll get hi m t o li ck th e e nve lo p e f o r
’

me
I m so glad t o he ar that y o u have N o rah
’

with y ou S he s j u st t h e s o rt o f c o m
.
’

’
p anio n y o u w a n t j u s t now and I h 0 p e sh e ll
m ake a lo ng st ay N ow d o n t s mil e t h at
.
,
’

’
little wise s mile o f yo u rs ! I m p e rfe ctly
we ll aware o f yo u r fond p l an s f o r b oth o f
u s t h o u gh I h o pe N h asn t s e e n t hro u gh
’
.
,

th e m It m u st h u rt t he p ro p e r p ri d e o f a
.

’
ni ce girl wh en she c an t he l p se eing th at
a m an s mothe r wo u l d li ke h e r f o r a d au gh
’

te r in l aw in s pit e o f th e fact th at th e man

- -

d oe sn t show hi mse lf o f th e s am e way o f

’

[ 68 ]
 F r om D ug-out a nd Bi
llet

thinkin g N s m u ch . .
’
too good fo r me .

Give he r my love .

To -
n i
g h t w
’
Most
e r e s le e p n g n a iib ar n .

o f the fe l lows m u st b e writing home ;

they re so q u i et Th e ai r sme lls of the o n e

’
.

s c e nt the ri che st of wome n c annot h ave

—
disti lle d f o r he r e ss en c e of s u mme r
, ,
—
ni ght e arth flowe rs d ew a fragranc e too ,

fle etin g t o b e c apt u re d and p u t in a glass

sto p p e re d bottle Thin k of a crowd o f .

me n sitti ng e ac h with a p e n i n his h and

,

an d a diff e re nt ado re d i m age i n his min d s ’

eye We want t o s ay s u ch a lo t h o w we
.
,

love y o u an d lon g to s e e y o u and i n what ,

p e rfe ct re v e re n c e we hold y o u and the n ,

j u st as we get i n the moo d t o let o u rs e l v e s

go we r e m e m b e r t h at E n gli s h m e n are ge n

e r a l ly ri di c u lo u s whe n they re s e n t i
’
m en
t al S o we d ry u p an d f o r all the te nde r
.
,

thin gs we me ant t o s ay the love and the ,

kisses y o u m u st loo k b etwe en the lin es

, .

Come on Ki m ! S ay good ni ght t o the

,
-

Little Wom an It s time we t u rn e d in .

’
.

6
[ 9 ]
 F rom D ug -
out a nd Bi
llet

’
Yo u ll sle e p with o n e eye o p en tho u g h
min e will b e tight sh u t !
Yo u r d evote d C H O T A .

Added r i
nce las t n i
gb i .

This is to te l l y o u to exp e ct P rivate

who m I m sen ding to y o u (with a form al
’

’
letter o f i ntrod u ctio n ) f o r a few d ays holi
’
d ay How he m an aged t o g et le ave I do n t
.

know b u t he s an Irish m an an d c a p ab le o f
,
’

anythi ng Give hi m a good ti me and fe ed

.

hi m o n d u ck and gree n p e as i H e s ays he s ’

b e en dre a ming o f n othing e lse f o r a we e k !

’ ’
H e s the s ort o f ch a p who s n eve r h a p p y
u nless he s doing o d d j o bs f o r so me b ody
’
.

’
S o give hi m the r u n o f the p l a ce H e l l .

wind yo u r woo l an d t h e clo cks and b r u sh

th e dogs Y o u c an also let hi m lo ose in the
.

kit chen garde n and the st ab le s He h as al l .

’
an Iri sh m an s love o f horse s and Kitty wi ll ,
’
be q u ite s afe with hi m He won t be lieve .

she w alks i nto t h e i h o u s e whe n yo u re at

’

[ 70
]
 ( 8)
DEA R ES T A ND V ER Y DE A R ,

H as it eve r o c c u rred to y o u th at
t he L ett ers from the F ront p u b lished
i n t he news p ap ers are very m u c h e dit ed ?
Th at is t he O pinion O f one Of t he Censor s ’

St aff with who m I m ac q u ainted and it s

’

,
’

als o mine after seei ng u nfinis hed lette rs

fo u nd on s ome Of o u r p o or ch ap s who h ave
fo u ght their l ast fight Very few Of those
.

lette rs de s cri bed any O f t he excitin g doin gs

their writers m ay h ave bee n e ngaged in .

M ost Of the m we re worded in ho me ly ,

a ff e ction ate l ang u age t o wives o r sisters o r

—
mothers f u ll O f se ntim e nt in fact
, .

—
I rathe r e nvy the si mp l e so u ls the gr o
’
c e r s yo u n g m an and the u nde r ho u s e -

—
m ai d who s e e n o n e c e ssity to hi d e thei r
e motions b e hi n d the written wo rd What .

[ 72
]
 F
r om D ug-o ut a nd B llet i
they honestly fe e l they set d own on p ap e r
to the b est Of thei r ability Ofte n ve ry ,

charmi ng ly Y o u se e the s ame thing i n

.

thei r everyd ay actions The m an co u rti ng .

his gi rl ( I b e li eve the corre ct te rm is his

little bit O f fl u ff goe s abo u t with his arm
ro u nd he r waist fo r al l the wo rld t o se e .

The gi rl kisse s hi m good bye i n p u b li c -

and b ro ad d aylight N eithe r consid e r they

.

hav e anythi n g to b e ashame d Of N o r h ave .

’
they When they re m arri e d and he wants
.
,

i n a lette r to s ay he love s he r he te lls he r so

at le n gth with a lin e O f c rosse s fo r kisse s .

If the lette r is to his mothe r he s j u st as ’

g e n u in e ly o u t s p o k e n I v e re ad both
. kind’
s
and I know .

Yet whe n I write to y o u I don t s e e m t o

,
’

ha v e the c ap acity Of the gro c e r s yo u ng ’

m an f o r exp ressin g re al fe e li ng I c an t .
’

e m u l ate his sti rrin g down ri ght di ction or

,

his flowe ry p hrases S ome Of the m are too

.

c r u d e I s u p p os e an d some too t rite for a

,

p u bli c s chool fed p e n It s a d i s c re di

’
- -
t ab le
.

[ n ]
 F r om D ug -
oa t a nd i
B llet

ad mission I d ar e s ay b u t I know othe r me n

, ,

w h o s u ff e r th e s ame dis abi lity Wi th them .

and myse lf I love yo u has t o st an d fo r

“
eve rythi ng It me ans th ank yo u f o r b ei ng
.

my mothe r .

It was e asy t o se e by yo u r last letter th at

y o u h ad a fit Of t he b l u e s i n s pite o f the
,

l arge ss e Of brave words yo u p o u re d o u t .

Birthd ays me an so littl e to a m an Y o u .

c an h ardly exp e ct m e to b e fille d with

e motion at re me mb e ri ng that twe nty nin e -

ye ars ago I was an u nlove ly brat O f c o u rs e .

y o u will d e n y t h a t A mothe
. r s u gly d u c k
li n g is always h er resp le n d e nt swan ( an d
j u st as u nm u sic al l ) I d are s ay yo u would
.

li ke t o go b ac k on ti me and h ave me i n
yo u r arms on c e mo re a s m all b u n dle o f ,

i nsigni fi c ant fragi lity Bu t y o u de ar thin k

.
, ,
’
Of all I d b e missin g ! Don t i m agi n e that
’
,

b e c a u se as a yo u ngste r I took yo u r love

’
for grante d I h aven t ap p re ci at e d it ever
,

sin c e It has always b e e n a miracl e t o m e

.
,

o n e t o wo rshi p y o u for Darlin g Mothe r

.
,

[ 74 ]
 F
r om D ug
-
o ut an d i
B llet

be st and most p re cio u s fo r on c e i n a way

,

I ll t ake a le af o u t Of the books o f Pio u

’

P io u and the gro c er s yo u n g m an an d s ay

’

how I wo u ld love to ki ss and sq u e eze yo u

and let yo u go b re athl ess only to take yo u
i n my arms again yo u L ittle st Darli ng
,

I am q u ite s u re yo u im agin e d me t o b e
s p e ndi ng my bi rthd ay in the t re n che s
u nde r he avy she ll fi r e and th at whe n y o u
-
,

com p are d this anni v e rs ary with p ast one s

i t m ad e y o u go lo m y (whi ch is a mis print fo r

g loomy and a n e w and a won de rf u lly ex

p ressive addition to the l ang u a g e ) Admit .

—
it now y o u also h ad a p resentiment th at I
was mort ally wo u nd e d P rese ntime nt is .
,

as y o u se e as d an g e ro u s as p ro phe cy As
,
.

a matter O f fact I was i n P ari s H e ad q u a r

,
.

te rs O f co u rs e we re blissf u lly i gno ran t

, ,

that on e Of thei r most b ri lli ant off i c e rs was

a ye ar O lde r an d ( let u s ho p e ) w i se r and ,

allowe d the eve nt t o p ass witho u t b e at Of

d r u m Bu t as good l u ck wo u ld h ave it it ,

did not fo r a ll t h at g o u n c e l e b r a t e d T h i
.

n gs .

[ 75 ]
 F r om D ug -
out and i
B llet

h ave t e m po rari ly q u i eted down i n this

zon e and,
an d I q u ite u n exp e cte d ly
g o t ve ry sho rt l e a v e t o o sho rt
,
f o r a r u n

ho m e (that is a j oy t o co me ) on ly twe nty

fo u r ho u rs i n fact
, .

I wonde r wh at y o u wo u ld thi n k Of P aris

if yo u co u ld s e e it n o w M e n w h o kn ew .

’
it b e fore 70te ll m e that it has alte re d more
i n the l ast fe w months than i n the p revio u s
twe nty ye ars The p e o p l e n o t the city i
. t ,

s e lf F re sh from it I c an we ll b e li e v e al l
.

th ey s ay I n fact to m e the p l ac e its e lf

.

’
s e e me d t o h ave ch ange d altho u gh I ve ,

o nly kn own it O ff and o n Of re c e nt ye ars .

Whe n I was l ast the re P aris was li ke a girl ,

ve ry c h armin g p retty en gagi n g q u it e

, , ,

lovabl e S he was he art whole ; so rrow

.
-

h ad n ot to u c he d her N o w i n p l ac e Of th e
.
,

gi rl I re m e mb er I fi nd a wo m an c alm ,

and s orrowf u l almost stoi c re straine d

, ,
.

TO d ay all the so u l O f he r is gl ass c le ar

-
,
-
,

b e a u tif u l i n its aff li ction .

We did the fi rst p art Of o u r j o u rn ey in a

[ 76 ]
 F rom D ug out a n d
-
B llet i
ret u rnin g moto r amb u lan c e It s ave d u s
-
.

a lot O f ti me an d also gave u s the O p p o r

t u ni t y Of se ei n g some of the co u ntry fo u ght

O ve r b e fo re we settle d down to u nd e r

g ro u n d warfare T O
. d es c ri b e the wo e f u l
d amage to the village s wo u ld on ly b e re p e
tition Yo u ve re ad the u nhap py story i n
.
’

the p ap e rs What no p en c an d es c ri b e is
.

the me nt al havo c wro u g ht i n the s u r vivo rs .

L ookin g at these p oo r so u ls and re m e m ,

be rin g that n o t a to u ch O f war had di s

fig u re d my o w n co u ntry I almost fe lt ,

ashame d at its i m m u nity The se p eo p le .

are q u ite p assionless Bu t it is not as some

.
,

wo u ld have it a bovine i mp assivity The

,
.

F ren ch and F le mish p e as ants are si mp le

b u t not sim p letons as they ve ry Ofte n are
in the d e pths O f r u ral E ngland All t hei r .

emotio n al excite ment has s p e nt its e lf .

Y o u don t he ar a m u rm u r Of co mp lai nt
’
.

They have fe d o n all the horro rs The re st .

is a t e r rib le silen c e w h ic h t h e y do n o t bre ak

with u sel ess l ame ntation .

[ 77 ]
 F r om D ug-o ut an d i
B llet

—
Afte r the amb u l an c e the t rai n so u th,

Of the Aisn e The re things loo ke d fai rly

.

no rm al u nti l we got o u t at the G are d e

l E s t The n we we re i n c am p agai n S o l
’
. .

di e rs fille d the st ation and the s t r e e t s Ev e r y .

othe r s h O p ap p e are d to b e close d The .

c af é s we re life le ss The P ari

. sian i s t O O t ru e

a vot ary Of j oy to p u rs u e it at the wrong

ti me To s e e F re n c h p e o p l e P arisi ans
.
,

above all grave Of f ac e an d t h o u gh t f u l al

, ,

most witho u t exc e pti on give s on e almost ,

a s e ns atio n Of p ai n It si gni fi e s th at P aris

.
,

the t r u n k n e rve Of F ran c e i

-
s all sym p athy
,
.

M e n O f fightin g ag e are n ot to b e se en ,

on ly a nc i enr an d boys The wome n are

.

d ress e d i n b l ac k o r so b e r greys .

Sti ll the re was o n e c omfo rt i n s e ein g

,

P aris s u b d u e d as it is It gave m e a do u b le
,
.

s atisfaction to know it h ad e s c ap e d b ei ng
—
ove rr u n by th e Bo che s fi r s t ly b e c a u s e Of
t he abse n c e Of d am age to it an d s e c o n dly ,

b e c a u s e Of the bitt e r dis ap p oi ntment they

m u st h ave fe lt at thei r fail u re t o t ake it I .

[ 78 ]
 F
rom D ug-
o ut a nd Bi
llet

the bo u le v a rds was anothe r no v e lty The .

P arisi ans h ave q u ite t ak e n t o Tommy and ,

he to the m P e rh a ps they mist ake his e asy

.

u n con c e rn f o r mod e sty They love to se e .

hi m s al u te thei r own Off i c e rs abo u t whi c h ,

’
he s most p u n ctilio u s I got a lot Of am u se .

m e nt wat chi n g him i n th e c om p any O f the

F re n ch ran k an d fil e They are o n the most .

ami abl e te rms and m an age t o u nd e rst an d

,

o n e an othe r th ro u gh she e r c am arad e rie .

P io u P io u gesti c u l ate s and Tommy sl ap s

-

hi m he a rti ly o n th e b ac k S om eti m e s
Tom my kn ows a littl e F r en ch I he ard .

o n e a long se r vi c e m an who h ad evi d e ntly

, ,

b e e n i n In di a exp laini ng hims e lf to a b e

,

wi ld ere d F re n chman s o m e t h i n g lik e this

Tommy ( hol di ng u p a cigarett e ) : Avez
vo u s u n m atch vie u x sp o rt ? ,

Pi ou P i -
n ki
ou(t h i n g t h e ci garette is m e ant

f o r hi m ) : M e rci bi e n V O O d b i n e ? Ve rri e .

good .

Tom my : O u i n o t h alf A p r é s vo u s b efo re

,
.

it bogear ( S e e s a p retty girl while he is light

.

[ 8 0
]
 F
r om D ug -
out a nd Bi
llet

i ng u p fro m Pio u P io u s m at ch ) D eb/t o !

-
’
.

a ld i U n p etit mo rso d e al l ri ht q ar
7 g u ? -
,

Pi ou P i ou-
O ui oui b e lle j e u n e fi ll e
, ,
.

Tom my Donn e z so u ve ni r e h ? (Fishe s ,

o u t a sixp e n c e from his p o cket P io u P io u .

-

t akes O ff his k é pi to the gi rl and exp lains

the sit u ation Gi rl bl u shes with p le as u re )
. .

Gi r l : M ais c e st t r es ch armant d e mon

’

si e u r .

Tom my ( c ap O ff ) : N o t at all P a r d e t o o .
,

m amse lle A u r e s e v oi
. r
-
.

(Gi rl b ows p retti ly and walks o n ) .

Tom my Vot re our a tr j olly we ll p re n ez l e

bis c u it .

Pi ou P i ou ( looking b ewi ld e re d ) : P l ait i

-
l? -

To m m y The p rize — c ad e a u J a im e r .
’

to u t le boilin g Y o u co mp re ne z what I
.

me an J umj a P
,

Pi ou P i ou lookin g d u mbfo u nde d ) : O u i

-

(
i
,

ou .

Co u rse y ou d o The n n o u s
Tom m y :
— —
allons gargle h ave a p eg a bo ck some
whe re M a r c h o n gs
.

[ 81 ]
 F
r om D ug -
out a n d i
B llet

P i Pi
ou -
Ah u n b o c k ! Si si !
ou : , ,

Tom my : Vive la F ran c e ! Vive Angle

t e rre Vi v e e v e r yb o d y e x c e p t t h e b lighte d
,

Ge rm ans
( The y g O O ff arm in arm ) - -
.

It los e s in the te lling b u t it so u n de d ,

ve ry f u n ny V e ry m u ch love
. .

C HOTA .

[ 82 ]
 D A RL I N G MO TH ER ,

’
I tho u ght yo u d won de r at my
going O ff to P aris whe n I might h ave s p e nt
my le ave i n re n ewing a ve ry p le as ant
fri e nds h i p with the d e The frien d
shi p is t he re and it won t c e ase U n f o r
,
’
.

t u n at e ly it is n t always exp edi ent to go

’

whe re on e s i n clin ations wo u ld t ake one

’
.

’
I ve n eve r ke pt things from y o u s o I m ay ,

as we ll o w n u p right he re t hat the le ss I

se e Of little Dési ré e the b ett e r fo r m y p e ac e
Of mind I don t think it s fai r at le ast it
.
’ ’

,
’
wo u ldn t b e i n my c as e t o get e ngage d ,

o r to m arry a gi rl in wa r time O ff e ri ng he r
-
,

love in o n e h and an d p rob abl e so rrow i n

the othe r .

Don t re fe r to this whe n y o u write b e

’

c a u se I don t want to dwe ll on it Y o u

’
.

83 6 *
 F
r om D ug -
out a nd i
B llet

n e e d n t , h ow ev e r ,
’
i
m gi t h at I
m m e l an
a ne
’

c h o ly . I mi ght b e i f I s aw mo re Of he r .

As it is I on ly s e n d my tho u ghts strayin g

,

her way whe n I want to whi c h is a s u re ,

i n di c ation that I ve go t myse lf i’

n han d .

N o w I thin k O f y o u o n and O ff all the

,

whil e and c an t he lp it I n the mornin g I

’
.

kn ow the exa ct ti me y o u are in the gard e n

p o t t e r i
n g abo u t amongst the roses I know .

too that more t han on c e a d ay y o u g o into

my b e droo m an d sh u t the doo r an d j u st
st an d still and loo k ro u nd I thin k Of y o u in .

the aft ernoo n whe n p eo pl e b e gin to dro p

in an d I c an fai rly s ee the exp ression on
,
“
yo u r fac e e ach ti me anyon e s ays And
what n ews o f yo u r son ? The n y o u and
t he visit o r draw yo u r chairs a littl e close r
and t ell e ac h ot her little bits o u t O f the
l ette rs yo u h ave e ach re c eive d fro m the
’
abse nt on e Bu t y o u are n t se nti ment al
.
,
’
and y o u won t show yo u r d e arest frie n d
the insid e li nin g Of yo u r he art O u twardly .
,
“
yo u re inte ns ely c alm
’
There have al .

[ 84 ]
 F rom D ug-o u t and Bi
llet

ways be en soldie rs in my h u s b an d s f a m i ’
'

ly .

I m gl ad my son go t s e nt o u t so soon He
’
.

wante d to go Yes the roses are still ve ry

.
,

ni ce are n t they ? b u t they were q u it e a

,
’

s h o w l as t we e k N O I hadn t he ard
’

—
,

that M rs .s boy has be e n kille d

’

s tea d v oi ce l ) And j st afte r he was

( y , u . r e

co mmende d fo r the What b ad

l u c k ! (s i n uer r tr a i
tt i b i b i I m ’

g y g t ny ou r c a r ) .

thankf u l to say has b e e n most for -4

t u n at e so far — only wo u nde d in the arm .

! u ite a s c r at c h It doe sn t do to b e u nd u ly
’
.

anxio u s yo u know O ne hop e s f o r the

,
.

”
best .

Bravo little wom an ! And if c e rtain lines

,

o r the e q u ivale nt Of thei r se ntime nt r u n in

yo u r he ad yo u c r u sh the m down and no

one s the wise r ex ce pt the God who made
’

y o u a mother .

I di i
d n o t r a s e m y s o n to b e a s o d e r li
i
,

I b r o u gh t h i
m u p t o b e m y p r d e a n d j oy
l l
.

W h o d ar e s to p ace a m u s k e t on h i s s h ou d e r

To k ill
s om e o t h e r m o t h er s d ar n g b oy
'
li
[ 85 ]
 F mD
ro ug out a n d
-
i
B llet

arrive d b ac k yeste rd ay o n the

he els O f yo u r lette r tellin g me all abo u t
hi m H e s f u ll o f b e ans a model fo r the
.
’

Fi
”
t and F at Brigad e .However the fat ,

n e ss will soon we ar O ff H e fairly worshi p s

.

y o u
. That was inevit abl e H e t ells me
.
y o u

h ave p ro mise d hi m a p l ac e in the e st ab

li s h m e n t as soo n as the war is ove r b u t so ,

as to m ake do u bly s u re O f ke e pin g yo u to

yo u r word I gathe r he s m ad e love to yo u r
’

m aid t w o ho u s e m ai ds and Old n u rse Any

,
.

way it s a moral ce rt ainty th at yo u ll se e

,
’ ’

hi m again if anyon e do es H e wante d to .

t ell me abo u t everythin g he h ad don e and

—
s e e n in o n e bre ath the p l ac e yo u yo u , , ,

t he pl a c e the dinn ers he h ad h ad y o u

, , ,

the b e d he had sle p t in yo u Whe n at l ast

,
.

I m an age d t o ge t i n aq u estio n as t o how

y o u were lookin g he answe re d
S u re he rself is lookin like the Mothe r
,
’

Of God an d all the s aints in H e ave n And .

whi n e v e r I di d b e s p a k i
’
n Of y o u sor he r , ,

eye s was th at f u ll Of the m o i s t h u r e yo u

[ 86 ]
 F rom D ug-out a nd i
B llet

’
grim d etails c an h ave e m by re ading c e r
t ain p ap ers that p u blish that so rt Of thin g .

I q u ote fro m a S u nd ay p e nny we e kly (short

story) whi ch I c ame a cross the ot he r d ay

The b attle was ove r S o me we re .

sile nt as the g rave ot hers s q u irmin g as in ,

d e ath throes m u rm u re d o r groan e d o r

-
, ,

s cre ame d ac cordin g t o the de gre e Of c o n

s cio u s n e s s l e ft It was war in all its grim
.
,
”
horror .

And so o n for a col u m n o r two more .

The a u tho r had n t be e n there and his

’

i m agin atio n m u st h ave g o t lost and straye d

into the German lin es Afte r a b attle our .

wo u nd e d are ne arly as sile nt as the d e ad .

S e nsible p e o ple avoid dis c u ssin g fi gh t

i n g with soldiers I f T o m m y t al k s t o y o u Of
.

his o w n ac c ord well an d good With the .

’
I ndian troo ps it s diff e re nt They re in a
’
.

n ew world and it s n o t t o b e wo n dere d at

,
’

t hat they c an t ke e p the ir i m pressions Of it

’

[ 88 ]
 F
rom D ug out
-
a nd Bi
llet

to the mselves More ove r to the fighti ng

.
,

c astes war li ke religion is the bre ath O f

, ,

their li v es .

J u st now with a n ati v e di v ision in the

,

pl ace y o u c an at times almost imagine

,

y o u r s e l f i
n India The warm we athe r helps
—
.

the ill u sion that and the s mell Of the

cooking whe n the win d blows o u r way .

I like it I als o li
. k e forgathe rin g with the m
whe n I can It s f u nny h o w the lang u age
.
’

has co me b ac k t o me conside ring I l e ft

I ndi a whe n a me re bu t eba Tr u e whe n I .
,

S pe ak it I mix it with F re n ch like To m my

o n the bo u l evard and the n it s C handra ’

Singh s t u rn to stare i nste ad Of P io u P io u s

’
-
’
.

Bu t I u nde rstand it q u ite we ll .

I have s mo ke d t he pip e Of p e ace with a

S u b ada r M aj o r who has exhibite d e xt r ao r
di n a r y reve ren c e towards me eve r sin c e he

dis covere d that my fathe r c o mm ande d his

ve ry own re gime nt in the d ays whe n he was
a s e p oy . At first he was too f u ll o f the te ch
mical diff e re n ces be twe e n fi ghtin g as he

[ 9 ]
8
 From D ug -
out a nd B llet i
had known it o n the N orth west bord e r -

and u nde r E u ro p e an co nditions to b e i n

t e r e st in g ; b u t whe n h e c ame down to b e d

ro c k he b u rs t into a sort Of M ag n i fi c at an ,

extolling Of the glories Of everything war

like I r c ame after a long p a u s e His eye s
. .

we re fixe d in the introsp e ctive st are p e

c u li a r to the O rie nt al whe n ever he delive rs

hi ms elf Of anythin g fe rve nt As ne ar as I .

c an re me mb e r I t this is wh at he s aid Y o u .

might al most c all it the son g O f his so u l

War is good It is b e a u t i f u l to k i
.

. ll O f .

all the p le as u re s Of life s ahib the g re atest

, ,

are these love Of a wo man and the j oy Of

b attle F o r wh at is more s atisfyin g than the
.

rap t u re O f love o r the s l ayi n g o f an e n e my ?

O ne brin gs conte nt me nt a n d the othe r

p e ac e Ye a l ov e i
.
,
s g ood b u t war is b ette r
,
.

S u rfeit O f love a m an c an h ave s o that it ,

ren ders hi m slothf u l I n conte nt men t his

.

b ody w ax e s f at an d his mind drowsy The n .

is the sword bl u nte d Bu t in war me n grow

.

l e an Of body an d e x al t e d i n s pirit T h e lu s t .

[ 9 0
]
 F r om D ug-o ut a nd Bi
llet

Of b attle does n ot p all The sharp sword is .

li ke a tr u sty frie nd It giveth vigo u r to the

.

arm and co u rage to the he art Ye a all wars .

,
’
are g ood b u t this b e c a u se it is a sahib s
, ,

wa r is best O f all Th u s it is e asy for one

, .

li ke me a servant to take p ar t i
,
ni
,
t witho u t

fe ar and to serve my R aj with gladness .

De ath is in evitable and its ho u r u nknown .

S O th at a m an die fighting it is a little thi n g .

F o r what is de ath Does the child fe ar to

b e born ? The re fo re why s ho u ld a man fe ar
t o die ? Th e b rave n eve r die He that is Of .

a sto u t he art and s h ow e t h co u rage e arneth

”
e te rn al merit .

A ve ry white man i n s pite O f the colo u r

of his ski n d on t y o u think ?
,
’

’
I ve j u st he ard th at th e C O is going t o .

’
ins p e ct u s That me ans I ve got to ove r
.

ha u l my Co mp any first an d se e that the

villains are tidy I m always expe cting h e ll
.
’ ’

ask to se e their nails My love .

[ 9 1
]
 D E A R E S T MO TH E R ,

Sin c e I wrot e y o u l as t I have b e e n

t ake n o u t Of the h u mdr u m O f tre n ch and
billet life se e in g n ew sights and getting
,

so me inte re sting exp e rie n ce s Fo r o n ce .

in a way I c an b e than kf u l for the stre am

O f visitors to Division al H e ad q u arters .

There we re so m any Of the m that the St aff

we re ove rworke d showin g the m abo u t ,

an d than ks to my mo dest knowle dge o f

F re n ch o n e Of the m was hand e d ove r to
me It m e ant a moto r car and practic ally
.
-

lib e rty to go whe re I like d M y charge .

was an Ame ri c an and a distin g u ishe d o n e

at that Better still he was int e resting and
.
,
’
cl eve r Y o u know I m p arti al to the good
.

cl ass p u re Ame ri c an H e s so p al p ably

.
’

[ 9 2
]
 F
r om D ug-o ut and Bi
llet

alive This on e was p arti c u l arly so We

. .

had a d elightf u l time toge ther .

It was a c ase Of the g u ide d eriving as

m u ch pl e as u re as the dis cipl e F o r a start
.

I had O f co u rse to take hi m the u s u al

, ,

ro u n d Of ins p e ctio n Of o u r Brigad e b u t ,

’
that done ( and I didn t l e t it t ake longe r
than I co u ld hel p ) we motore d O ff att ra ct ,

e d by the so u nd O f s p as modi c firing to the

so u th Th an ks t o a tip from a good nat u re d
.
-

d es p at ch ride r whom we m et o n the ro ad ,

t e n mile s on we t u mble d o n a B ri g ad e
Commander s q u a rt e rs fro m whi ch an i
’
n

t e re sti n g lit t l e s c rap was b ein g cond u cted .

The n ame Of the pl ac e do esn t signify and

’

y o u wo u ldn t b e any the wis er if I g ave i t

’
to yo u whi ch fo r Obvio u s re asons I c an t
,
.

Bu t yo u m ay identify it for yo u rs elf i n the

ne x t p u blishe d desp at ch .

J u st at the e dge Of a wood that slop e d

gently d ownwards we h ad a view Of level
c o u n t ry v e r y slightly broke n b y f o l d s in the

g ro u nd like long ge ntl e swells O f the se a .

 F r om D ug -
ou t a nd Bi
lle t

The re was a s li ght rise t w o thi rds O f the -

way across a mile o r s o fro m o u r f ront

,

t re n che s and ab o u t fo u r f ro m whe re we

sto od This we we re told was the O bj e ctive
.

Of o u r att a ck At the tim e Of o u r arrival it

.

h adn t d evelo p e d ; o nly d es u ltory artille ry

’

fi re was goi n g o n fro m s omewh e re o n o u r

right still f u rthe r so u th Still eve n if I
,
.
,

h ad not known th at so methi n g was afoot ,

I t hin k I sho u ld have g u e ss e d it The re .

was a c e rtain te nsio n i n the man n e r Of

thos e who we re con d u cting it an d se e m ,

i n g ly in the atmos p he re Of the p l ac e its elf .

I t w as not exactly s i l e n c e f o r t h e bi rds were

,

chi rr u ping an d l arks s ang u nre s e ntf u lly

ove rhe ad Bu t the absol u te abs e n c e Of any
.

move me nt always exc e p tin g a co u pl e Of

,

ae ro pl ane s circlin g s o high u p th at thei r

e ngin es we re in a u dibl e in all thos e mi le s ,

Of c o u n t r y w h i
,
c h Obvio u sly m u st b e s co re d

by t ren ches and t e e min g with soldie rs ,

p oint e d to s omethin g u n u s u al .

We O nly h ad o u r nos es above gro u nd ,

[ 94 ]
 F
r om D ug -
out a nd B llet i
whil e n ot a m an showe d b e twe e n u s and
the horizon It was th e u n can ni est p ano
.

rama i magin ab le a storm Of p roj e ctile

,

comi ng o u t O f the u nse e n and co nve rging

o n what lo o ke d li ke a deserte d hillo ck .

Then j u st as ab r u ptly as the g u ns had

,

op e ne d the firin g c e ase d an d sim u ltan e

, ,

o u s ly me n the size Of dots rose in lo n g

, ,

lin es o u t of the p l ain and c r e p t (as i

t seem ed ,

tho u gh I knew the fellows were g oin g at

t he do u b le ) n e are r and n e are r to the
s mo ke to p p e d ridge I co u ld h e ar t h e c o n
-
.

tin u o u s rattl e Of ri fle fire a nd the q u i c ke r

p u rr Of m a chin e g u ns tho u gh whethe r ,

’
they we re o u rs o r the Ge rm ans o r both it
was i mp ossible t o t ell N or co u ld I at th at
.

distan ce h ave told how the aff air e n de d

b u t fo r the voi c e at t h e tele p ho ne .

R ighto ! G ood l u c k ! S pl e ndid ! Dig

in ! it c ame o u t with at l ast and as if to ,

cele brat e s u c cess the g u ns with i n cre ase d ,

’
r an ge t o inte rfe re with the e n e my s s u p
p o rts b anged away ag ain se nding their
, ,

[ 9 6 ]
 F r om D ug- o ut a nd Bi
llet

shells so mewhere beyond the position

won .

There I v e gi v e n y o u the best d e s c r i

,
’

p
tion I c an of an act u al b attl e and yo u ve ,
’

go t to th an k an Ameri c an st range r for it .

He s aid it was the fine st sid e show h e had -

’
eve r se en and thanke d me as if I d stage
,

manage d it p u rp osely for hi m The tr u th is .

I was as m u ch i mp re sse d and c e rtainly

more intimately aff e cted by it than he
c o u ld possi bly b e T O b e in a fi g ht stirre d
.
,

by t he excite me nt O f it le aves yo u no time

,

fo r anxieties abo u t d an ge r and res u lts .

Yo u r sens ati ons are the n e ntirely indi

v id u al Yo u re n ot con cern e d with any
.
’

thing beyond the credit O f yo u r own co m

p any o r re gi ment Y o u t ak e it fo r grante d
.

’
th at they ll p l ay the game an d co m e well
o u t Of it Y o u h ardly h ave ti me to anti ci
.

p ate and d e p lore t he i n evit able c as u altie s

i n yo u r ranks It se e ms a m atte r O f mo
.

me nts and ment al exaltation Bu t to b e a .

p assive s p e ctato r O f th e s ame thi ng to ,

[ 97 ] 7
 F
r om D ug -
o ut a nd Bi
llet

wat ch th e O p e ration fro m a distan ce so th at ,

y o u get the whol e p ers pe ctive Of it and ha v e

ti me to wond er h o w t h i s body Of me n bre ak

t hro u gh t h e wire whi ch y o u k now is b e

twe e n the m and a sh atte ring m a chine gu n -

fi re o r that se ction be held u p and de ci

,

m ate d by i t is a ne rvy exp e ri en ce

, The .

st range r knows not hing exce p t by he ar ,

s ay O f the cr u el lot O f the p oo r chap s who

,

s t r e w t h e gro u n d d u r i
n g t h e advan ce o r O f ,

the he art re nding sigh ts in cide nt al to a

-

force d reti re ment Y o u have ti me to thin k

.

f
abo u t the m whe n yo u re a w at c h e r o nly’

to f e el yo u r he art sink with u n ce rt ainty

while yo u r eyes follow those distant dots O f
me n w h o s e e m to go so slow so very slow , ,

as if they we re p u rp osely co u rting de ath .

U p ab ove the m the sky was se r e n e and

‘

cle ar b u t I thin k the angels we pt

,
.

N O all s aid an d don e I wo u ld f a r r at h e r

, ,

b e in a b attl e th an w at c h i t The civilian no .

do u bt vis u alizes the Gene ral in co m mand ,

c alm and stoi c al far f ro m the fi ring lin e

, ,

[ 98 ]
 F r om D ug-out and Bi
llet

th an a comm and e r Of me n Me n l e aves .

, ,

e mpi re s sp arrows m u st all fall e ach in

, ,

thei r ap p ointe d time If Deity o nly grieves

.

over u s that s a big t h i ng i

’
n itself The m a .

chin e ry Of existe n c e c an t come to a stand’

still b e c a u se a fe w millions o f i ndi v i d u als

’
get p u lp e d i n the p ro c ess It s a G re at . .

M achin e and the wo rks are p e r f e c t t h o u gh ,

’
we don t u n d e rstan d the m .

My s p e c u l ations are f ar fro m the p oint

and q u ite abstr u se C u t the m o u t if y o u
.

like .

Take c are o f yo u rs e lf Feed well . .

told me th at they are q u it e con c ern e d in

’ ’
the se rvants h all b e c a u s e y o u d on t s e e m
“
to t ake to yo u r food N o w Old l ady .
, ,

that isn t fai r Of y o u I s h an t fe el h a p p y i

’
.
l
f
’

,
’
whe n I se e y o u yo u ve lost weight N ow
,
.

the n !
C H O TA .

(Ex cer
p t f
r om a le t ter)

The P rin c e ! Go d bless him ! We all

1 00
l
 F r om D ug o ut
-
a nd i
B llet

d ran k his he alth to night Twe nty one and

-
.
-

in the thi c k Of it He m u st b e having the

time O f his life He was all e a g e rness to
.

get o u t an d now that he is he re all e a g e r

, ,

ness to do and se e all he c an Thin k O f the .

e x p e rie n ce It s i mp ossible to e x agge

’

rate t he advant age all this will b e to him .

A f u t u re kin g and a kin g Of E n gland at

,

that co u ld not as k more O f F ort u n e than

,

to have it T O mix as the P rin ce does with

.
, ,

me n O f all ranks to b e sharin g their work

, ,

to be se ein g life in the raw and t he m aj esty

O f u np anop lie d de ath ; to be working and

swe ating with the rest O f u s u nder a dis ci

plin e that te mp e rs and harde ns m e n s s o u ls ’

as it harde ns their m u s cles and e nl ar g es

thei r o u tlook o n life What an in estimable
boon t o a man who is to r u le me n ! And
’
he ll p rofit by it S o me O f u s will live to
.

se e a g re at King in E ngland .

S o me few we e ks ago I was wit h Je rry

who was b u sy overha u lin g a ne w
aeroplan e whe n a yo u ng S taff Off i c e r
, ,

[ 1 0 1
]
 F r om D ug-out a nd B llet i
rathe r a boy strolle d u p and com men ce d
,

as ki n g o n e q u estion aft e r another V e ry .

intellige nt q u estions they we re t o o Je rry ,

.

explaine d things n o e n d as he always will ,

d o whe n he has a ke e n list e ne r and the ,

Boy was e ager fo r knowle dge His eyes .

n eve r le ft J s f ac e and h e n ever op e n e d

.
’

his mo u th exce pt to as k a q u iet p e rti nent ,

b u t e nti rely u n ass u min g q u estion After .

so me little time b e thanke d J an d we s aw .

hi m get into a s m all c ar some dist an c e

away an d drive O ff with anothe r m an We .

o nly knew late r who he w as .

Did I tell y o u th e sto ry that has go ne the

ro u n d abo u t hi m an d K Of K ? H R H . . . . .

’
n e arly broke his he art b e c a u se K wo u ldn t .

h e ar Of his goin g o u t at fi rst F in ally at an .

’
i nt e rvi ew he b u rst o u t with Bu t I don t
c are if I a m shot !
Rep u te d a nswer N eit her d o I si r Bu t ,
.

you ca n t go
’
Anyway he s he re now an d l on g life to
,

him N O he elt ap s
.
 F rom D ug-out a nd Bi
llet

TO thin k that I sh all s e e t he Old p lace

’
again an d b efo re the s u m me r s thro u gh
’
Don t let B all and R ob e rts get tidyin g the
gro u nds u p t o o m u ch I want to se e what
.

imp rove ments I c an m ake i n the time .

P e rhap s if y o u thin k we o u ght t o y o u ,

c an as k the Vi c ar an d Dr . and wife

an d the g i r l s t O din ner I
. d o n
’
t w an t

to b e e ntirely s elfish and u nso ciable .

 D E A R ES T .

I s u p p os e I did n t dre am it Yet

’
.
,
’
now I m b ac k those five d ays at home
hardly s e e m re al L ike a dre am re c alle d
.
,

my doings are coming b ac k in a detache d

way o n e by o n e witho u t m u c h order and
,
’
the n in l u mp s ! That s the res u lt O f cram
ming so m u ch into a limited p erio d .

’
The re s a sto ry O f a man who dre amt he was
in He ave n and wo ke u p in th e t rain with
the g u ard asking him for his ti cket whi ch ,
’
he c o u ldn t find .

I fe el rather like that m an I was no .

soone r b ac k che wi ng the c u d Of my

“
le av e re fle ctio ns in the rese rve lines than
o rde rs c ame for an imme diate co n c entra
tion It was nin e a m abomin ably wet an d
. .

[ 1 0 5 ]
 F r om D ug
-
ou t a n d Bi
llet

windy an d we got O ff with e v e ryt h i

,
ng j ust

anyhow kit u n colle cte d u nits lost ser

, , ,

vants straye d and rations t o follow in the

re ar Wh at it was all ab o u t no b ody knew
. .

“ ”
We ce rtainly tho u ght we we re f o r it .

The re we re all sorts Of r u mo u rs ab o u t the

Germ ans having b roken thro u gh some
where an d as we co u ld he ar a rtille ry get
,

ting b u sy in the dist an c e there was a c ertain

amo u nt Of excite m e nt We m arche d fo r
.

fo u r ho u rs in a down po u r and the n hal t e d

,

( p res u m ably t o d ry o u rse lves ) i n a d e relict

village N o t h i
. n g t o e at an d n owhere t o get
it The h u ngrie r I got the more I tho u ght
.

Of my fin al l u n cheon at the In an d O u t .

Whe n s co u tin g res u lte d i n the se c u ring O f

a dozen eggs an d coff e e fro m the o n e and
only farm in the vi ci ni ty we we re glad t o
e at the fo rme r raw and drin k the l att er au
n a t ur el— black and strong .

O f co u rse aft e r that rations t u rned u p

, ,

b u t no soo ner h ad we d rawn the m than

another t re k h ad to b e don e It was .

m6
 F r om D ug-out a nd i
B llet

f arm ho u se It too k u s all t he next d ay to

-
.

ge t cle an an d d ry Gott st rafe De u ts chland !

.

These alt e rn ations Of war and p e ace are

t oo kaleidos copi c t o l et o n e s ettle down to
anything f o r long Eve n thi n king is a p t t o
.

b e inte rru pt e d I fe e l q u ite s c att e rb raine d

.

t rying to re c all my im p ressions O f the short

t ime at ho me in any o rde r They re k al e i ’

it
.

d os c o p c oo

fli
.

I fi nd it d ic u lt t o te ll y o u h o w m u ch

t hat sho rt time act u ally me ant to m e F o r .

we e ks b efo re h and I had pi ct u re d it , and

whe n I did arrive it s e e me d ye ars sin ce I
h ad le ft E ngl an d T O e me r g e fro m a war
.

s c arred co u nt ry into a l and u n alt e red in

eve ry resp e ct was rathe r a sho c k I fo u n d .

myself wonde ring at the c alm r e g u l ar r o u ,

ti n e O f it L ondon still L o ndon more m ar

.
, ,

tial b u t not m arti al e no u gh Kh aki and a .

sp rinkli ng Of N avy bl u e in t he st re e t and

cl u bs is a ve ry mild re fle ctio n o f the re al
thing in t h ero u gh as we h ave it here Co u n .

try towns still asle e p safe ly nestling ro u nd

,

1 08
 F r om D ug o ut a n d
-
Bi
llet

their old grey ch u rches ( all the s pires i n

t act) ; fields smiling whe at nod ding ;,

p e asants u npert u rbe d ; tiny wayside sta

tions placidly dre aming ; men and women
—
for the most p art still d rowsing E ngland .

Like the sle e pin g be a u ty in the dee p forest

she sl u mbe rs on i n a tran ce What wi ll h e r
.

waking b e ?
H aving yo u with me in L ondon I e n ,

j oye d bein g the re b u t to t ell the tr u th I

,

was glad to le ave it It m ad e me s avage

.

to se e c re at u res O f fi g htin g age in m u fti ,

d arin g t o walk t he s ame p ave me nt with

—
me n in u niform b ackboneless thi ngs in
colo u red so c ks and st raw hats comp l a ,
’
ce nt u nashame d ! I don t u nderstand how
,

their wome n folk s tan d it

-

It was b est to get away fro m town and

b ac k to the O l d home The p e ac e there .

was ass u re d by ge ne rations Of my a n c e s

tors who had fo u ght and ble d i n othe r wars
fo r its se c u rity If like s o m any othe r O ld
.
,

co u ntry homes it is safe and restf u l to d ay

,

[ 9 ]
1 0
 F rom D ug o ut
-
a nd i
B llet

’
it s b e c a u se Of the p re mi u m o n ins u ran c e
their o wn ers o r t heir sons are p ayin g for it .

N O broodin g drowsiness Of de c ay ther e ;

o nly t he in eff ab l e c al m Of e arne d re p ose .

’
I don t thin k I q u it e re alize d h o w m u ch
I love d t he p l ac e u ntil this p arti c u l ar
ho me co min g Eve ry sti c k an d ston e Of
-
.

it all its ho u s ehold go d s are mo re t han

,

eve r t o me now If t he shirker Of vi ll adom

—
.

’
—
he s the m ai n c u lp rit who sits still s u r ,

ro u nde d by his Totte nham Co u rt R o ad

f u rnit u re an d linole u m covere d floo rs -
,

h ad inste ad an an cie nt ho me f u ll Of his

, ,

t o ric al ass o c i
at i
o n s w o u l d he better u nd e r
,

stan d t he fi ghtin g i nst i n c t an d want t o

c om e o u t an d do b attl e for it ? I wonde r !
Y o u all str u c k m e as so b e a u tif u lly cle an .

Don t s mile O u t he re cle anlin ess doe s n t

’
.
’

’
co me n ext t o go dli ness It s a l u x u ry n Ot .
,
’
a virt u e Di rt and we ari ness line me n s
.

f ac es Clot he s are the colo u r Of th e soil

.
,

b u t u n like the soil e ntire ly u nte nde d In

, ,
.

E ngl an d yo u we re all s o t ri m and tidy I .

[ n o ]
 F rom D ug-out a nd Bi
llet

lost o r straye d dogs The vital something

whi ch n at u re has implante d in the he art Of
a m an and a g ame co ck alike t o make the m
-

u n dismayed m u st be missing in them If .

cons c riptio n comes I tr u st the War O ffi ce

“ ’
will p u t the Wait till I m fetche d army
- - -

’
into a u nifo rm that can t b e mistake n for
that worn by the vol u ntary servi ce me n I f .

’
it doesn t we he re shall feel disgrace d
,
.

’
We don t think the s ame tho u g hts an d we
’
do n t want to we ar the s ame kit as the
shirke rs They ll o nly be fit f o r t h e dirty
.
’

work Of the army and I c an p romise y o u

,

every man j ack Of u s will se e t o it that they

-

do thei r se rvile d u ties f u ll tale If the ap .

p e al Of the N ation al G u ards the Gorgeo u s

—
,

Wre cks I sho u ld glory in the n ame we re

I o n e Of the m (this is n t writ s a rcasti c) ’

grizzle d stiff Of limb marching alo ng the

, ,

stre ets re d a r m le t e d Obsolete M arti ni car

,
-
,

—
bines on thei r sho u lders fail as an example
t o the able bodie d p oltroons nothing o n
-

e arth c an b e exp e cte d to move them I take .

[ 1 1 2
]
 F r om D ug -
ou t a n d Bi
llet

O my hat to t h e sp lendid v eterans I t h i

ff nk .

O f the m as I wo u ld O f the g hosts O f N ap o

le on s O ld G u ard F e e ble O f body they

’
.

may be b u t what b i g he arts be at in those

bodies ! The F re n ch ranks are f u ll Of s u ch
me n elderly p oil u s fathe rs Of families
, , ,

v aliant so u ls all o f the m They fi ght side .

by side with thei r sons their grandsons not,

infre q u ently In E n gland I w at c h e d slee k

.

haire d p ips q u e aks the wo u ld b e n u ts

,
-

Of the towns and the d u ll face d yokels O f -

the co u ntry side snee ring at the heroic

-

d erelicts Ye Gods they tho u ght the m

.
,

f u nny !
O ne day not so far off I tr u st whe n they
, ,

march in inglorio u s b at ches a big brass C ,

attache d to their u nifo rms t o distin gu ish

the m fro m u s with ,
ro u ndin g
the m u p an d tellin g the m O ff till th ey know
the mselves for the inse cts they are thei r ,

q u eer se nse O f h u mo u r will fail the m an d

they ll whimp e r like whip p e d c u rs
’
.

What fat u ity it is to talk abo u t e q u ality !

[ 1 1 3 ] 8
 F rom D ug o ut
-
and i
B llet

DO the me an cre at u re s w h o o nly live to

make mo ney o u t Of the war serio u sly im a
g ine they are the e q u als Of the men who
are fi ghting for the m ? C an the tradesman
who t akes advant age Of the times to p u t u p
his p ri ces and so de fra u d the p u bli c claim
t o b e anythin g b u t a c anke r o n the race

Wh at Of the sho p m an who asks a ret u rne d

wo u n de d soldie r do u ble p rice f o r anything
he comes in to p u rchase ? That he does so
is n o t de nie d All o f u s are familiar with the
.

adve rtisements in the p ap e rs the shrieking ,

ap p e al Of the tradin g comm u nity to the

p u blic to b u y this and that as if it we re o f
,

infinitely more imp o rtan ce to the latte r to

s p e nd their money than to u s e it for prose
cu ti n g the war L ook at the crafty way O f
.

t aking in the ch aritabl e and ge ne ro u s by

u rging the m t o foist u seless things in the
”
g u ise Of Active S e rvi ce co mmodities on
the me n at the F ront fro m a gramo p ho ne
,

in soli d cowhid e case (p r 1 c e £ 5 1 8 s ) to a .

n erve to ni c at thre e shillings a bottle

[ 1 1 4 1
 F rom D ug-out a nd i
B llet

cle anly E nglish kitche n so will y o u being

, ,

se nsible n o t loo k for the more distressing

,

details Of c amp aigning It s e no u gh that

.
’

the re m u st someti mes b e n as t i n e ss e s i

n the

kit che n and wo rse ones in war in s pite O f ,

the eff orts Of sanitary exp erts in the o n e case

an d H ag u e Co nventions in the other O ne .

d ay p e rh ap s we shall al l be so highly civi

liz e d th at o u r foo d will b e p re p are d anti

s e pti c ally an d cooke d in a v a c u u m an d o u r ,

n ation al dis p u tes settled by o u r solicitors

If it co me s to that tho u gh me als will p ro
, ,

b ab ly t aste like a che mist sho p and the n a

tion s neve r b e fre e fro m litigatio n .

’
He re s the p ost An d a lette r from yo u
. .

H u rrah
L ove to all
C HOTA .

1 1 6
 D E A R ES T
,

I have j u st eme rge d from a d u g

o u t that wo u ld make y o u stare N o w there .
,

are d u g o u ts and d u g o u ts They all aim

- -
.

at being a home from home b u t this one ,

’
was fair ly It It hadn t a carp et b u t it was
.
,

f u rnishe d with O l d o ak (loot from a German

tren ch whose p revio u s o c c u p ants had O b
vi o u s ly l o o t e d it fro m so mewhere else ) In .

it we ate o u r dinne r O ff delicate S evres

plates an d dran k o u t Of rare O ld c u t glasses .

A d u g o u t de l u xe Bu t eve n the c ommon

-

or g arde n d u g o u t shows some atte mpt at

-

cosiness I am coming to the c on cl u sion

.

that man is conside rably more Of a re al

home make r th an woman What wo man
-
.
,

[ H 7 ]
 F rom D ug -
o ut and i
B lle t

living as we d o wo u ld witho u t the i

,
n ce n
,

tive Of m ale comp anionship go t o the ,

tro u ble Of trying t o m ake a m u d c ave into

the semblan ce O f a civilized ho u se ? A
wom an living alo ne e sp e ci ally i n a te m ,

p o r a r y abode tro
,
u bles little o r n o t at all
’
abo u t he r p e rson al comfort S he does n t .

even t ake p ains ab o u t food S he only .

st u die s these two ame nities O f life if she has

a m an t o share the m N o w we o n the con .
,

t r a r y always h ave a desi re to m ake the best

,

Of circ u mst an ces We colle ct (o r ste al )

.

plan ks b ri cks do ors an d wi nd ows t o help

, ,

give a s e mbl an ce Of civili z atio n t o o u r

f u n k holes The me n ke e p the tre n ches
-
.

n e at and make garde ns behi nd the p arados .

A se nse Of h u mo u r give s s p i ce t o the task .

It s hows in the n ames bestowe d u p on o u r

reside n ce s “
The Kee p ” “
Mi n n e n we r ,

fe r Villa ” “
,
T h e Gas w o r k s
” “
Myh o l m e ”
.

is als o v e r y p o p u lar Bu t the re s s omethin g

.
’

b e sides h u mo u r t h at i n ci
t e s To mmy t o p u t
u p a board marke d Tres p asse rs will b e
[ 1 1 8 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B llet

be en p ressed fo rward all t h e s u mme r We '

c an only won de r at the reason Of o u r i n

activity We don t like t o p u t it down to

.
’

—
want O f shells b u t w e see the pap e rs and
, , ,

f r an kly t h e o u tlook is dishearte ni ng What

,
.

y o u read first thing in the morning gets to

u s in the eve nin g Imagine an army reg u
.

larly ke p t info rme d O f the p re v io u s day s

’

doin gs S u ch a thin g has n e v e r hap p e ne d

be fore L ikewise n eve r be fore have the
.

rank and file bee n newsp ap e r reade rs The .

conse q u e n ce is that the men are b e gin nin g

t o no u rish a grievan ce a g ainst their o w n

co u nt ry They p u t all the tro u ble down to

.

—
slackness an d strikes thin gs that co n ce rn
t hei r o w n class They re s o bitter a gainst
.
’

the strike rs that if they we re s u dde nly take n

bac k in a bo dy I ve rily believe they wo u ld
(if they co u ld ) settle that t ro u ble by taking
the law i nto thei r own han ds It wo u ld .

mean a bad time f o r any workman who had

shirke d his j o b .

We Off i cers howeve r se e plainly that the

, ,

[ 1 20 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut and i
B llet

resp onsibility for the m u ddle lies with the

politi cians The re s a v e ry Wise Man at
.
’

the War O fli c e and he s the only one who

’

does thin gs an d says nothin g all the time .

It is incon ceivable t o u s that the co u ntry

doesn t rise as one man and fo rcibly s u p
’

p ress ce rtai n m e m b e rs o f the Gove rnme nt .

Some body said that the p ro p er p lace for

politi cians in war time is bed and I a g re e
-
,

with him How they lie and brag these

.
,

salary drawing i
-
n efl ici
e n t s who f o r years

past re f u se d to grant money for the p u r

chase O f ships gu ns ri fles and m u nitions O f
, ,

war ! And how they hav e trie d to take c re dit

t o the msel v es f o r any bit Of O r ganization

o r li
t t l e s u c cess that we ve achie v e d in sp ite
’

Of them ! T h e b lat an c y Of the m ! Men he re

read these thin gs and look at o n e anothe r
a ghast T h e n t h e y la u gh shame facedly
. .

I he ard the arrogan ce Of p oliti cians

s u mme d u p v ery eff e ctive ly in the form Of
a story last we ek The telle r was on ce on
.

the sta g e A c e r t ai
. n low comedi an he s aid , ,

[ 1 2 1
]
 F r om D ug-o ut and i
B llet

was e ngage d by a po mp o u s p rovin cial a c

t o r m an age r f o r o n e Of his p anto mimes
-
.

The come dian was v u lgar b u t f u n ny an d

“ ”
u se d to p laying to f u ll ho u ses The .

man ager at the ti me was hi mse lf p laying

M acb eth an d to imp ress the co me dian
,

with the s u p e r t o r i t y O f re al Art he invite d ,

him t o come and se e his ill u strio u s p e r

f o r m a n c e In a ve ry e m pty ho u se the
.

come di an s at i t fo u t Well what did y o u

.
,

thin k Of my M acbeth ? he was p ro u dly

”
aske d . If yo u m us t kn ow g u v no r r e,
’

plie d the come di an I think it s the likes

,
’

Of ur as keep s you
I s u p p ose a ctor managers an d p oli
-

ti ci an s b oth li v e o n noto riety b u t t h e l a t t e r

,

fo rget ap p arently that there a re millions O f

fi ghting men who will have vote s t o c ast
whe n p e ace is made They won t for get .
’

their betraye rs S O sle e p well in b e d M O

.
,

the r dear the re s a good time coming

,
’
.

Yo u r lovin g C H O TA .
 F r om D ug -
ou t a n d B llet i
cove r N o b o d y s aw him ret u rn b u t
’

b ac k t O .
,

a thin blood staine d trail was dis cove re d

-

an d trace d to the b u nk in my d u g o u t -
,

where i ’
t e n d e d He d manage d t o climb u p
.

somehow p oo r little devil and the re I

, ,

fo u nd him o n his blanket at the foot c u rle d ,

up ,
m u te b u t shive ring with p ain and a
,

nasty hole in his chest He looke d bad O u r . .

fi r s t aid o u tfit doesn t in cl u de any q u i ck

’
-

means Of delive ran ce f o r a mortally

’
wo u n de d dog and we hadn t a
man handy S ome body vol u nte e re d t o
.

fet ch on e Waitin g it was evident to me

.
,

that if the medico co u ld n t do anythin g I ’

sho u ld have to .

I s at with the p o o r li
t t l e u nfort u nate dis ,

t resse d t o se e that he tho u ght I w as angry

with him f o r playing tr u ant I co u ld te ll .

that he was wo rrying more o n that imagin

a r y s co r e than ove r his o w n ab ominably re al

p ain I m s u re he tho u ght I was cross b e

.
’

ca u se I co u ld do nothing to relieve it The .

’
d u mb q u estion was in his d u ll eyes Hadn t .

[ 1 24 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B llet

I always made his paws well by p u llin g the

tho rns o u t O f the m ? Why n o t now ? In his
tr u stf u lness and vene ration fo r me his mas ,

te r he co u ld not u nde rstand that racke d as

, ,

I was to see the a g ony he was e nd u rin g I ,

co u ld do nothing to help him My impo .

te n ce gave me a damnable sensation I .

co u ld only st roke him and tell him h o w

beastly sorry I w as ; and he licke d my hand .

It is in comp rehensible to me why ani

mals sho u ld be made to s u ff e r We are .

ta u ght that p ain and trib u latio n are part O f

’
a h u man bein g s trainin g f o r ete rnity and ,

also p artly his age long p u nishme nt fo r

-

’
man s first re corde d trans gression Bu t if a .

d o g may n O t look fo r ete rnity as s u p e rio r ,

p e rsons insist why S ho u ld it have to u n de r

,

g p hysical tort u re for no fa u lt O f its own ?

O

A S it is its blameless life is all too short

, .

Some O f the myste ries O f nat u re see m nee d

l essly cr u el .

Kim was only a p u p py and as g u ileless a

’
o n e as I ve known yet he was made t o
,

[ 1 25
]
 F r om D ug out
-
a nd Bi
llet

s u ff er f o r something witho u t p u rpose and

f o r somethin g b eyond his co mp re he nsion .

I S it fair ? Tommy an d I know we play with

chan ce i f we S how o u r heads ov e r t h e p ara
p et and j ee r at the Ge rmans b u t Ki m had
no knowle dge O f the risks he ran whe n he
b arke d at the m o u t Of she e r j oi e de b iu re .

P oo r little chap Best O f fo u r foote d pals -

I wishe d the L ittle M othe r had b ee n at

hand S he wo u ld have made him u nde r
.

stand that I was not an g ry with him He go t .

colde r and colde r an d I drew the blanket

m b u t it move d t re m u lo u sly w
,

ov e r h i ,
ith his
shive rs And all the while his sad eyes we re
.

o n mine .

At last whe n the me di co was b ro u ght in

—
,

—
on e Of the Vet co rps I saw the re was n o
.

hop e .

’
His n u mb e r s u p I m afraid he said
’

, , ,

and O ff e red t o S hoot him f o r me I told him .

I wo u ld rathe r do it mys elf I think Kim .

knew and u n de rstood my reason At le ast .

,

I ho p e S O He lay still ve ry p atient

.
,
.

1 26
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B llet

mans (if we can do it ) : they mean to a v e n ge

’
Kim s m u rde r They re gettin g ready
’
.

g ri mly tidyin g
,
the mselves .

I f To m my has s u fli cie n t n oti ce he likes

to fight trim dresse d fo r the part He

,
.

S haves br u shes his hair me nds h i s ki t Al

'

.
, ,

S O he see s c a r e f u lly t o the action Of his rifle

an d he fi nds something wherewith to p u t

a fie rce e dge t o his bayo net .

They ll be diffi ’
c u lt to hold back this
’
time I do n t fe e l like holdin g the m back
eithe r Good bye dearest I m u st t i
.

.
-
,
dy u p ,

t oo . I want t o get a bit O f my own back as

well .

C H O TA .
 ( 5)1

MO T H E R DE A R E S T ,

N othin g ve ry s u rp risin g that y o u

saw it in the pap e rs first I really forgot to .

tell y o u Pu rely a pie ce O f l u ck dear C o n

.
,
.

grat u late me if y o u like as y o u wo u ld c o n ,

grat u l ate a m an w h o wins the love Of a ve ry

ni ce girl wit ho u t knowin g h o w he did it .

’
Bu t don t p raise me As a m atte r O f fa ct we
.

saw re d that d ay We had a s core t o .

settle o n ac co u nt Of a little d o g It wasn t .

’

the Big P u sh u nfo rt u nately b u t the next ,

best thi n g to it a distin ct gain in o u r are a

,
.

What I m ay have done doesn t c o u n t i n t he

’

aggregate All I know is that we took a

.

re ceipt i n f u ll Dozens Of othe r me n de

.

se rve the D S O q u ite as m u ch as I do O n

. . . .

the Christmas tre e the re aren t pri z e s fo r a ll ’

[ 9 ]
1 2
9
 F r om D ug- out a nd i
B llet

the g oo d c h i ld r e n Eve n a V C is a thin g

. . .

t o b e h u mble abo u t N otice the words :

.

F o r consp i
”
cu ous b rave ry I n othe r words.
,

f o r b rave ry that is wi t nes s ed by so meone

w h o is i n a p osition t o p u t yo u down for a

ti cket which will e ntitl e y o u t o a p rize O ff
t h at C h r i
s t m aS t ree I n conspi c u o u s b rave ry
.

’
is j u st as fine and far mo re fre q u e nt It s .

g oin g on all the time Don t take

. it that ’

’
I m maki n g light O f the distin ction I m
’
.

’ ’
not . It s s p le n did It s s ple n didly j olly t o
.

’
get it Bu t all the same what I d like b est
.
,

wo u ld b e t o s hare it with the cle a rfe llows

’
who were n t l u c ky e no u gh to be in the
li melight .

B rave ry whe n y o u co me t o thin k Of it

, ,

is o n e Of the most fl u id Of q u alities The re .

is s u ch a thin line divi din g it f ro m coward

i ce and the name Of that line whi ch some
, ,

ti mes is st retche d S O ti ghtl y that it has to

snap is n o t mark y o u lac k Of co u rage b u t
, , , ,
’
Of ne rve s If a man s nerves are good he
.

stands a good chan ce o f doin g somethin g

[ 1 30
]
 F
r om D ug -
out and Bi
llet

ing and trainin g are be hind u s They con .

sti
[

t u t e a kind O f armo u r .

W ho m i s se s or wh o w i ns t he p r i ze

GO i
s tr ve a n d con q u er if y ou c an ,

Bu t if y ou f ll
a y ou r s e ,
or if i
l
,

Be e ac h , p r ay G o d , a ge n t em a n .

We may f u n k it f o r a moment S ome .

times we do Bu t it does n t matte r The

.
’
.

main thing is not t o S how yo u re afraid and ’

,
’
to act as if yo u we ren t .

Don t I ramble ? Bu t the moral Of my

’

’
dis co u rse is this : I ve do ne nothing that
’
he ap s O f othe r me n have n t done I ve a ’
.

strong t u mmy an d goo d ne r ves and I can ,

le ad me n b e cau se I u nderstand my j ob an d
have an u nad u lte rate d vo cab u lary that goe s
straight to the he art and min d Of Tom my
in mome nts O f stress .

’ ’
By the way it s rathe r c u rio u s isn t it
, , ,

that me n sho u ld b e more dee ply addi cte d

’
t o p oetry than wo me n ? There s hardly one
Of u s who hasn t got his favo u rite b atte re d
’

[ 1 32
]
 F r om D ug-o ut a nd i
B llet

vol u me O f p oetry somewhe re handy Kip .

ling bestrides this fightin g te rrain like a

Coloss u s and lies i n o u r p o ckets i n s mall
editions b u t I ve e v e n come ac ross a lad y
’

—
on a battle gro u nd a slim little colle ctio n
-

,
—
of gu ess Ella Wheele r Wil cox It might .

i nte rest yo u

I was c alle d away he re and for the life O f

,

me c an t re membe r w h at I was abo u t to s ay

’
.

S O sorry M u st send this O ff j u st as it is

. .
 ( 1 6)

M Y D E A R E S T MO T H E R .

It is cle ar to me that de e p feeling

p rompte d yo u r l ast lette r an d t h e r e f o r e I ll
,
’

rep ly t o it at on ce I f what I am abo u t to

.

say disap p oints yo u it will at le ast relieve

,

yo u r u n ce rtainty I wo u ld give m u ch t o do
.

as yo u wish abo u t m arryin g Inde e d the re .

’
is little I wo u ldn t d o to ple ase yo u ; b u t
and it is a big b u t — I do u bt whether i n
this c ase I o u ght to let my desire to ple ase
y o u con flict with m y d u t y as
'

I see it I .

q u ite app re ciate all the re asons yo u cite i n

favo u r O f my m arrying B u nny as yo u s ay
.
, ,

is deli c ate an d m ay n eve r live to grow u p .

N O more than yo u d o I want to see the O l d

plac e p ass into the hands Of a distant rel a
1 34 ]
[
 F
r om D ug -
o ut a n d i
B llet

for in a wife m u ch t o o good indee d to b e

Off e re d anythin g b u t the very dee p est a
m an co u ld give I sho u ld have t o go t o he r
.

with empty h ands .

Bu t ap art fro m the fact th at it is q u ite

in definite wh e n I m ay get home o n leave
’
again I h ave n t give n y o u my best an d
,

main reaso n f o r wantin g to avoid m atri

’
mony Well de ar it s this : the ve ry p r O
.
, ,

sp e ct yo u hold o u t O f m y l e av in g t h e some

o n e to co me afte r me That someone might .

n eve r know what it is t o h ave a fathe r If .

’
y o u think it ove r y o u will I m s u re admit , ,

that I am right Y o u s e e d arling altho u gh

.
, ,

yo u ve bee n e v e ryt h i
’
n g t o me that a mothe r

c an an d far mo re th an most sons des e rve

, ,

I cannot he lp b ei ng sensi ble O f wh at I h ave

’
misse d in growin g u p witho u t a man s
hand on my S ho u lde r The fact O f my n o t .

bei n g able to re me mbe r my father has n o t

p revente d me from thi nki n g abo u t him ,

wonde rin g what he was like and wishin g ,

for him v e ry O fte n As a child ne e ds two

.

[ 1 36 ]
 F r om D ug-o ut a nd i
B llet

p eople to b ring him into bein g S O its n a ,

t u re demands that the same two shall give

it a hand u ntil s u ch time as it can walk alone .

Y o u m u st know as well as I do that the re

’
are e pisodes in a boy s life whi ch a woman
c annot handle If he has a g ood father his
.

di fli c u lt i
e s can be smoothe d o u t If he .

’ ’
has n t o n e to go to at all it s rath e r s ad I ,

think .

’
The re s no p essimism in all this I don t
’
.

anti cip ate an u ntimely e nd I don t think .

’

abo u t it Soldie ring d u lls one s se nsitive

.
’

ness con ce rnin g de ath O ne t akes o n e S .

’

chan ces O f it as a matte r O f co u rse know ,

ing that the Odds are in one s favo u r Bu t ’

.

’
we c an t p rop e rly se rve two masters at the
same time My p r e s e n t j o b is n ation al d u ty
.
,
’
and I m u stn t let any pe rson al inte rests
inte rfere with it S O let u s le ave the q u estion
.

O f m arriage for the f u t u re There will be .

p e ace some d ay and the n p e rhap s ,

Bu t I needn t h u nt the hypothetic al to its

’

lair !
 F r om D ug-out a nd B llet i
’ ’
Darling yo u re f u ll o f gr u mbles I don t
,
’
think it s fair t o re p roach me for what yo u
c all the im p erson ality Of my letters .

Afte r all failing eve nts Of re al imp o rtan ce

, ,
’
the only things wo rth re cordin g are one s
imp ressions F o r inst an ce it might inte rest
.
,
’

y o u gre atly ( tho u gh it s c e rtainly n o t e po ch

making only sto mach aching ! ) to know
,
-

that yeste rd ay I had a 40 h p p ain aft e r -

. .

e ating something o u t Of a tin Bu t why tell

y o u Of it ? L on g afte r I had forgotte n the
p ain yo u wo u ld h ave started t o worry
abo u t it
I n yo u r next p arcel yo u might se nd me
some so ap b u t n ot s c e nte d S omething
,
.

wi th c arboli c in it f o r choi ce And I will .

m ake yo u h ap py by the confession that I

co u ld also do with som e mo re so cks thin —
ones .

My love to yo u .

P S
. .
—A lette r from Old n u rs e ( C o pied ) .

1 38
 D E A R ES T ,

It will b u ck yo u u p to know that

the British army is g oing strong j u st now .

The new d rafts are p o u ring in and o u r ,

corne r Of F ran ce and F lande rs is i n u nd ate d

Wi
’
t h t h e m F rom he re to the co ast I m t o ld
.
, ,

y o u se e nothing b u t khaki
. Y ou can hardly
i m agine yo u rself in a f o r e ig n co u ntry The .

n ative p o p u lation is o n extraordin arily

good te rms with Tommy He b ehaves
—
.

be a u tif u lly They p et him es p e ci ally the

.

—
wome n and s cold him whe n he dese rves
’

it j u st as they do their own me n It am u se d

,
.

me imme nsely l ast wee k t o se e a whole

village f u ll Of females t u rn o u t to bel abo u r
an d vo cifero u sly revile aN o rt h co u ntry ter
-

rit ori al who c ame home to his billet S lightly

 F r om D ug- o ut a nd Bi
llet

the worse for liq u or He was be aming feel .

,

in g at p e ace with all the world whe n they ,

fell on him They boxe d his e ars c alle d him

.
,

a Bo che and told him he was a dis grace to

,

his u niform whi ch stri ctly spe akin g he

,

was He took his g r u ellin g witho u t a word

.

’
and wo n t t r an s g re s s a g ain i n the same way ,

I f an c y .

’
It s killing to liste n to the c r u de j okes that
p ass betwe e n the veterans an d the ne w
comers The former war staine d c o n fi
.
,
-
,

dent free from all ill u sions line the ro ad

, ,

and wel come the spic k an d sp an men from - -

home with me rciless chaff .

P retty de ars l they re mark ve ry a u di

bly Pity to t h i
. n k t h e y ll all be o n cr u tches
’

”
n ext wee k .

“ ’
Whe re s y our cr u t ch O ld S port ? is the ,

sarcasti c resp onse .

O h we re the s u rvivors the few what s

,
’

,
’

left Are yo u down he arted ?

.
-

A cheery chor u s Of N O !
“ ’
That s ri ght Straight on for the .

[ 4 ]
1 1
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd Bi
llet

c e metery comes a d ry voi c e from the

,

side Of the ro ad .

Those n ew drafts grin at the j oke b u t ,

—
he re and the re a face ge ne rally a yo u thf u l
one —s h o ws i at i
n ap p r e c i on O f i
t Yet whe n .
,

their ti me comes to go into the tre n ches

’
they face the m u si c like trie d troops It s .

won d e rf u l that the fighting spirit S ho u ld

have p revaile d in the n ation afte r p r a c t i
c ally a h u ndre d ye ars Of p e ac e T h e y fo u ght .

strip p e d to the waist i n N elson s d ays N O W

’
.
,

s oldie rs and s ailors alike fight with so u ls ,

’
stri pp e d inste ad The m anhood s the re j u st
.

t he s ame .

S O altho u gh eve ry d ay o n e loses Old

,

fr ie n ds o n e has the comp e ns ation o f get

,

ting to kno w and love ne w one s Y o u se e .

me n for what they re ally are not what yo u ,

think they may be Ofte n a dis app ointme nt

,

i n tim es O f p e ac e O u t he re the re s n o so cial

.
’

ve ne e r to w ear O ff befo re yo u discove r the

tr u e c h aracte r u nderne ath the S kin Y o u .

’
do n t have t o tr u st t o he ars ay abo u t s u ch
[ 1 4 2
]
 F rom D ug-o ut a nd Bi
llet

known him as I do n o w and he ce rtain ly ,

wo u l d neve r have known himself .

The othe r ni ght as we s at in o u r d u g

,

o ut,
liste ning to the g u n ning wat ching ,

the star S hells bre akin g white ove r the

-

S hadowy waste d co u ntry he b u rst o ut

, ,

with
By gad L ook at it all An d to thin k
that this time l ast ye ar I tho u ght it fine to
” ’
sit in a front row stall an d watch girls le gs
-
.

( S aving yo u r modesty Mothe r mine , ) .

What a blighte r I m u st have b e e n ! Well ,

that s all ove r than k he ave n ! The n he

’

we nt O ff to she p he rd se ntries and loo k

b u rstin g shrap nel in the face .

’
There s t o o m u ch good mate rial Of his
sort bein g waste d in the ranks U n f ort u n .

at e ly t o o a conside rab le n u mbe r o f u n c l as

, ,

Si fi e d indivi d u als neithe r fi sh flesh nor

, , ,

good re d he rring h ave bee n j erke d into

,

commissions by b ack S tairs in fl u en ce Pr o -

.

’ ’
motion Of that sort does n t p ay f o r itself I d .

rather se e it co me from the ranks tho u gh ,

[ 1
44 ]
 F r om D ug
-
o u t a nd Bi
llet

that doesn t always p an o u t we ll A V C

’
. . .

corpo ral who re cently de cline d the hono u r

p u t it sensi bly e no u gh whe n he said that
what he had done to e arn the distin ction
only p roved that he was a man not a ge ntle ,

man and that from p e rson al exp erie n c e

,

he knew the me n wo u ld rathe r be le d by

an in compete nt ge ntle man than an ex
p e r i
e n c e d ranke r who hadn t the a van’ '

t age O f goo d birth It was the most s u c in et

. -

defe n ce Of aristo cracy anyone co u ld have

made Bu t it took this war to give it s u re
.

p oint .

I thin k the de mo c racy will dis co u nt a

good d e al Of what their le aders have told
them Of l ate ye ars abo u t u s ge ntry The .

de ath roll O f the army m u st s u rely convin ce

’
them n o t only that we re n o t the selfish
,

b r u tes the de mago gu es trie d to make o u t ,

b u t that whateve r o u r fa u lts we t u mble d

, ,

ove r one anothe r t o re n d er the co u ntry se r

vi ce O u t O f all p ro portion to o u r n u mbe rs .

The rank an d file know it anyhow They , .

1
45 16
 F r om D ug -
out a nd Bi
llet

’
know we re in it as a matte r Of d u ty fi rst
’
an d se co ndly b e c a u se it s o u r n at u re to
’
le ad That we do n t want j u stifying they
.

c an see whe n they consi d er how little we

get o u t Of it an d how m u ch we give u p t o
’
we ar the King s u nifo rm I n that res p e ct .

I fan cy we com p are favo u rably with p l ace

h u ntin g p oliti ci ans an d thos e Of the com
m e rci al class w h o S p e nd their lives in self

aggran diseme nt and the m aking Of money .

’
I do n t s u p p ose the se lf ap p ointe d p e r
-

sons who m the p eo ple have bee n p aying

fat s al aries to p re ach strikes and class hatre d -

will me nd their ways af t e r t h e war They ll .

’

’
ask for their ho u n d s fee whateve r hap p e ns .

The Board s chool R adi cal r u m p w h o hate

-
,

ev e ry ge ntle m an o n S ight will still strive ,

to ke e p their se ats in P arliame nt an d

—
what is m u ch more to the m their fo u r
h u ndre d a ye ar .

Think Of the abs e n ce O f self resp e ct in -

these cre at u res who are d r awi ng thei r J u das

p ay Before the war every p ro German O f -

[ 1 4 6 ]
 F
r om D ug out a n d
-
i
B lle t

a ctio n those me n wo u ld not be the d ange r

o u s adve rsaries they are Eve n o u r own .

rank an d file e ach wo rth a doze n Bo ches

, ,

wo u ld be a mob witho u t le aders le aders —

o n the p ay Of an indiff ere nt cle rk ! O h well , ,

n obles s e obli and don t let s bothe r ’ ’

g e , t o

translate the term to those who wo u ld n t ’

u nde rstand its me aning .

S O B u nny is p ayin g his ann u al visit I

’
exp e ct he s h aving a high Old time with my
an cie nt toys I S he st ronge r ? I think he
.

o u ght t o be allowe d to ride Kitty now I .

rathe r think I p romised him he S ho u ld .

Y o u know for a me re child Of S i

,
x and

considerin g he only comes on ce a year he s ’

extraordinarily fond Of the Old place Be .

fore the war it see me d a re mote contin

g e n c y that it might eve r b e l o n g t o him B u t .

n ow He on ce said to me that he wo u ld
like to live there always and I told him he ,
’
wo u ld n t d o that u nless I died and had no
B u nny o f my ow n I like d the way he p u t
.

his han d in mine and said

[ 1
4 8 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd Bi
llet

Don t die Uncle Chota Bu t can t I

’

,
.
’

be yo u r ve ry ow n B u nny ?
He s a go o d li
’
t t le chap Mothe r L et him ,
.

love the place as m u ch as he likes It may .

be his yet All love . .

( Enclos ur e)

MY B UNN Y BO Y
D EA R O LD -
.

It i
s a pity I can t be with y o u fo r
’

j olly games and rides on Bi g Tige r s back

’
.

I have aske d A u ntie L O O if yo u may ride

Kitty Yo u ll like that I wish I co u ld tell
.
’
.

y o u Of all the thin g s I m doin g he re It s ’

.

li ke a h u ge game O f soldie rs o n the big gest

—
table yo u can thin k O f bi gge r than the
—
billiard table m u ch l and S O m u ch more
,

f u n be ca u se we re really all alive We don t

’ ’
.

g e t bowle d ove r with reels Of cotton b u t all ,

so rts O f balls that gO ban g and b u rst

Thi i s s t h e n o se i th e bu ll et ma k es
P h ! ut P hut
T h i ih
s s t e n o se i wh en s h r ap n e lb re a ks
Ba n g
— cr a s h
 F r om D ug -
o ut a n d Bi
llet

T h i ih
s s t e p ur r of t he m a i
xm gu n
Ru r - r u r -r u r - r u r

Thi i
s s t h e c a n n o n t h at m ake s
'
em r u n

Boom -
l
s am -
s l a m m e r ty b a n g
- —R oar ! R o ar

Isn t that a sp iffi

’
ng row ? Y o u
lo u d
.

Bye bye Old man

-
,
.

Yo u r loving u n cle
C H O TA .
 F r om D ug-o ut a nd B llet i
whe n he rej oine d made the u nwo u nde d
me n e nvio u s His brog u e is irresistible I
. .

allow myself to liste n to it rathe r too m u ch .

It was the food and the comforts Of the hos

pital train that p ri n cip ally aro u sed his e n
i
t h u s as m .

An chi cke n yo u r hono u r wid

’
, ,

o u t a bone s h o wi
’
n ; an elegant bi rd e n

ti An j ellies whi ch had the taste to

’
r e ly .

’
the m Of wine fit f o r a noble man s table .

I n d ad e any mo rtal blessed thi ng ye d be

’

crazy e no u gh to fan cy and cleve r e no u gh

’
to p u t a name to was there for the askin .

’
Twas like a magi cian s table Ye had b u t ’
.

to thin k Of beef te a o r bee r o r what not

-

, ,
-
,

and twas the re i n the t wi

’
n kli n Of an eye
’
.

An the n u rses that sweet and be a u tif u l that

’

it made yo u want to kiss them whi ch mis ,

fo rt u nately they didn t be s e e m i n to have

’ ’

the time for .

All Of whi ch is very tr u e The fee din g .

,

the n u rsi ng o u r hos pital se rvi ce ge ne rally

, ,

are all b eyo n d p raise S O m u ch S O i ndee d .

[ 1 52 ]
 F r om D ug-out a nd i
B lle t

that to re cei v e a s u pportab le wo u nd whi ch

q u alifies for hospital t re atme nt and p erhaps
a trip home is q u ite a side ambition O f
Tommy s Thin g s have c h an ge d a lo t sin ce
’
.

the So u th A f r i c a n w ar The s candalo u s b e

.

havio u r of some O f the n u rses the n made

the hospitals anythin g b u t i nvi tin g t o many

an u nfort u nate The re is none Of that now

. .

He re the n u rses are all worke rs and sai nts .

At the o u tset the re may have be e n a few

who came o u t fo r a pi c ni c b u t they we re ,

soon cleare d o u t and disill u sioned N ow .

all sorts and conditions O f wome n a re seri

o u s ly w o r k i
n g u n d e r t h e R e d Cross S u c h a .

thi ng as s candal is n t known i

’
n thei r ranks .

They have n o time fo r anythin g b u t thei r

u nremittin g d u ties .

In this war o u r wome n have glorifie d

themse lves P revio u s to it I confess my
.

symp athies we re not w i t h W o m a n S u ff rage .

Bu t whe n the q u estion is re v ive d again as ,

it wil l be I can not well see how the vote is

,

to be de nie d the m Both the wome n at

.

[ 1 53
]
 F rom D ag-out a nd i
B llet

home an d those o u t here who have worke d

8 0 u n s e lfi s hly shown the mselves s u ch min
,

ist e ri
,

n g angels at least dese rve that small

,
’
reward fro m thei r co u ntry I don t thin k .

’ ’
they ll ab u se it The s u ff ragette s greatest
.

claim t o p oliti cal conside ratio n now is that

from the first mome nt Of danger to the
co u ntry she made n o claims The shirke rs .
,

the agitators the stri ke rs and the p e ace

,

b li t h e r e r s have all bee n — well Of the othe r ,

sex the ye llow livere d se ctio n Of it The

,
-
.

clamo ro u s hyste ri c al stone throwing s u f

, ,
-

f r age tt e has metamo rp hose d herse lf into

the n u rse c alm s t o i
,
c a l t e n d e r o ft e n exhi b
, , ,

iting p e rfe ct c o u rage in the fa ce Of p hysi cal

’
dange r It m u stn t b e ove rlooke d that she
.

h as bee n re nderi n g i nestimab le se rvi ce to

the ve ry me n w h o have disp u ted he r fitness
f o r anything b u t the domesti c vi rt u es .

’
They l l have t o re conside r that O pinion .

It will be d i fli c u lt not to c o n ce de he r a

cap a city fo r swe et re as on ab le ness and c lear

thinking afte r p roving he rself s u ch an
[ 1 54 ]
 F r om D g out a n d
u -
i
B llet

—
wh at it ofte n is flo o r s c r u b bi ng cooking -
, ,

be d making long ho u rs p lai n meals an d

-
, ,

not always e no u gh slee p G e ntly n u rt u re d .

wo me n d on t take all that o n f o r eff e ct

’
.

N O wo man is i ndiff ere nt t o he r looks and

he r dress fo r eff e ct If yo u co u ld se e
.

S O j u stly re nowne d as o n e Of o u r best and

most b e a u tif u l act resses u n s e lfi s h ly tak ,

i ng o n d u ties that are s p oiling he r looks ,

lite rally we aring he rself o u t in u n os t e n t a

tio u s s e rvi c e yo u wo u ld agre e that she d e
,

s e rves mo re la u rels than she eve r wo n o n

’
the stage Things are all top sy t u rv y It s
'

-
. .

we me n who wo rk i n t he glare Of the search

li ght and the star shell nowadays t he -

wome n se rve u s u np rete ntio u sly i n the

ba ckgro u nd .

’
I h av e n t any ne ws The we athe r s de
’ ’

lightf u l It makes me wish this S how we re

.

ove r and that we we re all cosy again in o u r

’
homes Killing s a weird game
. .

By the way I ve neve r told yo u what I

,
’

sho u l d like do n e with my p e rso nal belon g

[ 1 56 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B llet

’
i ngs if I m kno cke d o u t The rest is all .

arrange d fo r The agate rin g with o u r crest

.

to B u nny ; my civilian clothes to any poor

Belgians ; gold watch and chain to H u nte r
all my gladdest socks and ties to the —
d u stbin ; my first e ditions O f Ki plings t o
yo u ng and my body if yo u can ge t ,

hold Of it to E ngland
,
.

’
I hop e I have n t made yo u feel melan
’
c h o ly
. I didn t mean to .

Yo u r C H O TA .
 MO TH E R D E AR .

F orgive p e n cil I have b ro u ght

.

note p ap e r o u t from the ho u se and am writ

—
i ng in a garde n the garde n Of the c h fit e au .

Havi ng a few ho u rs to sp are and an extra

o rdinary lon ging whi ch f o r on ce I co u ld
,

n o t kee p u nde r t o come he re aga i

,
n I bor ,

rowe d a moto r bike and arrive d witho u t

-

notice That I have bee n disap p ointe d in

.

fi nding eve ryone away is my o w n fa u lt .

The re are only the se rvants here They tell .

me that M adame la Comtesse an d M ade

m oi s e lle have go ne to t o be s m u rs
b é n é voles i n a R e d Cross hos pital The .

ch ate a u is still ke pt O p e n f o r co nvales ce nt

soldie rs b u t the re are none he re at p rese nt
,
.

M arie the mothe rly fat cook begged Of

, ,

[ 1 58 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a n d i
B llet

The re ality is a convin cin g p roof o f what

—
my he ad long ago ass u re d me that this is
’
not the time t o let one s heart get the u p p e r
’
hand Of o ne s ho p es .

The re is something mo u rnf u l abo u t the

te m p orarily deserte d home F ro m w h e r e I .

sit I c an se e d u st sheets swathe d abo u t the

-

f u rnit u re D u st sheets always give me the

.
-

pi p I fan cy a d o g m u st exp erie n ce the same

sort Of desolate feeling whe n he se es his
owne rs p acking boxes !and knows that he ,

is t o be left be hi nd The garde ns are still

.

in p e rfe ct orde r b u t the flowe rs want pi ck

,

ing Y o u c an see the wome nfolk are away

. .

La t er )
(

I had j u st writte n this an d was p rep ari ng

to clear o u t whe n M arie came r u nni ng o u t ,

beaming in he r hands a tray with cho colate

,

and t wo c u ps .

M onsie u r ! M onsie u r ! A l a bonhe u r !

! u elle ch an ce ! M ade moiselle est arriv é e !
”
 F
r om D ug -
o ut a nd i
B llet

S he disap peare d in a h u rry before I co u ld

ask he r any q u estions .

D é sirée co me ho me It was too good to

be tr u e
She came o u t to meet me ea ge rly and ,

u naff e ctedly S he gave me both he r dear

.

hands an d I held the m N eithe r Of u s said .

a word only kept looking into each othe r s

,
’

eyes .

S he had alte red The dress Of co u rse

.
, ,

—
makes a di ff e re n ce white with the R e d ,

C ross on the n u n like coif Bu t she he rself

-
.

was no longe r a child S he had looke d o n.

’
s u ff e ring and he r heart was a woman s
he art O nly eightee n And S h e had see n
.

blood r u n like a river and sta u n ched ,

wo u nds with those tiny hands S O fairy—

like I wanted to kiss the m
. .

She had moto re d ove r fo r a few ho u rs ,

she p rese ntly told me t o make ready bed s

,

and rooms that wo u ld be wante d Ye s S h e .

,

wo u ld have a c u p Of cho colate t o o An d .

wo u ld I talk abo u t myself be ca u se she had ,

1 61 I I
 F
r om D ug o ut
-
and i
B llet

’
tho u ght Of me so ofte n I can t re membe r .

m u ch Of what I said It was S O good j u st to

.

see he r S he told me a lot abo u t he r hospital

.

work an d h ow m u ch s he like d it O h how .

,

b rave me n we re S he co u ld sp e ak Of thi ngs .

S he told me p oignant little stories with

te ars in he r eyes .

Ve ry soon afte rwards we we nt in doors

an d o u r talk had t o b e defe rre d The big .

salo n had to be transforme d into a ward ,

beds p u t u p tables arra n ge d the carpet

, ,

take n away floors s c r u bbe d S he dire cte d

,
.

eve rything with an astonishin g comp e

te n ce
.

Afte rwards we ret u rne d to the garde n

u ntil the car S ho u ld be ready f o r he r We .

said ve ry little With a good bye S O immi

.
-

n e nt spee ch faile d u s both S he had b e e n .

j oyo u s while she worked b u t n o w he r face ,

had clo u de d ove r an d f o r the life Of me I

co u ld n ot chee r he r u p We attempte d to .

talk chee rf u lly abo u t the e nd Of the war ,

whe n it wo u ld come what we wo u ld d o ,

[ 1 62 ]
 The n M arie came to tell u s that the car
was waitin g S O we said good bye
.
-
.

’
That s all.
 D A R LI NG,

B u nny has bee n in my tho u g hts

a good deal lat e ly h e n c e the e n close d lette r
, ,

which is for him to read whe n he is twe nty

o n e if he s u c cee ds me R ead it yo u rself if
.

y o u wish . O f co u rse I a g ree with y o u and

deplore it that his mothe r is what S h e is .

Bu t eve n if she marries again I sho u ld not

atte mpt to take B u n ny fro m he r alto gethe r .

It mi ght be bette r for h i m b u t o n the othe r

,

hand it might n o t Whateve r he r fa u lts S h e

.

is p assionately fond o f the boy Y o u o u ght .

to try and love the kid dear be ca u se p are n

, ,

tally he has eve rything a gainst him and ,

’
that s a ve ry hard be ginnin g y o u know ,
.

Instin ct makes a child look u p to its pare nts

with s u p reme love and tr u st as the ve ry
[ 1 65 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a n d B llet i
ce ntre and pivot Of its existe n ce n ot as a ,

d o g does to his owner be ca u se he p rovides

it with food and mainte nan ce b u t with the ,

blind u n q u estioning ac ceptan ce Of the

,

blood tie An d the n think Of a boy and an

-
.
,

extremely se nsitive deli cately b alan ce d boy

at that w h o is bo u nd t o find o u t that his
,

fathe r shot himself be ca u se his mothe r for

g o t S h e was a wife In those .days O f cr u el
e nlighte n me nt he will want ve ry caref u l
wat chin g .

’
Be kind t o him Mothe r He ll nee d it
,
.

It s diffi
.

’
c u lt for yo u I kno w t o disasso ci
, ,

ate B u n ny from his mothe r He s S O r i di

’
cu .

’
l o u s ly like he r ; b u t reme mbe r that s only
an exte rn al rese mbl an ce S omewhe re in .

’
that n o t ove r stron g little frame is B u n ny s
-

o w n lonely e g o — n e ithe r his fathe r n o r his ,

’
mothe r b u t j u st himself He m u stn t b e
,
.

’
the i nno ce nt victim O f a silly woman s mis
’
dee ds an d a wcak man s method Of self
eff ace me nt .

If it falls to yo u r lot to se e more Of B u n ny

[ 1 66 ]
 F r om D ug -
out a nd i
B llet

the othe r hand will have t o throw yo u r

,

min d back a similar p eriod an d try and

re call the rap idly dimming me mory o f an
-

u n cle with whom y o u on ce u se d to play

kid d ie games Y o u might also re colle ct

.

that we we re good p als an d that altho u gh , ,

y o u will feel q u ite a mat u re p e rson by the

time yo u read this (if yo u eve r d o) I m u st o f ,

ne cessity be a lon g way yo u r se nior e s p e c i ,

ally if I am de ad N o w let s c u t the cackle

’

’
an d come to the Osses .

The Old place is yo u rs Y o u e nte r into .

p ossessio n At first glan ce it will see m to

.

y o u that a little p i
e d d t er r e in-
M ayfai
-
r a ,

s hootin g b o x in S cotland an Old M anor ,

ho u se in S u rrey and a libe ral in come are

yo u rs t o d o what y o u like with Excepting .

the in come whi ch no o n e can p reve nt yo u

,

di ssip a t i
n i
f
g y o u have a mind that way that ,

is exactly what yo u c an not do The M anor .

ho u se an d the rest belong t o Alu r e d

who first saw the light in 1 51 4 to Sir ,

Geo ff rey who fo u ght his ship against the

,

1 68
 F r om D ug -
out a nd B llet i
Armada to my lord , wh o lost his
he ad on T ow e r H i ll a n d 8 0 o n (y o u can read
,

it all u p f o r yo u rself in the family archives) .

The e states belon g to yo u r an cestors tak ,

in g whom o n e with anothe r we re a fairly

c re ditable lot and sto u t fighte rs othe rwise ,

they wo u ld neve r have kept as m u ch Of it as

will reve rt to yo u Being E nglish ge ntle .

me n they neve r sold an ac re I m glad to ,

’

say What t h e y lo s t was by confis catio n an d

.

thro u gh loyalty t o their kin g Whe n yo u .

yo u rself are an an cestor an d have j oine d the

gre at dead yo u will have a so u nd title to the
family p rop e rty b u t not be fore I n the
,
.

meantime it s yo u rs i ,
n t r us t for yo u r life
’

time L ook at it that way and if yo u don t

.
,
’

feel it go straight with this lette r i nto the

,

pict u re galle ry an d let t bem talk to yo u I .

’
think yo u ll u n de rstand what I me an afte r
that I did very e arly
.
, .

I wish I co u ld be with y o u Old chap to , ,

g i v e y o u advice whe n yo u re standin g

’

alone With the best of mothe rs I ve Ofte n

.
’

[ 9 ]
1 6
 F r om D ug-out and Bi
llet

fe lt lonely myself lacking a man I co u ld

,

talk t o R esponsibility is s u ch a tri c ky

.

b u rde n S o metimes it see ms to weigh S O

.

lightly o n o ne s sho u lde rs that it s diff i c u lt

’ ’

’ ’
to believe it s there at all and at others it s ,

like marching with all yo u r worldly p os

sessions O u yo u r b ack and a bit ove r Still
,
.
,
’
it s ran k bad p oli cy to try an d shift the
’
weight o r get rid Of it Eve n if yo u re a .

’
civilian it s easie r t o get o n in life if yo u take
the soldie r s standp oint O be die n ce dis
’
.
,

ci p l i
n e r e
,
s p o n s i
b i
l i
t y T h os e.are the wat ch
’ ’
words I d like y o u to b e a so ldie r if yo u re
.

fi t e no u gh Soldie rin g is a gre at game an d

.
,
’
a ct u al fighting while yo u re yo u ng e no u gh
to app re ciate it is an in comp arable e nj oy
me nt .

Whateve r yo u do be a faithf u l steward .

Keep the wrong p eople o u t Of yo u r ho u se .

Y o u know what I me an There will b e a .

goo dish few (esp e cially wome n) afte r yo u

’
f o r yo u r money an d p ositio n They re g e n .

e r ally an am u sing crowd If they we re not .

[ 1 70 ]
 F
r om D ug-out and i
B llet

that she will always avoid the depths Y o u .

m u st not exp e ct more Of her than that Be .

’
tole rant Of he r and don t le ct u re her whe n
yo u re a man and neve r rep roa ch he r
’

,
.

Whateve r she did she s yo u r mother R e ’

.

member that always .

I hop e yo u r health will imp rove and that

’
by the time y o u read this yo u l l b e as fit as
a fiddle He althy o u tdoor exe rcis e is what
.

y o u want — riding shootin g,

cri cket r o w , ,

ing Y o u can t have t o o m u ch Of them

.
’
.

Tho u gh their main attra ction is pleas u re

p le as u re thro u gh bodily fit ness and e ff i ci
—
e n cy they al l te a ch a lesson and that s ,
’

straightness R ow with a straight ba ck ; p lay

.

with a straight bat ; ride straight t o ho u nds ,

shoot straight live straight I n a word be

,
.
,

a S portsman The co u ntry will ne e d good

.
’

sportsme n afte r S O ve ry many Of the bre e d

have laid down their lives for he r in this
war .

If as yo u have grown u p I have o c ca

, ,

sio n al ly bee n p ermitte d to walk by yo u r side

[ 1
72
]
 F
r om D ug-
o ut a nd i
B llet

in the spirit I think the re will be imb u e d

,

in yo u n O t only a great love b u t an entire

allegian c e to o u r Ho u se In that case I .

sho u ld have nothing le ft to ask for .

Bu t one thing : B u nny O ld man if my, ,

mothe r is alive when yo u read this I want

y o u to d o for he r in he r Old age all that I ,

as her adoring son wo u ld have done I

, .

’
don t s u ppose I nee d sp e cify what that is .

If thro u gh the years yo u have had the l u ck

to hav e her by yo u r side yo u will I know
, , ,

love he r S O dearly that you co u ld do no

othe r than treat he r as the great woman
she is .

I S ho u ld be ve ry sorry if d u ring he r life

time she eve r left the home whe re he r
marrie d life an d widowhood were spe nt .

When y o u reach yo u r maj ority she is s u re

to Off e r to d o 8 0 S he will t e ll yo u she can be
.

j u st as happy in the Dowe r Ho u se N eve r .

liste n to the loving lies O f a fond and p ro u d

woman . is h e r h o m e I t wo u ld have
.

b ee n he r home always with me .

[ 1 73
]
 F
r om D ug-
out a n d i
B llet

’
Well n ow I ll ce ase this sole mn le ct u re
,
.

GO fo rward and good l u ck Think o f m e

.

so metimes .

Yo u r a ff e ctionate u n cle ,

C H OTA .

1 74
 F r om D ug-o ut a nd i
B llet

shall drive the m o u t Of F ran ce and Bel

gi u m altogether Their p resent s u c cesse s
.

i n Gali cia won t aff e ct the sit u ation They

’
.

’
may eve n take Wars aw It s the ge ne ra l .

’
opinion he re that they can t destroy the
’
R u ssian armi es That they won t break
.

thro u gh this front is more than an opinion .

’
Y o u may take it that it s an impossibility .

The mome nt we have all the me n we want

and the right g u ns and shells (and we are
going t o have them) yo u will se e a chan g e .

M e anwhile we m u st and can sti ck it o u t

,
.

Whe n whole p eoples go to war I t I s not ,

s u rp risin g that fighting reve rts to the

an cient typ e F o r in spite Of high explosive s
.

an d mode rn machinery that is what it has

come t o E n v e lo p i
. n g movements and flank

att ac k s an d all the p araphernalia Of strate gy

’

have had t o gO by the board There are no .

fl anks o n eithe r side to b e t u rn ed The .

frontal attac k is the only o n e p ossible E n .

tren ching was p racti se d in the Middle

Ages AS in those times we u s e the knife
.
,

[ 1 76 ]
 F r om D ug out
-
a nd i
B llet

the bayonet and the k u kri are its mode rn

e q u ivalents ; the b u tt end Of the ri fle r e
places the mace bombs we re u se d by the
’
Chinese cent u ries ago In fact the re s no
.
,

thin g new u nde r the s u n The sho rt q u i ck.

,

wars whi ch Ge rmany made a gai n s t A u s t ri

a ,

Denmark and F ran ce w ill neve r be r e

p e at e d .War i n E u rop e in the f u t u re will
always be a national aff ai r with entire p o p u
l at io n s in arms In a sense that is all to the
.
,

g ood It disposes O f the Ge rman ide a Of a

.

q u i c k and cr u shing vi ctory for the nation

whi ch has s e c retly p rep are d to dominate
its neighbo u rs The wi nne r will always be
.

the o n e with most men most money and , ,

right on its side Bu t time is essential to it

.

i n any case .

That e gregio u s p e rs o n N o rm an Angell , ,

has be e n p reachin g abs u rd theories abo u t

war and the u ninstr u cte d have re garde d
,

hi m as a p rophet His theory that war is

.

e conomi cally impossible will have the bot

tom knocked O u t O f it dire ctly it is se e n that
1
77 1 2
 F r om D ug -
out a nd i
B llet

Ge rman y can contin u e fightin g witho u t

money o r exte rnal trade S he will be able .

t o find me n t o drill t o fe e d and arm them

, ,

o u t Of he r o w n reso u rces lon g afte r he r gold

s u pplies are exha u ste d N or will the fi n an

.

ci al losses Of the othe r n ations lesse n thei r

eff orts against he r N ation al war is a m at t e r

.

Of sentiment not O f p rofit o r loss Indee d

,
.

I thi n k t his will be an e ra Of great and savage

racial wars as bitte r as the religio u s wars o f

Old The faith Of p eoples doe s not sti r them
.

nowadays t o make c r u sade s b u t their racial

,

p ride will .

The re are lots Of good re asons why we

and o u r allies sho u ld have confiden c e i n
o u r ability to be at the Ge rmans It is q u ite
.

ce rtain that i n time we shall be able to p u t

more me n into the field than they can an d
’

keep them ove rwhelmingly s u pplie d with

m u nitions ; o u r p rese nt s u p e riority i n sea
p owe r will ke ep on i n cre asin g ; be ca u se Of
it and the blo c kade we exe rcise we shall
neve r b e S hort o f the ne cessary c o m m o d i
[ 1
78 ]
 F r om D ug -
out a n d Bi
llet

the N o rth The little book yo u sent me

.
,

Ame ri c a F alle n is ve ry inte re stin g an d

,

pla u sible t o a ce rtain exte nt b u t to maintain

that Ge rmany co u ld s e cretly se nd a s u fli
,

ci e n t ly big force ac ross the Atlanti c to c o n

q u e r the co u ntry is simply a st ret ch Of the

imagination An d Canada is left o u t o f
.

ac co u nt .

It is u n reason able t o s u pp ose that Canada

wo u ld be ca u ght napping Besi des by that .
,

time she wo u ld be S O traine d i n war he r ,

e q u ip me nt f o r i t wo u ld be S O advan ce d that ,

S h e wo u ld be at le ast as d angero u s to the

Ge rmans as the State s thems elve s That she .

wo u ld gladly come t o the assistan ce Of the

l at t e r t h e r e isn t an atom Of do u bt The t w o
’
.

wo u ld be as o n e co u ntry in face Of the i n

vade r And with the railway syste m that

.

u nites them they wo u ld have exactly the

same advantage ove r the Ge rmans that the

Ge rmans have ove r the R u ssi ans N O I , .
,
’
can t se e that Ame ri ca i s in any dan ge r .

N o r do I se e why some Of o u r u nhea lthy

1 8O
 F r om D ug -
out a nd Bi
llet

newsp ap e rs S ho u ld ke ep harping o n Ger

’
many s threatening attit u de toward s the
States They overdo their anxiety j u st as
.

they o v erdid it abo u t Italy and as they are

,

still doin g it abo u t the Balkan States It may .

o r may not be advisable for the latte r to

come into the war on o u r side That is a
q u estion whi ch they will de ci de f o r them
selves at the ri ght mome nt Wa r is a b i .
g
matte r whi ch is weighe d by the best minds
Of a co u ntry ; n o t by the vapo u rings of 0 b
s c u re foreign j o u rnalists The Ameri cans
.

we re probably q u ite aware that thei r trade

wo u ld be dislo cated by this war ; ve ry early
in it they m u st have anti ci p ate d a loss O f
ships and lives ; they knew their co u ntry
was honeycombed byGe r m an p ropaganda .

Bu t S O long as they are n o t dire ctly attacke d

I don t see why they S ho u ldn t keep o u t Of
’ ’

the tro u ble I do think it was a mistake for

.

Ame ri ca as the leading and most powe r

,

f u l ne u tral nation not to have p roteste d

,

a gainst the violation O f Bel gian ne u trality ;

[ 1 8 1
]
 F
r om D ug -
out an d Bi
llet

bu t after all that is an ethi cal ro ck o n whi ch

Ame ri can o r any othe r dip lomacy might
have split The fact that their gove rn
.

ment did not p rotest has evidently had a

ve ry dis co u raging eff e ct o n many Ame ri
cans That they did not do S O is Of co u rs e
.

d u e t o their u tte r lack Of military p owe r to

b a ck their words The p ea ce at any p ri ce
.
- - -

p arty in the U nite d States p u t their co u ntry

i n the same u n e nviable position that o u rs
was at the be ginnin g O f the war The whole .

’
tro u ble lies in that The world isn t ripe.

f o r ge ne ral p e ace yet p e rhaps it neve r will

,

b e an d while war re mains a p ossibility the

co u ntry that n egle cts ordinary p re ca u tions
will always b e at a disadvantage .

P e a ce H o w in con ceivable it is The

‘

world ete rnally at p e ace is a mere hop e Of

P aradise U ntil mankind is p e rfe ct with ,

o u t sin fille d with the spirit O f God strife

, ,

will n o t c ease TO d ay if all the armies Of

.
-
,

the nations we re disbande d if all the navies ,

we re s c rapp e d it wo u l d b e the signal fo r

,

[ 1 82 ]
 F
r om D ug- o ut a nd Bi
llet

to make the sit u ation cle ar to yo u as we se e

it here T O do S O I exp e ct I ve he ld forth
.
’

like a se rio u s politi c al le ade r writer ! I hop e

-

’
it won t bore yo u sti ff I ne e dn t ask y o u
’
.

not to se nd it to a newspap e r T O se e it in
.

o n e wo u ld give me the eve rlasting p ip !

Some Of the me n o u t he re are complete

wre cks owing to the ir relation s havin g
made p u bli c v ario u s in cide nts Of the ir daily
life That sort O f thing i s all ve ry well whe n
.

’
the write r s t oo de ad to c are ; b u t when he s
’

alive he can t help be ing sen sitive abo u t

’

se e ing hi s views in p rint .

Take c are O f yo u rself mothe r darling

,
.

Yo u r devote d C H O T A .
 D E A R ES T ,

I fe el extraordinarily conte nte d

an d please d with eve rything to day N O -
.

thin g o f any importan c e has happ e ne d on

the Weste rn front as the newspap ers wo u ld
,

say My fe eling Of satisfaction is entirely

.

within myself I fee l as if the re is going to

.

be p eace as if the e nd O f hostilities is near ;

,

and bo u n d u p w i th t hi s is a q u ee r convi ction

’
that I shall b e home q u ite soon It s a sort .

’
O f inne r vision t o whi ch I admit I m n o t
, ,

p rone I hop e it will make yo u f e e l as happy

.

as it does me .

’
Don t be s u rpri se d then if I j u st t u rn u p
’
one d ay witho u t noti ce I shan t wire yo u
.
,
’
I shall stroll abo u t the p lace j u st as if I d
,
’
neve r gone away and after a bit I ll come
,

[ 1 8 5 ]
 F
r om D ug-
o ut a n d i
B llet

i n to whereve r y o u may b e an d yo u m u stn t ,

’

look delighte d o r s u rp ri se d be cau se that ,

wo u ld spoil the ill u sion b u t j u st let me sit by ,

y o u witho u t talking in the p erfe ctly S ile nt,

’
bliss o f finding myself with yo u again It s .

only a fan cy 8 0 don t b u oy yo u rself u p with

,
’

’
the hop e that le ave i s immine nt I haven t .

he ard anything abo u t it an d o n the fac e Of ,

it it doesn t se e m in the le ast likely that I

,
’

S hall get it .

I am rather fe d u p with this Angels O f

Mons b u sine ss which the cheap p ap e rs are,
’
exploiti n g It s t O O m u ch l ike the bathos
.

they in d u lge d in d u rin g the e arly stages Of

the war when u nable to fill the ir col u mns
,

with anythin g a u the ntic they drew o n ,

i m aginary horrors an d exaggerate d every

disaste r When they
.

i
I n ter v ewed t he wou n d e d and p hot ogr ap h e d t h e d e ad ,

An d i
co n e d th e t e a r s of wom e n f or cop p er s ith n e s tr ee t .

M a che n s little b O O k ( many thanks for

’

it) is a ple asant pie ce Of e ntirely u n ass u min g

literary work b u t the myste ry that attache s
,

I 86
 F r om D ug-out a nd B lle t i
saw as di stin ctly as I n ow se e the p e n in my
hand a q u ite solid an d u nghostly Kim sit
ting O u the p arap et and baying mo u rnf u lly .

Bu t I knew Kim was de ad an d b u rie d and

that I had be e n thinking Of him t o o m u ch .

’
Ki m wo u ldn t have come back me rely to
sit o n a p arap et and b o wl If what I tho u ght .

I saw had re ally be e n the ghost Of my little

dog he wo u ld have made straight for me ,

waggin g a j oyo u s S p e ctral tail N othing in .

g ho sts mothe ,
r dear ; n o t the kind y o u se e ,
’
anyway They re che ats
. .

I am q u ite s u re s om e tbi ng i
s going to hap

p e n I can t see the en d Of the lane b u t I

.
’
,

fe el it in m y bo n es that the t u rnin g is ne ar ,

and the n p erhaps soon er than we m ay ex

,

p e c t we S
,
hall look u p on op e n co u ntry
the plain s Of he ave n
J u st go t orde rs t o move S omething d o .

“ ”
i n g We re for it I fan cy
.
’

,
.

Hop e on little woman an d ble ss you

, , ,

bless y ou .

C H O TA .
 ( )
23

WA R O FF IC E TEL EG R A M .

Gre atly re gret to report

M aj or whi ch oc c u rre d at
—
the t h i nst
.

DEAR 1

It i s with the de epe st regret that

’
I have t o give yo u the sad news Of yo u r son s
de ath He was kille d i n action
. .

Altho u gh this i s a task fre q u e ntly im

pose d on me I ass u re yo u it never b e come s
,

e asier with rep etition In yo u r c ase believe

.
,

me it is do u bly p ainf u l for yo u r gallant

, ,

s o n was one O f my very best O ff i c ers a fin e

,

soldier and a man Of splendid characte r It .

is b u t the simple tr u th to say that he i s

[ 1 89 ]
 F r om D ug -
o ut a nd Bi
llet

mo u rne d by the e ntire regiment witho u t

exc eption .

I c annot Off e r yo u con solation b u t I ,

tr u st it will be some comfort to yo u to know

that he met de ath in the most intrep i d sp irit
an d whilst le adin g his me n with a dash that
has cove re d him and the m with glory .

His sword an d ac co u tre ments will b e

disp atche d t o y o u i n d u e co u rse With .

de ep est symp athy ,

Believe me ,

Yo u rs most si n c erely ,

Colonel

ME LA D YS H I P ,

Himself has b e e n take n from u s .

I can not see strai ght f o r the wate r i n me

eye s f o r the love i n me for him was gre at .

C o ns hi d e ri
n it was me that had the honor

to take hi s he ad in me lap as he die d I m

t hinki n ye wo u ld like t o know that he

se e me d co m f o r t i nti
b le i r e ly .

[ 1
9 0
]
 Fr om D ug -
o ut a n d i
B llet

afte r that b r e at h i
n gently he says op e n ,

co u ntry says he j u st that an die d Whe n

, ,
.

the stretcher bearers com e twas finishe d .

Ye r honor de ar it is the great greif ye will

have an d ivry man Of u s is sharin it with ye .

There was t wo things Of hi s I left with hi m

thinking two u l d be his wish the like ne ss ,

Of ye r honor whi ch I fo u n d in his p o cke t

book and a little cross Of mothe r Of p e arls
ro u n d his ne ck H e was a gre at gentle man
.

and he fo u ght like a gentle man and he die d

like a ge ntle man an we c rie d whe n we
,

b u rie d him .

I have the honor t o b e my lady

Yo u r resp e ctf u l
J O N EIL .
’
.

P rivate

T H E E ND

Pr i
nt d
e at T he C ha p el R ier
v P r es s , K i
ng ts on , S ur r ey .
Messr H URST fl BLACKETT S
’
s .

ANNO UNCEMENTS
For t h e S P RING of 1 91 6 .

By GE R T R U D ! FAG!

S o m e Th e r e A r e
B h A h f y t e ut or o

T he Edge 0
’
Beyond , ” “
Whe re th e S t range Roads Go Down , "

e tc.

Th e s cenes t hi
ofs p op ul ar a u t h or s new nov el
’

wh i ch i s of f ul l le ngt h ar e l a id i
,

n Cornwall an d t h e
nort h of S c o t la nd T h e h er oi a young wi d ow i
,

ne s
di st i a n e w cre a t i i ik
.
, ,

nc t ly on an d q u t e u n l e a n y
hi t he rt o p or t r ayed b t h e au t h or Th e love s t ory
,

kee p s t h e i n t e re s t we ] s u stai n e d and t h e re are s om e

.

ex ci ting i n cid e nt s an d h um orou s s i t u at i whi ch

,

on s
t h e a u t h or t r e a t s in h er h ap p i e s t v ei
,

n Th e s t ory
t urn s on th e f e ar O f th e h er oi n e who i
.

s s om e y e ars
old e r t h a n h er lov er th a t i t would b e d e t ri
,

m en t al t o
hi s pro s pec ts t o m arry h i
,

m H er e ffort s t o escape
b y hi di ng h e rse lf i in t h e f ar nort h
.

n a m an se 1
an d
af t e rwar d s i n a h e adl an d h om e i n th e f ar so u th gi ve
,

th e ut h or th e opp ortuni f or som e O f h e r c har m i

,

a ty ng
 By AM BER R E EV E S

H e le n In Lo ve

By t h e Au th o r Of
“
T h e R e wa r d of V i r tu e ,
” “
T h e La d y
an d H er H us b a nd ,
”
&c .

Am b er R ee v es h as b een we lc o m e d as o ne O f t he

m os t lli t
bir an Of th e new au tho rs . Muc h
i xp e ct d s e e

b ih n fi
d n t t h a t wi th h e r
’

of h e r, an d t he Pu l s e rs a re co e

n ew b o ok s he i
w ll m a k e ano the b ig r a d va n c e H . er

h i e ro n e , wa n t i
ng to be an ad v e n t ure s s , s uc c e e d s o nly

i
n g tt i
ng e re s p ec ta bly m a rr i
ed i
n th e e nd, b e c a us e s he

c an t
’
h lp f llig i l v
e a n bl m
n o e w th
i a v ery r e s p ec a t e an .

Th e no vld e t d p
d t h pl t
oes f wh i
no h th e en on e o ,
O c ere

il i
s ttl b t e,th l v
u p t yl f
on mbe fc e er o r ra a O a nu er o

ch t wh ih gi
a ra c e rs v th th t h c ry esp f e au or e n ec e s s a S co e or

th e l ly i
c os e d b i lli t w i
ana tig wh ih h v
s s an r an r n c a e

l
a re ady m d h p t ti T h t y
a e er t
re lyu a on . e s or 15 no on

d p ly i
ee t ti g
— it i
n e res l m i gn I t w i
l l p v s a so a us n . ro e

a pl bl b k t th p
e a s ura e t tim oo d wi ll
a e r es e n e, an

p b b ly b m
ro a f th
e co f th
e on e O
'

e s uc c e s s e s O e s e as o n,

f i
or t i d bt d ly t h b t b k th
s un ou eth h e es oo e au or as

y et i
wr t t e n .
T h e Bo m b S h e ll -

By the ut h or ofA
Th e Exp li
o ts of A rs ene Lu p n,
” “
i
T he C rys ta l S to pp er ,
“
Th e T ee t h of th e Ti g e r, e tc .

i
Th
s t ry wi ll b f und t b
s o n f th b st
e o o e o e o e e

ever w i t t by t hr en at r f t h f a i n at i
e cr e g A s en o
e o e sc n r

Lu p i n It i .s f ll f m y t ry u tiri go i id t nds e , s r n nc en a

ad v t ur wh i
en l th l v i
e, nt r t i t
e e ng o Fra e e es s s ro . n ce

th
- f en i
t r— rond bi
e t f f r nt i
a r G rm any are
a o o e e

th n
e s ce f a ti es on nd t h c st ry p n
o , a th v e o o e s on e e e

o f th m bi e lizat i n
o f th Fr o h arm y i o n 1 91 4 e en c .

P a ul D l arri v at
e roze f r nt i r h at au wi
es t h hi
a o e c e s

n wly w d d d
e -
wi
e f Eli
e z b t h nd l kig at
e a e , a oo n a

p o r t ra i
t f t h l n
o g d a de m t h
o r f E li z a b et h i o e o e , s

h rri
o fi d t di e s v r io n i t t h n ver f rg t t
co e w m n e e -
o o en o a

wh h d m ur d r d h if t h r y ars g
o a e e Th i
s s it h
a e e a o . s e

c m m ncem nt
o e f m ys t ry i
e on th au nr v lli g f e e a e n o

wh i h m ny strange t hig h app en a m ng t h m

c a n s , o e

b i ki d n pp i f n f t he K i s r s n ’
eng t h e ng a o o e o a e s o s .

P ula ad v nt ure wi
’
s t h t he Fr n h rm y i
e s n th w r e c a e a

and t h pl t f a m rv ll u w m an p y l pr vi
e o s o a e d o s o s a so o e

m ny x ia ting s i
e t ua t i
c ns Th wh l b k i o s l v
. e o e oo c e er ,

e fi ct i and t i
e ve m ely .
The W o m an W h o L iv e d
A ga i n
By t h e A h f S l
ut or o
“
ou s iP
n a wn ,
” "
Th e Y
e a rs of F o rge t t i ng,
"
e tc .

P os s e ss e d of a s e c re t d i
wo n d e r f u l s co ve red i n th e

Ea s t a n old E u r as i
,
a n e xp e r i m e n t s on t h e d e a d bo d y
o f a yo ung wo m a n f ou n d o n t h e d o orst e p o f hi s

hou se Brough t t o li
. fe ! a r a c r e a t e s a s t i
,
r i n S oci e ty

by h er b ea ut y an d t h e m ys t ery of h er p as t and am ong ,

t hos e wh o ar e f a s c i n a t ed by h e r i s a C ab i n e t Mi nist e r .

! a ra i s u s e d b y t h e E u r as i a n a n d a Ge rm a n s p y i n

a c on s p i r acy t o ob t a i n Cab i n e t s e c re t s t h e p e ri od ,

b ei n g j u s t b e f or e t h e o p e n i n g o f t h e wa r For a wh i .le
! ara l ives i n a s t r a n e wor l d t h e r e a l a n d t h e v i si on ary
g , ,

al wa ys h a u n t e d b y s om e d i m k n owle d ge o f t h e l i fe
s h e h as l i ve d always s eei
,
n
g t h e e n d o f h e r p re s e n t

ex i st en c e d rawi n g n ear L o v e l e a v e s h e r c o ld b u t
.
,

g oo d i
m p u l s e s c o m e t o h e r a n d it is
,
d u e t o t h e s e t h a t
a ch a rm i n y o u n g gi r l o n e o f t h e p ri nci p al c h a r a c t e r s
g ,

o f t h e s t ory fi n d s t h e m a n wh o i
, s m a d e f or h e r a n d ,

t h at t h e C ab i n e t Mi ni s ter i s s a v e d f ro m t h e Ge rm a n s
’

s ch e m e s a n d re c on c i led t o h i s o wn e s tr a n e d wi f e
g .

Not o nly f o r t h e st o ry i ts elf b u t f or t h e e n t h ralli

,
ng

m a nn e r i n wh i ch i t i s t old thi s n o vel wi

, ll b e vo t e d
o ne o f t h e f re s h e s t an d m os t r e a d a b l e o f t h e s e as on .
 By GO S M O H A M LT O N I .

J o an and t h e Ba b i e s
an d 1 .

C h ap ter s fr o m th e i
m gi y Aut oa n ar

b ig o r ap hy of Jo h nM iwa ig a n r n .

th e N o ve li
st .

By th e A ut h or of
“
AS e ns e of H um our ,
”
Th e M i l
ra c e of

”
Lo v e , &c .

v rythig l t hii l v t y b t i
Bef ore e e n t i e se s s a o e s or , u s

l
a so r h ig idit m t f t h D i
a c us n v nL w f
c en o e or c e a s o

Am i d E gl d
e r ca Th
an t m ph n i wt E g
an . e a os ere s ne o n

li
s h d r d t h t ry t hri
r ea e s llan with m ti e
g s o s e o on , an er ,

h t d v t pl y t h g m g it v wh lm
on es en ea ou r o a e a e a a ns o er e

ig dd
n o d th l v
s, f h m
an d hi
ld e Th o e o o e an c ren . e

no v l iq i
e t disff t f m
u y et h ig y t giv t
e r enh i ro an n e en o s

i cicl f
W de r e o r e ad e r s by Co s m o H am i
l t on , an d ice s r

i
ta
n t o awak en d ee p it n er e s t an d a rou s e m u ch d i
s
Bu tt e rfly W in gs
By t h e A ut h or of T o L ov e ,
"

T h e L ur e of th e L tti l e D r um , "

P eggy t h e g rl e ro n e , ih i iMi M rg r t P t r n
n ss a a e e e so
’
s

n ew n o el v
Bu t t e r fly , Wig i ti lly n s, s e s s en a a

r
c e at u e r of s uns hi ne and l aug t e r h th e s ou l of a

wom a n w t ih b u t t rfly e w ig
n s .
”
H en ce the i
d ea f or
t h e t t le i . H ow P e ggy l os e s h er w ig n s an d fin d s ou t f or
h r
e s elf , gh t h tv ii
hr it dou f h pp y em c ss u es o an u n a ar

ig d t h b r k ig f h i
r a e an d l t h t li
e f i t ll
ea n o er ea ,
a e s no a

s un sh i d t h t l v q i m t hig m r
ne, an a o e re u res so e n o e

t b l t h wig i
s a e f it it
an m t ri m ph
n t ly t h r
s g h s o co e u an ou

tr bl i h w i t h w kig t f t h t ry
ou e, s s o n n e or n ou o e s o .

P ggy fi d h p p i
e ni th s d b t t h ii t
a nes s n e en , u s s no

a h iv d x p t t h r gh rr w I t g
c e e e ce tr t
ou so o . n s r on c on as

to P ggy it h
e t h r gi l h r t r ith
s e t ry
o — e r c a ac e n e s o a

m d o t yp
er n f w m wh te d f ol ly l o an , o s an s ea r e s s a on e ,

wh t v r m y b t h p r i t h t h
a e e a t b p i e d f e ce a as o e a or

s uch f r d m Th st ry iit h p r t d y d
ee o . e o s n e e s en a ,
an

th we m v ar l d y b k gr
o esd t asth i a c ou ac ou n o e r

a dv t r m
en u es , f th h p t r h wig li
so e f io e c a e s s o n e n a

h pios t l i Fr a B t th b k d
n a n cet t t m pt
. u e oo o es no a e

t b i
o e y w n y w b
an k d i r
a d a l l y ar oo , an s c on c e n e so e

it h w rk ig t f P ggy h r t r
n e o n ou o e
’

s c a ac e .

8
 By R . A. FO S T E R -M E L LIAR

A n d Be t t y T o o !
By t h e A ut h or of Bl id
n s t one

On i
t p bliat i
s u c on Bl i
nd recog
s t on e was

ni ze d by t h e Pre ss gene rally as a m os t nu

c om m on s t o ry an d i
, t s a u t h or was t h ough t t o h ave

d one e x c ellent work e v e n i n t h a t fi rs t nov el H i s n ew .

nov e l i s j u st as m u c h ou t s i d e t h e b e a t en t rack wh i le ,

in m a ny r e s p e c t s i t s h ows a d i st i
n c t a d v an c e on

Bli T h e s t o ry h i nge s
’
n d s t on e. on a wo m an s

fli g h t f r o m h e r h u s b a n d o n t h e d a y o f t h eir m a rr i
a ge ,

for a r e as on wh i ch i s n ot s h own un t i l t h e e nd of t he

book t hough t h e read e r m ay haz ard a gue s s whi

,
ch

is li k e ly t o b e wron g Be f or e Ma ry s e v a s i o n o f h er
’
.

vows i s e n d e d h e r own ni
, e c e Be t ty h as f a ll e n i n l ove

wi th Mary s hus b a nd and i

’

, t i s i n t h e po rtra ya l o f

t h e youn g gi r l Be tty t h at t h e a u t h or h as d on e s o m e

of hi s m os t b ri a n t work Th e s ce n es ar e la i
ll i . d i n

Norf olk an d Co rn wa ll a n d t h e d e s c ri , pti ve back

ar e r em ar k a b ly good .
T ha t W om an f r o m J ava
By th e A ut h or of
“
S and s e
’
t h e D es e r t .
”

T hi vs no ib i el
m f ul s f l ur
r nd nt i
m nt o co o a se e .

Its t ti
ng iJav
se s wi th p it u qu b kg oun d of
a, a c re s e ac r

n ti
a v hut nd th whi
e s a t vi ll e of E uro p a n e t t l
e as a e s e

m nt
e . A y o ng a nd b e a t i u f u l w m an i om t h i ngu o s s e

of a m y t s er
y T h e.o t h w o m n m a k t
er h e w t f it e e or s o ,

b ut t h m n li
e ke h
e Th n er f .v y f ind ly e so o a er r e

n i
e
ghb o u r r e t u r n — h e h a d b
s e n t h J g
u d wh n t h e e e e e

w m n
o a h u b and h d pp lid f a d i
’
s s a vor b ut h d i
a ed or ce , e

n o t k n w t ha t t he e h d b
o n r bs q n t t il b e f
a ee a su e ue r a ore

a n t h e r Jud g
o H he i
e .t at t d n un h th ough
e s es o e o ce e r,

fi nd i g h
n e i n c
r l o e i n t i
m a y s w it h h i m o t h e id c e d s r : n e

h e l ve h e
o s T h e n a n o th
r . m an a i v wh o ii ll
er rr es s

an d in ur e d b y t h wo m a n b ut h e wi
s s e ll not e xp la i n , s .

T h e m y s t e ry ia f t e wa d c l a e d up a nd t he Jud ge
s r r s e r , ,

wi th e y e s o p e n e d i h u m b le d that h e s hou ld s t i
, s ll s

co n nt t o m a rr y h i
se m .
 A h
ut or of
"
As i
n 1 Loo k i ng Gl ass ,
”
A! i
ue s t on of Cl o our , etc .

RO W LA N D S T RO NG

A uth o r of
“
The Marqu i s of Cat l ii
ni ,

The W hi t e S i
n

sto ry i
s alt oge it h er
n f r es h an d fu ll of

t eres t It i
. s qui t e m od ern n d qui t e clean A Jewi sh a .

finan i er c of goo d f am i
ly a n d good h ar a t e r ass i
s ts c c

an ar i s t ocr t i c f am i aly n d f lls i n l ov wi , t h th ei

a r only a e

d aught e Th e f am i
r. ly d es p i s hi
m b u t a sen t t o t h e e ,
s

m a ri rage an d th en d o n ot hes i
,
t te t b k ep t b y hi m a o e .

Ther e i s an old lover who om es on t h e cene af t er c s

th e m arri age an d t h e wi ,
f influ n ed b y h e r p ar n ts e, e c e ,

negle t h er husb an d and hi

c s ld H e lover m p m i c es . r co ro s

h er and h er hu s ban d t o enab le h er t o m ry h i

, , m di vor es ar ,
c

h er b ut h e h a b e n f i t hf u l as h e hu s b an d d i cove rs
!

, s s e a , r s ,

and t hey are reu ni t ed M F C P hi li i p a tised

p .s r. . . s a r c

nove li t an d t hinew nov l h ld s t h e re d er f om fir t

s , s e o a r s

t o las t .
 By t h e A ut hor of H e s te r T re f us i
s,
” “
T he Ma n
i
w th th e Mo n e y ,
”
&c .

Th i s it h
s e s t ory of a m an wh o, l
c e v e r, s t r ong, w thi a fin e
c h arac t e r ma k es a v e ry ras h a nd f
u n or t u n a t e m arr ig
a e, an d

l ig l
,

of t h e p a rt p a ye d ii
t by
n a r wh o ih i wa
s s rd, an d wh o,
wh il l i
st ov ng i l
h m d e v o t e d y, h a s t o s t a n d b y an d s e e th e gh t li
of h i lif s e k
d a r e n e d b y t h e t r e a ch e r y a n d un wo r t h n e s s of th e i
wo m a n wh o m h e h a s m a r r i ed an d wh o m h e wo r s hipp ed The
i l lif
.

s t ory i
s set i thn e c o u n t r y, b ut the r e are s ce n e s of s oc a e

iL n o n d on an d gli m p s es of t h e wo r d l of s t ud os i an d i a rt s t s ,

i i i i p f i
.

wh e n the h e ro ne d ec des to a d op t p a nt ng as a r o e s s on .

The b o ok c on t a n s i s om e c h a rm i ng s k et c hes ofh a r act e r an d

c

if ll b i gh l di l i
,

wh c h t h e a ut h or s
’
s u of th e r t a n d n a t u ra a ogu e to
m an y r ea d e r s a re a c c u s t om e d , and i
t e nd s hap p il y .

At 2/ net

AN EN TI RELY N EW S TO RY
by th e p o p u l ar aut h or
W I LLIAM LE ! U EUX

Ann e t t e of t h e A r go n n e
h A h i i Man
” “
B y t e ut or of Sp es of th e Ka ser, The
f r om D o wn i ng S t re e t , ”
&c .

In ( ru m 8m , clot /z, i it
w l l: p c ur e w r app er in colou r s , 25 . a d .

The s cenes are l id

a iF n ra n c e it h
n e ear ly d a y s of t h e Wa r
i i
.

An n e t t e i s one of th e m os t c h a rm ng of t h e a u t or s h h e r o n es
’

il —a l di
.

She i ith
s n e to s of a Ge rm an spy ea ng c h ara c t e r o f t h e

bo ok —w th i a l ov e ib t h
a ff a r , u s e has a n ot her l ov e r , wh o c om es

i
nt o h iw
s o n T he s t o ry if u ll s of i idnc e nt wi h t a s t ro n g l ove

i i d l
.

s i
i n th e h or be s t b e p op u
’
n t er es t It a ut s v e n an s ur e t o ar .

*3
 By LO R D E R N ES T H A M LT O N I
La t e Ca p t a i
n 1 1 th H u s s a re

I n b u d-m m ( i
ll , 65 . m .

Wi
th m ap s .

hi
T s i d b t d ly t h m st i
s un ou m p rt
e t b k e o o an oo

th at h as as y t b att m pt d
e een th a ti vi ti
e s e on e c e

o f th Bri
eti s h E xp d i t inary F r s d rig t h fi rst
e o o ce u n e

t hr m
ee ths f t h w
on o d i t wi ll d
e b t l ss
ar , an ou e ,
c on

ti tnue h ld i o t pl o w rk f gr t h i
s a ce s t rial
as a o o ea o c

vl a ue Th. s t ry f t h t m st ri
e o t il p ri
o d ia o c ca e o n

th h i
e st ry f o rm i
o s d rig t h
ou r a rlir m t h
e u n e ea e on s

o f t h h st i li
e ti s igi
o v i d t ai
e s l d th r en rd n e ,
an e eco

s ti s t h b l d Gr a t as h b e t h gl ry w i
r e oo . e as e n e o on n

o th fi ld s
er e thi g
,
as t
noh t h r
n says,
s rp e au o ,
c an u as s

t h hi
e s t ry f t h o thro m th
es e ee on s .

L rd E r s t H m i
o lt
ne h b t id f hib k
a on as o a ne or s oo

if rm t i whih i b s l t ly x l s i
n o a on c s av d i o u eq e c u e an un ue .

H h e h d a
as s t v ry m a y r p rt s i ss i
a c ce s o e bl n e o n ac c e e

t th r n d h h
o o e s, a m v r h d th a d v n t g
e as , or e o e ,
a e a a e

o f h vi a g h i w
n r k r s d b y t h
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on e of ou r fin e s t Br gad es i .
ARMO RIAL FAMILIES
A D i
r e c t or y of Ge n t l e m e n of C oa t - A r m ou r

Comp r isig n ea l
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t ex t eng vi ng: a n d a v e y
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'
l ver o r , .

C om p il d e an d i
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AR T H U R C H A R LES FO X -D AV ES I
Arm or a li
il Fam ies i s a D iect ory
r of t h os e ge n u n e i
Arm s w hihp t ti
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th m e F ll i
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.

i l gi
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N i il w k h i x i i G
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i iwill i i
.

and ias k
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i li i h ill i f i i l
.

w k
or br st ng w t us t r a t o n s , an d m us t or m an n d s e ns a b e
p
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,

p a r t of e v e ry —N !
e ra id c b r a ry .
”
ot cr and uer es .

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net b i
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ll us tr ated
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ona .

16
 of

C A PT AIN M . H O RAC E H AY ES
’

S ta n d a r d Wo r k

V E T E R I N A RY N O T ES
FO R H O RS E O W N ERS
An I ll u s t r a te d Ma n u a l O f H or s e ci
Me d ine

a nd S ur ge r y wr t t e n i i i n S m p le L a n gu a ge .

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i up w d
w th ar s cy 2 50 zl l u r l ia zom , 158 . ml .

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ma i i
n t a ne d

s up r e m a cy . T he ii
n e w e d t on h as bee n e n t re y i l res et .

O TH E R S TA N A D RD B OO K S ON TH E HO RS E
Y
.

By C a p t . M . H O R AC E H A ES ,

R ID IN G AN D H UN T I N G
In on e t al rl e m y 8m c l ot h , 1 69 . n et .

wi i i n gs
.
, ,

t h up w1 r d : o f 2 50 r ep r o d u ct on : of l h l o gr u p h: a nd Dr a w
’

MA N A G EME N T AND
.

S T A BL E E X E RC I S E
Bo o k f o r
In on e vol
H ors e
d em y 8 vo
Ow
cl ot h
ne rs
i
and
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S tud e n t s
r a t ed b y Dr a wi a nd Ph ot ogr ap h s
g ll , ng:
i ce
. .
,

Pr 1 2 5 . n et ,

PO I NT S OF TH E H O RS E
A T re at i s e on the Co n for m t i a on, Mo v e m e n t s
Br e a d s a n d E v o l ut o n o f t h e H o rse i
i i i
. ,

In one t a l s up e r r oya l S vo, cl ot h g l l a nd 9 4 1 1 l op , w t h 65 8 l l us t r a t i

o ns , 3 4 8

I LL US T RAT ED
. .
,

H O R S EBR EA K I NG
In on e t al .
,
de m y Boo l ot h gi l l wi t h 1 30 i l l u s t r a t i ons 1 2 s
,
c , , . n et .

FR I E B ERG E R 6 F R O i
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t S
‘

T l te i l l
'

V ET E R I N A RY P AT H O LO GY
. «

Wi t h note s o n Ba t i ology b y P f R T A V N E R
c e
r ro T, M D D P H
l t h gi l l 22 1 8
. . . .
, .

I n t wo v l : d m y 8 o e 00 , c o n et .

Y
.
,

By M RS H A ES

W OiMAN
.

T H E H ORS E A Pr a c t i cal i
G u de t o S d e - S a d d l e R d i i i ng
.

0) i
gl rm l l y ed t e d by ( h e [ a t e C ap t a n AI i ll A l bS 11
'

i i i
. . .

In one vol , d em y Br o , cl ot h g l l m m l fm l l u s t r a t o n s , 1 2 8 ml

A
. . . .

B y J M ES F i Lu S
E cu yer en che f l o t h e Cen t r l C va l r y S h l t St
a a c oo a P e l e n b ur g

A C
. .

BRE K I N G A N D RI D IiN G . W i t h Mi l i t a ry o m m e n tar es i

Tr a ns l a t ed b y Cu p l a n AI I I Y ES . . .

In one 001 d am p S vo cl ot h y tl l m l h 70 zl l ua l r al wm
, , , 18 8 . not .
W H E RE TH E STR A N GE RO A DS GO D OW N
2 4 t h T h o us a nd
Miss P a ge h as n e v er d r awn a more s p l e n d d wom a n t h a n b r ll a n t , uncon ve n t onal , i i i i
loya l J oe L a t h om It i s a t ri u m p h t o h ave u n t ed t h e q ua l t es of s t r e n gt h a n d i ii
i J oe s l ov e s t or y s l k e h er s el , fi n e a n d n s p ir i ng ii f i —
.

ch a r m n a
’
h e r om e . 0bs er ver . .

T H E G RE T S P L E N O UR
Mi s a n i d e a l a ut h or f o a d e p r ws i
ss P a ge i n g d ay
A r
D She i
T h o us a nd
i
s l k e a good wa t er colour
i i H er ne w nove l i f
.

ar t s t wh o kn ows h ow t o m a k e t h e gr eyes t l a n ds ca p e l um nous s ull

i f e a nd
.

”
of l y ou t h .
-
H or nm g P oet .

T H E RH O D E S I AN
I t. woul d see m t h a t so m e of t h e p owe r of t h e Mag c ar p et m us t. l n ger n t h e ‘
i C ’
1 9 th T h o us an d
i i
i
p e n of M s s Ge r t r u d e P a ge, f or w t h a f e w s t r ok es t h ereo s h e wa tt s u s nt o Rh od es a i f i i
f i i
.

wh ere s h e re r e s h es u s W t h t h e W l d b e a u t y of veld t a n d s k y , a n d te ac h es us t h e
f i i
as c n a t on of op e n s p aces a n d a n c e n t ru ns
”
Gl obe i i — . .

W I ND
ii
I N G P AT H S
i
T h s s m os t c er t a n l y t h e b es t b ook t h at M ss P a ge h a s ye t wr t t e n T h e n ote of i i
1 9 t h T h o us a n d

ii i i if ig
.

t h e b ook s t s as t on s h n g t r u t h I t. s r om t h e fi r s t p a g e t o t h e las t. of q u i
t e ab s or b n
i i i i —
.

”
n t er e s t T h e wom e n ar e r e a l a n d V v d n a ll t h ey s ay an d d o
. S mnd a r d . .

TH E
“ ‘
S I L E N T R N C H ER
T h e S i le n t R a nc h e r i
s on e of t h e b es t
.
’
A nove ls we h a v e r ea d th
i
4 th Ed i t i on
is s eason .
”

Pall Ma l l Ga zel l e .

L O VE
i i
I N
i
TH E
T h s s t h e w l d l a n d o f R h od e s a , w t h t s s p a ce , r es h n es s , r ee d om
Wi I LiD EiR NEf S S f and
1 8 th Ed i t i
k op j es , t h e
on

biea t h of l e t o o ne gi if
r l a n d t h e p ors on of an ot h er b r gh t s t ory W t h A i i a gl ow of r ea l
if i — i C i
.

l e n 1 15. Da l y h r on cl e .

TH E E
i
D GE O
I n t h s s t or y of R h od e s a n l e t h e a u t h or h as s h ow n m p ar t
’

i
BE Y ON
if
D i i a ll y b ot h t h e
3 0t h Editi
s uns h n e i
on

an d t h e s ha d ows of t h a t. l a n d of c h a r m s a n d m y s t e r y P unch .
— .

P A DD Y A ll n o v e l
"
T H E N EXT
r ea d e r s w rll l ove P a d d y, wh o wa s
BE S T TH ING
w ild g i l t h e n ex t
2 4 th
bes t
Ed i t i
th i g t
n
’
on

o
—M
a r
i
,
”
be ng a b o y . or m n g P os t .

In c r own 8 vo , c l oth g lti and i

g l t top , 35 . 6d .

TWO LO V ER S AN D A L I GH T H O US E
4 th Edi ti on

A c h ar m n g
l o v e s t or y on i a som e wh at or gi n a l
i b a ck gr ou n d I t cove rs a gre a t d ea l
i
.

of gr ou n d a n d con t a m s m u c h cl e ve r an d t e n d er i i
wr t n g W t h t ouc h e s of h um ou r to
i
.

”
r el eve t h e p a t h os S cot s m a n
- . .
AL S O

J I LL S
’
RH O D E S I AN P H I LO S O PH Y
In c r own 8 vo , c l ot h i wi
g ltt h t h A th , e u or s
’

p or t r a i
t 28 ,
. 6d . n et

A ca p it a l d e s c r i p t i on o f li f f m iR h d i
e on a ar n o es a T h er e s '
ia glow of r ea l l if i e n
i wh ich f asc i nat es i f
.

”
t h e t e ll n g th e r ea d er , a nd h ol d s t h e a t te n t on r om fi r s t to la s t. .

Th e ! u een .
 H UR S T BLA C K ET T S
’

Fa m o u s l No v e l s .

Volu m es a lr ea d y p i
u bl s h ed .

Ea c h i
n c r own 8 vo , w th p i i c ture p a
per cov e r i
n c l
o ours .

1 8 . ne t .

TH E C LAW By C Y N T H I A S T O C K L EY
POPPY : Th e S t or y of a S o ut h Af i
r c an G rl
i
By C Y N T H I A S T O C K L EY

AS YE H AVE S OW N By D O L F W Y L LA R D E
M A FO O T A By D O L F WY L L A R D E
TH E CR S Y TA L S TOP P E R By MA U R I C E L EBLA N C
W EE D S By O LA VE PO T T E R and D O U GLA S S LA D E N

In l
c ot h , p it c ur e wrap p e rs .

l 8 . n et .

By J ER O ME K . J ER O ME .

TH E PA S S I N G OF TH E T H l RD FL OO R B ACK
And ot her S to r i es .

By J ER O ME K . J ER O ME .

TH E O R I GI N AL P LA Y or
 H U RS T BLA C K ET T S
'

Fa m o u s 7 d . No v e l S e r i e s .

i
nc h In x
m a l l c r o wn Bv o , e c e l le n t ly p r n t e d f ro m
s i
NEW T Y PE O N GO O D PA PE R, w t h f r o n t ls p ls ce Il l u s i
t r a t lo n , bo u nd i
n c lo t h , a n d wl t h p lc t u re w r a p p e r

In c o lo u r s , 7 d n ot . .

Ne w Vo lumes f or 1 9 1 6 .

WO N BY W AITIN G By E D N A L Y AL L

FR EE DO M By A u cs a nd Cu m ) : A s x r w

A RA BY S ’
H US B AN D By A m os a nd C LA UD E As x s w

TH E MA N W ITH TH E MO N Y E
By E r n a A DE LA I D E R o wu mp s

ON TH E H GHI RO A D By E r n a A DE LA I D E R O WLA N DS

TH E W AY OF A LO VE R By A R A BE LLA K E N E AL Y

H URS T BL A C K E T T S N O V EL S
’
7d . .

Vo l u m e s a lr e a d y p u b lls h e d .

A A E A L BANE S I
M D M P RI S C I LL A C RAVEN
ll D i i
r us i
ll a
'
Po n t of V ew 49 Ci ’
D a ug h t e r
M i
s rce s

23 ar an S ex
12
1
A !
T h e S t r on
i
u e s t o n of

ge s t
!
of
u al it y
A ll T h i n gs
Mr s . B . M . C RO KE R
6 H er O w n P e op l e
Mi M
g M f
4 A
CY ou n an rom t he
T h e Youn g ow b ra y

C
o un t ry 2 es t s s

29 Th e om p a ny s S
’
e r v a nt

A L I CE C LA UDE A S KE W
30 Des t i J E S S IE FO TH E RGI LL
C
ny

66 Th e O r ch a r d l os e 43 La ss l e s of Le v e r h ou s s
02 T h e E n gl ls h wom a n
as P e ts an d Dr us i
l la T O M GA LLO N
 31 P ecca v i 3 Th e Id e s 0! M a rch

I OTA (Mr s . Ma nni

ngt o n
35 H er Po i nt of V iew
Ga f y a ) i
40 Dor l n d a an d H e r D a u gh t e r
R ITA
16 Th e S e ve n th D ream
W I LL IA M L E ! U E UX A Ma n of n o I m p or t a nc e
C
51
52 o u n t es s D a p h ne
27 Th e Ma n f r om D own i n g S t reet
53 Th e P r i ce of P ow e r
66 Sp ie s of t h e Ka ise r E FF IE A DE LAI DE
RO W L AN DS
E DN A L YA LL 64 He st er Tr eI us l s
44 D on ov a n 65 H e a rt s at Wa r
57 We T wo
D ay s
58 I n t h e Gol d e n
A D E L INE S ERGEA NT
l

J USTI N H U NTL Y 24 i
K t ty H old e n
M C CA RTH Y 18 A S ou l A p a r t
21 T h e God of L ov e
33 J a co b i ’
s Wi
fe

19 N ee d l e s and P i
B
ns

87 T h e Go r g e ous or gi a B EATRI CE WH I TBY

38 Th e K i g ov e r
n t he W at e r
Mj 11 B eq u e a t h e d
48 A H e alt h unt o
A Fa i r I r i s h M
H i
s

id
a es ty
36 Th e A wa k e n i n g M of ary
41 a F e n w ck i
59 P oo l of Ap r l i 45 In t h e S unt i
me of H er Y ou l
’
60 T h e O Fl y n n

M RY EA M ANN P E RC Y WH I TE
C
.

M
‘

20 oonl i
gh t 8 ol on e l Da v e r o n
15 The H ou s e of I n t r ig u e
C H A RL E S M RR A I OTT
I 32 Th e I nt r ud i n g A nge l Mr s . C . N W I L L I MS O
. A N
Mrs O L I P H A NT 5 T h e T u r n s t le
i
i of N ig h t
C
.

26 T h e S l e n t Ba t t l e
Th e k oo i Ne s t
L
9 uc n the

i
23
14
I t w as
J a net
a ov e r a n d H s
A UG US T EVAN S W I LS O A

34 A gne s 48 St . El m o
 52
48
I n t h e Go l d e n D a y s
We T wo
31
1 20 C
A m an
ou nt e s s
or N o
Dap h n e
i
m p or t a n c e

Wo n b y W ii g
56
63 A H
a t n
a r d y No r s e m a n DO R A RUS S E LL
54 Kn ig
ht r ran t E 82A Bi B i ig t t er rt hr ht
55 i
In S p t e o f A ll
55 ig
To R h t t h e ron W g E W S AVI
AC DO NA L D
. .

Dr GEO M 1 22 T h eD g i w au hter- n -La

A D E L I NE S E RG EANT
. .

F
1 2 Ro b e r t a l c on e r

J M I DD L ETO N
49 A i
L f e S e nt e nc e
iA
M AC DO NA L D
33 S r n t h ony
L
.

53 T h e C i
l a m o f A n t h o ny oc k ha r
i k
B
70 M a r j o r y s M s t a e
’
58 T h u n d e r b ol t
90 A r o k e n Id o l

J U S TI N H U NT LY E i
C us b a n dH
’
1 04 r ca s

MC C A RTH Y 1 1 08 h r s t ne i i
1 1 2 C a ll n i
t h e T u ne
DO U G LAS S L A D EN
1 1 3 The O
g ly n n F 98 T h e T r a g e d y of t h e P y r a m i
d!
i g
1 23 T h e K n
1 24 T h e God of
ove r t h e
L W at e r
L A DY H EN RY S O M RS T E E
Li
‘
ov e

J E P RE S TO N M UD DO C K 5 Un d e r t h e Ar ch of fe

A
. .

79 T h e S ta r o f Fo r t u n e
By t h e u t h or of A Y e l lo
Mr s OL I P H ANT A s ter
”

M
.

H
L
91 Th e o us e the
on oo r 23 H e f or God O n l y
i
1 03 T h e a r d o f N or l a w ,
KATH E RI NE TY N A N
E D EN P H I LLP O T I S
’ ‘

A i g W
18 K n s om a n
7 P oll y a nd F res h A r i
FL O RENCE W A RDEN
Mrs . E Y N O L DS
FR D R E 71 A S oc i ety S ca r e

54 Lov e n a g i
’
c
T H E O DO R E
M O RL E Y RO B E RTS A I TS D UNTO W
’ ‘
-

F i gC A i
.

45 T h e ly lo ud
20 ylw n

W I L L I A M W E S T RU P
n

E FFIE A DE L AI D E
R O W LA N DS 1 29 T h e Ri D v e r of r e ams

75 Li a v e nd e r s L
L Wi
’
S to ry B E AT RI CE W H I TBY
B
ov e
78 H s O n e ov e
47 e q ueat h ed
80 A
Mod e r n t ch
61 T h e L o v e t h a t K l l s !
72 J u d e d b y g at e F
i P E RC Y W H I TE
H H
o u s e of I n t r igu e
e ar t s a t W a r
M
1 09 1 26 T h e
1 1 0 T h e Ma n w t h t h e on e y i i i
1 2 7 C o on e D a v e r on
H ig
L
12 1 O n t h e h R oa d
Wi
L
By t h e A u t h or o f
“
Th e V iw
e
74 ov e
50 H e r
ns
’
ea r t sH
52 H e r P u n s h m e n ti
on n gi g of hr C i
s t op h e r
85 T h e S h owm a n
57 T h e Fa u l t o f O n e
58 H
u s b a n d a n d Foe
i By t h e A u t h or of
88 Lo v e s F r e
i Pe e p s h ow
’

i
L
De v l s
’
96 H
e s t e r T r e f us e
77 A ov e l y o m an W 8 71 A T i
m e oiTe r r or
24
U NI V E R S I T Y OF C A L IF OR N I A L I BRAR Y
BE R K E L E Y
T H IS BO O K IS DU E O N TH E L A ST D A TE
ST AM P E D BEL O W
B ook s ’
n ot r e tu r n e d i
t m e a r e s u b j e ct t o a fi n e of
on
f i
5 00 p e r v ol u m e a t e r t h e t h r d d a v o v e r d u e , i
n cr e as n g i
to f i
p e r v ol u m e a t e r t h e s x t h d a y B ook s n ot n i
if i i i f
.

d em an d m a y b e r en e w e d a p p l c a t on s m a d e b e or e
ii
e xp r a t o