IN THE MILITARY CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 6

IN THE MILITARY CAMPS

THE MJMAN SIDE

MUSICAL MASCOTS

A soldier going out of Trentham Camp on leavo with a forged pass was stopped by tho military police. It happened that the officer whose signature had been copied was standing near, and tho policeman referred tho pass to him. "Where did you get this?" the officer asked the soldier. To his astonishment, the man, instead of answering, looked fearfully over his shoulder at an approaching n.c.0., and said: ''Give us the pass, quick, Sir, and let's get. Here comes the sergeant of the guard. We'll both cop out if he sees it." THE PRETTY TUNE. A recruit of tho Tenth awakened early after his first night's sleep in cainp. His bunk was comfortable, and he was turning over to sleep again, when he heard a buglo playing, clear and deep, with a rising note at the end of each call. The reoruit was charmed. He listened for it to play again. Presently he had his wish. Then ho heard boots crunching the gravel, and a corporal appeared in the doorway, and gazed for a moment in speechless amazement at the calm, peaceful scene in the hut. •. '■'That was a pretty tuno," the recruit said to him, innocently. "Pretty tune, be hanged," the corporal exploded. "That's the 'rovally.' Turn out, you sleepy blokes. Shake a leg. Pretty tune, indeed." THE APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE. Whon the brass baud at Tauherenikau Camp practises in the band tent the volume of sound is but thei'o is always an audience of one, an almost pure white wire-haired terrier, which is also the band's mascot. As soon as tho music begins the dog trots into the tent, and lies down, just inside the door, on the wooden floor. There ho rests, facing the bandsmen, and grinning at them, as though thoroughly pleased with their efforts. Directly a piece is ended, he trots outside again, only to return at tho first beat of the big drum. When the band was composed of members of the Eighth Reinforcements, they had a bulldog as mascot. This dog also enjoyed the full band, but as soon as a single instrument took a solo part, it sat up and howled with nose lifted, until the solo was ended. ' 1' "Just jealousy," a bandsman explained. "He reckoned he could do better himself." '"EARTS AND FLOWERS." The May Morn Regimental Band was practising. They sat round in a big tent, resting after having played "Artillery" with great effect. "We'll try 'Hearts and Flowers,' the bandmaster said., "Here," to a young member of the band, "get the slips for 'Hearts and Flowers' out of the cupboard." The young soldier obeyed. At least', he oboyed so far as to grope in the cupboard for several minutes. Then he turned te .tb«> bnrul-"aster: There's no :"-'Earts and Flowers" 'ere, Sir, utu theivs lot-of 'Cuckoos' Sir."