Brothers but not In Arms.

Manawatu Herald, 21 June 1900, Page 2

Brothers but not In Arms.

Says the "Pall Mall Garotte," in : the course of a review of " From the' - Front," recently published:— ..« V '•■- --"The Man who was Com* .mandeered " is a really fine piece,- of fiction, with just that touch wbjcfe makes us feel that the thing most have happened so, whether it did ornot, AnWcer W mmt^o^t^iMel^l^^ the ftory. Knocked over by a shell §at Magerafontein, he&H4n w'^h ]^^fW lidQzen stragglers who fipid *«#w# JS a gunner dt ihe TtansvaaT 6fl Srat» Artillerie. The man turned out to be the brother of one of the soldiers, a Cockney deserter who bees tempted by th»e; goffer ftl^^a^quid a day and aU foJ|nd^t^B»ko service against his own 'country. The" dialogtie between this prisoner, rather "lad at first to be safe out of the bullets and to meet his brother by the chance of battle is extremely grim, As thus : — 14 But 'ow's little Alf ? " went on the Transvaaler. " Oh little AlPs all right." " Wot's f e doin' ? " ".Oh, 'c took the Widow's shillia*

same as you and me, only 'c's stuck to the game, like I 'aye." " But where is 'c ? " v Out on the veldt catchin 1 flies." 11 Wot d'ye mean ? " ■' Lyin 1 on 's back v/iv' is marf and eyes open and Ms feet dam cold." " Eut 'ere, I say, Jack, little Alt's all right, 'aint 'c ? " " I told you so, didn't I ? But Vs dead. There ain't nuffin' to be ashamed of in that, is there ? " " Good Lord ! " " Good Lord it is. 'E copped a bit of a shell. Shouldn't wonder, Bill, if it was one you fired ! " "Oh, Gawd, Jack! A bloke don't go for to kill 'is own little bruvver ! " " I don't know so much, Bill." Then, as it 'lawns on the Cockney what serving against his own couutry really means, the informal courtmartial, which the wounded officer vainly tries to prevent, is sketched in a few succinct phrase. Sentence is passed, and execution follows : — Jack got up and leisurely fitted his bayonet. The man in the Transvaal uniform grew ashen and halt got tip, but the Highlander drew him down again with a gentle yet irresitible insistence, which somehow reminded me^f a mother restainingher child. The man with the bayonet held out his hand. 11 Well, so long, Bill," he said. " Jack, for Gawd's saks, don't you go for to do it. I was commandeered, Gawd's truth, I was." ! " So long, Bill." | " Jack, old chum. Yey own bruvver j — " "Like little Alf. So long Bill."! The bayonet flashed in the sun. j Once, twice, thrice. And the last | time what had been a scream was only a sigh very long drawn.