THE MAN WHO WAS ASHAMED.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 199, 11 August 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MAN WHO WAS ASHAMED.

WHY HE WENT BACK TO THE FRONT.

By PETER DAVID in the "Daily Express."

L-h?i ■ , a six-foot odd of khaki manhood, and he came lumber ncr up the omnibus and fell into a seat at my side.

«rS te ..-n dccent *>>' he «-*s soon sayng. "Thehrst decent one I have had here. 1 Irs soldiering business -s an odd game," he went on. "I did not want to come along at all, you know, only the old people did not like me to be tetched.

I should hope not) - j ,; nt <, mipted J hats all very well, "he declared. lou should know every case before you make that remark. I did not want to go and fight because I was educating myself, and when you get a bit of education you know that it is not neb* to go out killing people." ' "Do you?" I respond'cd as gentlv as 1 could. " Nevertheless, a little edueat on has put you into khaki of yonr own tree will, and mere education'will teach you that m certain circumstances a "Iv,™ ,s a fulo tllin S t0 wear." ' Wed, I don't know whether there is any conscience about it, but I didn't want to do it, and if I told the truth 1 should say that I don't want to °o even now. " _ ST. PAULS. Any answer 1 might have been prepared to make was cut short by tho sudden .nterrogation, " What's that'" 'St. Paul's Cathedral." "Oh, I must go, he declared. "My father told me never to miss seeing the old church Aro you coming?" he throw over his shoulder as he hurried oft". Drawn by a Strang niegnetism which I did not stay to question, I fol lowed my singular acquaintance. Once on the pavement he excitedly confided • •My father has only been to London on three occasions, and each t/me ne> came he stopped here. He said it was worth all the lessons I could find m books Do you mind," he contnued modestly, "coming in with me? it's so big lam a bit shy about gain" n alone." °

AJo slipped ,mto the beautiful old cathedral by its small door, anH moved slowly down the north side. The soldier (id not pass any iremfcwk until we reached the Wellington tomb, and then he turned to me with a half smile. ' That s mass-re, but it does not say much for to-day, does it? It was probably all right in its time." "No I suppose it is not the most helpful monument here," I replied, as we moved on a little way.

At the dark gates which stand as a memorial to the men who went down in H.M.S. Captain my soldier friend stood transfixed. "That's fine, ' he murmured after some moments' silence. "It is !;"ke a secret isn't it? It makes you fed—only I can't say what it ma.kes*mc feel. Somehow lam sure that if those gates would open we'd know more about this war. Its dbath," he said solemnly, "but it is real. That does not make you frightened," and tncre was a slight break in his voice as lie turned abruptly away. Wo walked along," and I perceived that he did not heed anything else. He was thinking. We wandered round at the foot of the reading desk and silently gazed at tho choir and altar. That mystic atmosphere which had already moved some unknown depths i • the sold : er was beginning to have its effect on me IN THE CHURCHYARD.

W*Rb*Hlt> • '<** I- - -• '"':- Outside was the warmth of sunshine, and further away in the country wei-' the young spring bulbs and budding trees all bursting into blossom. Everywhere around might be found the music of bYds and the gentle stirring ot waters. A little further still and the uci'so of shell and cannon deadened everything but human endurance. Here was peaeo, interrupted only by the passing footsteps of mankind. Dotted i:ll over the cathedral, like the rest boats on a page of music, were f,epp!.? seated.

Ahead of us was a middle-aged ni.n wearing all the conventional signs of worldly substance, but s'tting, without consideration of who miglit observe h-ni. gazmg up into the dome. Cice by another scanned the distant, su-ii.-ing as if he would avoid the s-'houotte of a mourning figure just beyend. An officer rose from Ins cha'r, and, afi'-r standing at attention, turned on Irs heel and marched away. A f.'.i 'Jimmies, with their sweethearts, r!a:iercd round. They were all part of the picture, lor thev all belonged to the final grouping which history is bound to arrange. Each w'th a different motive had coino to .St. Paul's, but the threads of the motive were all closely knotted together. A sudden movement at my elbow reminded mo that I had a companion. "Ready to go?" I asked, and he notified acquiescence. We made our war out past "The Light of the World." round which a warrior group stood. "' I am going back." ho sa : d almost before lie had crossed the portals. "Back? Home?" I asked, with a smile. SOUL OF ENGLAND. " Xo," he rejoined, almost fierceh " Back to the front. I ought not to bo here," and be talked rapidly all th'--wlrle w.e descended the tme-worn grey steps. "You see. "he said, "I did not want to kill, and 1 did out want to !>;• killed, so I worked myself up into i frightened pitch before I went out. Then when I got into the trenches I felt 1 must inn. I caved in. I pretended more." he went on jerkily. ' I own 1 d'd. because I wa.nted to come lioine. I became such a nu'sance thev sent me, and he'e I am. Now 1 am :'.shnn\ed of myself." and the express on in his eves supported the confession "The'talk about the other cheek is ;ill wrong," lie bitterly exclaimed. " I not the truth in there." po : nting to the cathedral. "That Irish business. yen know: I felt it wasn't fa. : r to tnl!» of ;ivmg tl'f other cheek when you aro safe, and other people may have to suffer for it. You couldn't tli'uk mif.-rr thoughts in there, could you? I mi '•uro it i - right. lam n coward f know now what 1 would feel if the old church went like Rheims. I'd . . The rl sreons \\ re fluttering -it our fort, and the moment was too difficult for comment.

"Good-bye. "h- MtdrVnlv Jerked out ''l urn i/oing back to light fo ; - St Paul's." "St. Paul's" 1 tniinnured. as 1 toot; h's hand, "represen's the soul of Eng land. Good-bve."