A LONE PINE STORY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 207, 8 September 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

A LONE PINE STORY.

The following story is told in the "Sydney Morning Herald":— "You are quite at liberty to use my little story connected with the Lone Pine battle," writes a girl correspondent from another State (who had recently been on a visit to Sydney), " provided you do not lead your readers to infer that I am supersttious in any Winy, or a believer in telepathy or occult influences. The experience was, 1 think, just a curious coincidence, ilv mother, who comes of Highland stock, says I must have second sight, but f do not know anything at all about that." "At the office at which I am shorthand clerk I used to have a pal called Dud Smith (that is not his real name) He was just nineteen, three years younger than I, but we were real gool chums. He was a clever boy, and the manager s-adi he was too young, for he was just a kid in every way. We a!! Inoked on him as a kid. but he had ,i man's heart and courage. He did enlist, and when he had leave he used to come to the office and have a chat. 1 loved to see him com? in; he seemed to brighten up the old office. Everybody, from the boss downwards, had the blues terribly after Dud enlisted.

"Well, the day came for his final Leave, and he asked me would I have dinrvT with him at the Savoy on his last night, and go to a p'eture show afterwards. 'Of course I will, Dud, I answered."

"At home they laughed and teased me about it. and Uncle Dick called me; a cradle-snatcher. But I didn't cane, of course; I would have done more than that for dear old Dud. But we were net engaged; we were just good pa!s. Of course, after he had sailed I wrote stacks of leters and had dozens from him. He was in the landing, and got en fine.

"I sleep on the balcony, and onr; morning, August 8 last year was date. I awoke suddenly very early and saw, in the grey dawn light, Dud standing by my bed. I saw him quite plainly in lis khaki, and he bent over and ki.ssed me on the forehead. When I sort of recovered from my surprise he had gone. I could not make it out -t all.

" 'Did you come out on the balcony and kiss me?' I asked Uncle Dick at breakfast. But, of course, 1 knew he woudl only laugh at me, as he did, and say I must have been dreaming. There was no mistake. It was Dud all right, and 1 saw him quite plainly. "I wrote him that night, asking him why he had been giving a good imitation of a burglar on our balcony that morning. The letter was returned ti me later. Dud was killed in action at Lone P'ne. You nr'ght say that I made up this story after we had heard of his death, out you see I have my own returned letter dated August 8 to prove that I saw him on that monrng. ;