"ON LEAVE."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 229, 24 November 1916, Page 7 (Supplement)

"ON LEAVE."

A SOLDIER S DESCRIPTION. The joy of the soldier on leave from the trenches can be gauged from the following bright and pithy description written by a soldier at Home recently. He says: "Only once before in my life have 1 been so happy. Try to i 111agi 110 it —from standing in a trench, dodging trench mortars and minenwerfers, to a sunlit, empty English road; from standing on sentry worn out, and so tired that snipers' bullets cause no fear, to a luxurious bed, with warm, soft clothes, and no 'Stand to!'; from cold tea and jam full of .earth and white bread made brown by clayey fingers, to silver, and serviettes and sweet, fond womenfolk to attend you; from the middle of death and the life of beasts, to—home! Oh! but you cannot imagine it. Nor could I. I could only think about it and smile and smile, and reflect 011 this most wonderful truth in the world's greatest war—the shift in a day from the environs of death, to all that spells heaven. The shift across tho water was a mere incident, and I set foot once again in 'Old Brighty.' "And now I began to taste real joy. I rank a friend up 011 tne telephone. 'ls that So-and-So?' I said. 1 could hear tho familiar, calm, strong voice; and then a.s I said ' This is ,' as if 1 had been saying, 11s in the old days, • See you at the club,' 1 felt the little moment of silence and surprise as tho news sank in. "Next I walked to the taxi-cab ranks and looked at them. Any one oi' them I could have to carry this old rifle, accursed equipment, these poor old I'cet that had be,en slogging along for months. I nodded to one, and it gurgled and whirred and sidled up. I flung in my rifle, said ' Euston,' and tlanihered 111 and sank back. Oil! but It was haevenly ! 'lbis after carrying planks when waist-deep in water; this aiter <anying l ,Hj lbs. of equipment .to and i'ro for an age. And it was just taking me—nobody else in the world — whitlu r I choose it should go. Aladdin never commanded his wonderful lamp with more delight than I my first eaxi-cab. " I am lying on a hillside, watching the sea lazily roll itself up a sandy bcaih. Til," sea is asleep ill tile warm sunlight, and the wind that sighs in i'ii. spare trees is too loving to do ii" iv than kiss tho waters into ripples. > ; iL£ii—llo thought of the war that i- just across the waves. "Ah! fnr pence and leave eternal. rOMD 1(111 Till-: GODS. He came home late from the mill and entered a home, smelling as only a home can after a heavy day's wa.siting. The good woman had retired. \o Tom sat down, ate lits supper lrom the basin 011 the table, and retired also. " Did thn find the supper to thi liking, lad r*" she asked sleepily. "Ay, I did ail' all. 1 supped a lot. I liked the liquor very well, but bad a rare tough job wi' t'tripe." "Tripe!" cried his mate; " tripe r" " Ay, tripe - in a basin on the table." "Well, well! if tha's ate what was in t'basin, tha'll have to buy thisen new colars an' all, 'cos tha's eaten collars and starch. The supper was on a plate in t'oven!"