A VERY HUMAN DOCUMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 20 December 1916, Page 6

A VERY HUMAN DOCUMENT.

SOLDIERS AS "HARP STRINGS." LONDON, Nov. 2. A young officer, "Somewhere in France," who had been resting behind the battle line for a few days, wrote thus to his parents on the eve of his return to the fray:—

"After a nice little rest we are going up again, here's to our jolly good luck. Don't worry about me going up the line again, as I am looking forward to it, and have a ver3 r good section. You can have no idea how I love my men. My whole life at presentis in two little wood huts. Two splendid sergeants who can stand under shell fire just like standing waiting in a queue at the pit early doors. They're fon the most part miners from the North, a s they say, but all just like babies—you almost have to dress and feed them, and that's where the fun comes in and where the friendship springs up. The whole- thing is discipline, thc real, true stuff. Not bully stuff. When I say 'shun' I mean 'shun,' and by H if any man talks or moves a hair he gets it—hot, too. Yet, I wouldn't let that man go about with a pair of worn out boots for all the world. And they know it and appreciate it. Feed, clothe and look after a man, find him a place to rest his head, look after his ailments, find out his peculiarities, his weaknesses, his strong points, pnaise him when he tries, show him you know your job, trust him, treat him like - a man, behave like a gentleman yourself, and any man will follow you to Hell. I've been there and seen it. Somehow or other I don't think that any one of No. • section woud leave their officer, their very own officer, in a fix.

"Now from this perhaps you will be able to see the real joy there is in life out her.e—real, true joy. It fascinates me to play on the strings of these fellows' hearts, just as a musician plays on a harp. It's won't stand rough handling, neither will they. If not kept up to the mark, it gets out of tune —so do they. If frequently played on it answers to the will of the player, and new and better notes are struck —the same applies here. I'll always write and tell you about my section so long as I can keep it. Through this you'll see how I am. A happy section means I'm O.K. and livin gand enjoying life. Perfectly content.

"Before I was under fire I was afraid, terribly afraid. I thought I should run,, but now all that fear is gone, and in its place has come an easy self-confidence based absolutely on a Higher help, which help I have prayed for as I have never prayed in my life; so when at church, pray for my men, their trust in me, my own power over, them, rather than for my own personal safety."