A LITTLE STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1915, Page 9

A LITTLE STORY.

(From the French)

We were ia the Woevre in the heart of a forest- The enemy had decided to make a bold daah for our mitrailleuses which had made suclr havoc in their ranks during their attacks on our trenches. At eleven o'clock—the night was pitch dark—the Germans, thinking to surprise us, had sent forward two companies with fixed bayonets; but, although they moved almost noiselessly, the keen ears of my colonials had d'etected them, and they were on the alert trying to pierce the darkness, when suddenly the Germans appeared marching elbow to elbow in fine battle trim, as if on the parade ground, jnd as visible as the sun at noon! They had intended to light us up with magnesium while they remained in darkness. Unfortunately for them, they had bungled, and the light fell vertically 011 their ranks making them a target on the dark background of the forest It did not last long; in two or three minutes my guns had sent them such a deluge of bullets that they faded away like a dream. At dawn we counted two hundred and eighty corpses on the high ground. j A lieutenant lay on his back, liis wideopen eyes staring at the sky, with a small hole in his forehead; beside him a magnificent sheep-dog was painfully balancing himself on three legs and whining softly; lie seemed to have forgotten the pain of his own broken "leg, for from time to time he lickei the wound which had killed his master. It was strange, but the sight of all these dead bodies plunged in their eternal sleep made less impression on me than this poor dumb brute who had been wounded iK his faithful dog's heart. They had only got what they deserved; but he was surely innocent, and all my sympathy went out to him in his grief. I expressed my pity in his own language, thus respecting an enemy who was worthy of my esteem, for although innocent he was an enemy, being in German service! In vain did I repeat most amiable things in German; he looked at me sideways, and I seemed to hear a most , discouraging deep growl. So I gave it up, and ordered my men to bury the body. This, however, was not so easy, for the dog threatened them when they attempted to touch hiis master. So I had to use other means, like a common dog-catcher. I threw a lassoo, and a moment later, well muzzled, he witnessed his master's burial. Of course such proceedings were hardly chivalrous, but I had no other choice, and my intentions were pure. After the sad task was over I picked up the officer's helmet and sword making my prisoner smell them, and politely asked, him to accompany me to my forest home. He consented! No doubt because these things had belonged to his beloved master, he was not entirely cut off from him, and as he no longer could be with him/ well—here goes! and he limped along, allowing me to lead him. My bedroom is relatively comfortable, for it has two beds—two wooden boxes filled with straw—one for me, the other for a friend. With a hospitable wave of my hand I pointed to the vacant bed. Had the emotions of this tragic night weakened his powerful resistance or ctTd he begin to realise that 1 meant well! Whichever it was, he got into the bed without delay. I laid the helmet and sword beside him, and murmuring the most tender German words, I passed my hand gently over .his head and back. Behold! he gratefully wagged his tail I It is impossible to make a mistake. A dog has a hundred ways of holding and wagging his tail. This time there was 110 doubt that my prisoner wished to make peace, He raised his eyes towards me; all their former hate and fury had died away, and now they said: "You are good. You have given me these precious relics of him who is no more. Do not be afraid, Take off my muzzle. Ino longer hate you!" So X undid it and gave him some water. He took it, probably because his wound had made him feverish, and I was almost remorseless for having waited so long. The veterinary who looked after our mules saw to his leg and put it in splints, which did not prevent the patient from jumping out of his bed and inspecting his new home. A little later I brought him a large bowl of soup, which he took with rapture. I added some delicacies which had just come from the station—there are none so good at Frankfort. And now to bed! He obediently went Dack to his straw and fell asleep under my caresses. Since that day we are one for life and death. We are as inseparable as the Siamese twins; he never leaves me for a moment, following me like my shadow, when I go out at meals, even on to the battlefield. What a sweet companion! My days are divided between him and Zoe—Zoe is my pipe. They make the long night watches in the silent forest less lonely. lam going to teach liim French.