rdinary. Almost
every night I see the old chap, at whose farm I keep my own
horses, come in with four or five horses from ploughing--riding
on one, not in the orthodox fashion, _i.e._, astride, but with
both legs hanging over the horse's near side, something like
ladies' style of riding, but without saddle, braces, or stirrups.
He is leading no fewer than four other horses on one rein--a
remarkable thing in itself. When he gets into his farmyard he
slides off and gives some sort of a weird shout that sounds like
"Ooee-ee-ee!" The moment the horses hear this off they go to the
pond in one corner of the yard and drink their fill.

Meanwhile the farmer has gone into his house. Presently he
reappears at the door and utters something like "Oy-eh!" He may
be fifty yards from his horses and never goes near them, but as
soon as they hear this call they leave the pond and troop off
into their stable, where each horse takes up his own place and
stands still there ready to be tethered. They all know exactly
where to stand, and the old chap unharnesses them, hangs up the
harness for use next day, chucks a few handfuls of oats into the
manger, shoves some hay into the rack, and leaves them for the
night. He never troubles about drying their legs and hoofs after
their immersion in the pond. Probably if you treated one of our
horses in that fashion he would be likely to get a "cracked heel"
and go lame. But these French farm horses never seem to mind in
the least. Well, one lives and learns. Our grooms are vastly
amused at these methods of horse-managing. The baffling thing is
the wonderful health enjoyed by the French horses. It is very
rare for any of them to go lame or sick, or even lose condition
despite their--to us--extraordinary _mode de vivre_.

_April 27th, 1916._

I see that poor Kitter[6] has been killed. It is too horrible;
first Nightingale, now Kittermaster. At Dulwich Kitter was always
looked upon as a prototype of K. of K. He was a very silent man,
who nevertheless took a very real interest in the affairs of the
school, his form, and his "House." He knew a lot about military
tactics, and his chief hobby was the Corps, for which he worked
and slaved in school-time and out. He taught us fellows more