recovered his
mental equilibrium; and his language, well! it was more forcible than
elegant.

A far more pathetic welcome fell to my lot, as I walked across the
square at Ypres, in the early days of the British occupancy. While
talking to a brother officer, I suddenly felt my hand seized, kissed,
and then stroked; and looking down, I saw a sweet little blue-eyed maid
of some five years, not much above the level of the bottom of my tunic
in height, who said in the prettiest broken English, 'Brave Ingleese.'
The memory of a certain other blue-eyed kiddy, away in England, was too
much for me, and this time _I_ was the aggressor, for I took the little
maid up in my arms and kissed her, much to the amusement of the
passers-by I have no doubt.

Nothing seemed too good for the people to offer us. In our billets,
indeed, the very best the house could produce was set before us.

As we marched through one town--I think it was Wynghene, which was
evidently the centre of the tobacco industry, for tobacco is largely
grown in that part of Belgium--thousands of cigars were handed to the
column, and for days after the men would not look at the humble 'fag.'
In country districts, too, the people were not to be outdone, for
strapping farm wenches and men lined the road and literally showered
apples and pears upon us.

At the gates of one fine park, the owner, his wife and servants bestowed
cigarettes, matches and other acceptable gifts upon the men as they
marched past. Oh, yes! those were brave days, and made us feel
considerably pleased with ourselves, but do not grudge us such joys, for
just below the horizon of that time dark clouds were fast rising, which
soon darkened the skies of many and many a life. Anyhow, I will
undertake to say that none who were on that trek will ever forget the
enthusiasm of the people, as day by day we marched on to do battle for
them, and the great principles which surely have made our nation
great.

A CHAPTER OF INCIDENTS

CHAPTER IV

A CHAPTER OF INCIDENTS

Life at the Front cannot fail to be full of stirring incidents; indeed,
I very much question whether any experience comes up to it for interest
and excitement. I am not speaking of the ding-dong trench warfare which
has characterized the campaign on the Western front for so many months
past, but refer more particularly to those early days when both armies
were exceedingly active; and the operations very much resembled a game