, 1915-09-18

ever saw her arrive; with her sisters, her cou-
sins, and their combined off 'prIn5 she lnslnu-
0ted herself into her new abode and was 8 '0n
very much at home. Menls were fairly regu-
lAr, comfort and shelter assured, and there
were always bits OF sacking to lie upon. o.
cold nights q cosy corner might BE- found
close mp against the shoulders of u sleeping
soldier, though this sometimes led 10 npuen-
walls, as on one occasion Wien an officer start
ed into life and vigour under the impression
that the loud purriug beside his ear was the
buzEtng Of q hostile aeroplane.
The waking hours simply teemed with in
terest. Often aHppers on night work repair
ing trenches found themselves accompnn Ell
by IN inquisitive little cat, md u four-iegaed
delegate was generally present 10 superln-
tend the arrival of stores or ammunition.
An officer relntea that one night when well
within the firing line he saw by the light Of
u German fare q black and white kitten sit
ting close beside looking on with the pleased
expression Of IL spectator at Il hrewUrk dis
play.
Besides The cat there are her poor relations
the rabbits-a family not noted for courage
They, too, have learned philosophy in adyer-
versity, or else that fatalism defined by some
as the refuge of the wenkminded. In the
garden OF a ruined farm u goAt and q party
of rabbits, the sole inhabitants, were found
demoli4hing what was left OF lettuce bed.
The paws of the rabbits were stained yellow
from lyddite, and at the time the Bri, ish en-
tered German shells were dropping unpleMs-
Rntly near. In fact, it was presently neces-
sary to take cover, and while sheltering under
"a bank the officer III command, on looking
round, saw one of the yellow-footed Dummies
crouching near him, its ears tucked we'll back
into lts shoulders. 1t quite understood the
art OF taking cover, amt until the letiuc 3
were exhausted meant TO stick TO its post.
Pets that Hre free to roam are less TO be
P'tied than those shut mp or kept III clSes,
Many poor little singing birds must have died
from want Of food and water, aud many q
venerable parrot croaked his last "bvmiDur'.
Already parrot stories are hDding their way
across the Channel, and one treInb'es Mt the
thought OF the varied tongues a really accom-
pllshed bird may acquire. It is recorded Of
one that it could initiate the whistle of a sheIl
TO such perfection that the men billeted IN
the sumo house suffered much from the trick,
which, as " practical joke, Was emrnently sue
cessfuI. In fact, the exAsperatel SO dipr4
were moved to declare that even u baby
would be preferable rs " fellow resident.
Cattle and pigs occupy u somwhnt differ
ent position from the animals above mem
toned; whether it is q higher Que may be
left to the food faddists to discuss. There
is, however, tbs great d If renee: that where
as in the one case the joy of the encounter
is all on the side of the cat or rabbi, in the
other the solder is the gratifed party.
A Hindu regiment had an adventure in
which "a COW played a prominent part. The
cow is sacred to the Hindus, SO the men
were proportionntely disturbed md dis
tressed by the plteous mooing Of a poor
old COW that was shut up not far form
where they were entrenched, and two or
three of them set off to let her free. II was
a perilous task, for they were under fire al
the way; but, wonderful to relate, they not
only succeeded in setting the cow free, but
returned themselves to safety. The enemy
irrit"teG ut having missed the sepoys, shot
and killed the wretched COW, which sacrilege
so Infatuated the indians tbnt they were
for scrambling out Of their trenches and
hurting themselves on the Germans hen
and there. Their British officers had much
difficulty in holding them back.-DaHy
Null, July 5ISt.