Norwich bulletin., 1918-08-10
By A G. L ias.

We found. her during the Great Re- treat It was Private Manning who brought her to me and proposed to adopt her for the company.
 Certainly we'll take care of her, said 1, "till we can find a proper home for her.
 'Yew see, sir" he went on, "she ont eat much in t way O rations, an she'll ride werry comf-rable on t top O my pack reck'n t d be crool t leave her t Boche, an her on'y two or three months ovid, an all"
 Where did you find herr" I asked.
 Private Manning pointed with the bowl of his inevitable pipe back towards the village from which we had just started after a short halt for something to eat.
 "Dost tha see that hoose wi t little rick aside yu, sir?" he said. She were a settin there just agin t rick, an cryin like a wild thing. She seem quieter like now, t little pet, doan' she, sir?"
 When the retreat at last came to an end I had lost half my company and my battalion into the bargain. Instead had anassed some two score Labor men, a handful of Engineers, a dozen artillerymen, and an assortment of other infantry, including two stray pistoons belonging to different com panies of my own battalion, the re-
 nainder of which began to turn up some six hours later.
 Private Manning was almost the last 1 of my men to make his appearance. He turned up some three days after | wards, when we had quite given up hope of ever seeing him again. Those who have welcomed in the straggiers after heavy spell of fighting will | know how we greeted hfm-when men have much to mourn they are very glad of an opportunity for rejoicing 1 After a while 1 asked him about his 1 pretegee.
 Dead, sir," he said. DO yew think rd'a' coon back wf'oot herr"
 "Tell me about~it," I urged; land begin at the beginning
 l Right yew be, sir" said Manning | "Yew remember them crossroads by that ere dead tank ?"
 Shall I ever forget them?" I an- swered. Where that Boche plane dropped those bombs and stampede6 | the horses, you mean?"
 That Werry same, sir" said Man
 nings. Well I caught a hold O two
 e they bosses an cut 'em loose from t wag'n. which had both t hinder | wheels in t ditch, an whin I looked
 round arter yew. I cou1dn' see nothin but a line O wag'ns. Howsomedever
 they were all a-goin' one way likt
 so went with 'enn, hopin' to coon ooI vii yew later on in t neeght. I wen straight ahid till coon to a little vii
 iage, where I reck'ned to ~hev sleep I was that aweary. So I watered |
 hosses an give 'em feed I'd a-brough
 from t wag'n. an tied 'em to gate
 There worn't no Frenchies in t hosses
 so jest borrered a bed an had right good sleep. .''
 Well, never mind" I said; "get on.
 An wouldn' say didn' scroung
 8 little owd hin, f'r supper, neither, he continued. "Dost tha not mind tha neither, sir?"
 Not in the least, Manning" sai
 vahantly; "only perhaps you'd bette
 not tell me about it.
 T 'on't then,'' said he with a grin
 nor aboot t breakfast, though it wo
 a doonright good un. A dom goo feed we had-all six on us. An AS.C , lad what'd lost his wan, two artillerie. 3, couple O pfgtails an me, not for kgettin' t litt1s pet who didn' talk ! nothin' but a drop O milk
 What! Chinamen?" I asked. That's them sir" said Mannin, COO1IIl ISuDCD1DSI HdIu6. NOOl f they could cook, they two. D
 What did you do with only tv , horses among the six of you?' I aske, . Some un had a-took they hosse f durin' t neeght, sir,'' explained Mar ming. ''So us had to goo afoot. Coo ! the wrackage along that ere roaG a I never did see t like There WE . wag'ns in t'ditch," he went on o say; 'tan wagns in t road, an dea q hosses, an men. an rifles, an ammy = milton.
 n :. I give them two pigtails ri = apiece, an larnt 'em how t fire 'e1 They worn't so slow, neither. BI , they wouldn hey no fxin'; said f baynit were better like a knife, a = ain't so sartain sure they bair
 right =. We'll. sir. we hadn' gone
 matter of a coople O hoondred va,
 afore I found I left my little pet b. ' Lind, so I had t goo an fetch he e As I wor a-coomin' back arterwar6 I jest happened t look around an d seed a gret party O Boches, a-ridi u doom t road, like as if it belong, to 'em. Well, sir, run back to n U U pals an we gos t arth an waited t '. they coon roond t corner. Then ' 'e opened cot on 'em. My owd Lew