We get jam, too, and
bacon daily, butter three times a week, and stew for dinner
every day in trenches or not.
"Our sergeant took us to the whizbangs concert party last
night. It was A1--one chap makes his fiddle absolutely
speak. He played that Volunteer Organist and parts of Henry
VIII., the basso sang 'Will o' the Wisp,' and most of the
other songs were old 'uns. I tell you, you wouldn't believe
we had such things a couple of miles behind the line.
"On Sunday I went to church. It was the hall that the
concert party use. Right glad we were to sing the old hymns
again, for we only get one Sunday in two months down here on
rest. We had five bandsmen to keep us in tune, and, with a
good sermon, the evening was both enjoyable and helpful.
Afterwards we came back and I had a discussion with two
others on Christianity, the work of the Church, Salvation
Army, Y.M.C.A., and other such organisations. It was very
interesting, for one of them was an out-and-out atheist who
was under the impression that Christians were all
hypocrites, cranks, and prigs."
The last extract from a letter to Sydney Baxter's office.
"My! I should like to be back working at the business in
_any_ department. I reckon I shall not be much good the
first six months, knowing practically nothing of what has
happened since this time last year.
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