taring at all this, whilst a big band
on the right broke merrily out with the "Washington Post," and did not
see till I almost brushed his horse's nose, our Commander-in-Chief
standing like an amiable little statue at the head of all his generals
and their staffs, with finger raised to helmet. It is quite a moment to
remember, and I do really feel for an instant, what all the morning I
have been trying to feel, that we are what literary people call "making
history."

As for Pretoria itself, it is a pretty and well-wooded little place,
with pink and white oleander trees in blossom, fir-trees, gums, and
weeping-willows along the streams and round the little bungalow houses.
The shady gardens and cool verandahs give these houses a very inviting
air in this land of blazing sun. They have a comfortable, and at the
same time sociable, look, the houses being near by each other, but each
with a pretty garden and trees overhanging. Like all the works of these
very practical people, the place is designed for convenience and comfort
and not a bit for beauty. But the first two give it the last to some
extent, give it a sort of simple and homely beauty of its own which is
pleasing as far as it goes.

"Take heed to thyself, for the devil is unchained." We are told that
Christian De Wet is loose again, and is trifling with our lines of
communication. If this is so, our supplies will be cut off, the army
will be starved, and you will never get this letter. There has been a
pretty general hope that the taking of the capital would mean the end of
the war. "We have fired our last shot," said some. At least we counted
on a good rest. Alas! orders have just come in. Good-bye flowers and
shady gardens and dreams of bottled beer and a dinner at the club. We
march immediately.

Talking of soldiers, here is a soldier's story for you--

Officer (to distracted Tommy, fleeing for his life under shower of
bullets): "Dash you! what the dash are you running for?"

Tommy, tearing on: "'Cause I ain't got no b----y wings."

Here's another--

First Tommy: "And the bullets was comin' that thick----"

Second Tommy: "Well, but 'adn't you got no ant'ills?"

First Tommy: "Ant'ills! Why, there wasn't ant'ills 'nough for the
orficers."

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: This account is true of a type, but I should not let it
stand if I thought it would make the reader forget that, besides these,
there are any number of men in the army who lead lives in eve