aysithadsomegutsinit.AllthroughtheBoerWartherecruitingsergeaobeinthefour-alebaroftheGeeeveryThursdayandSaturdaynight,dresseduptotheninesandveryfreewithhismoney.Sometimesmyou’dseehimleadingoffsomegreatsheepish,red-facedlumpofafarmladwho’dtakentheshillingwheoodrunktoseeandfoundinthemthatitwouldcosthimtwentypoundstogetoutofit.Peopleusedtostandintheirdoorwaysandshaketheirheadswhentheysawthemgopast,almostasifithadbeenafuneral.‘Wellnow!Listedforasoldier!Justthinkofit!Afineyoungfellowlikethat!’Itjustshockedthem.Listingforasoldier,intheireyes,wastheexactequivalentofagirl’sgoingoreets.Theirattitudetothewar,andtotheArmy,wasverycurious.TheyhadthegoodoldEnglishnotionsthatthered-coatsarethescumoftheearthandanyonewhojoinstheArmywilldieofdrinkandghttohell,butatthesametimetheyweregoodpatriots,stuionJatheirwindows,aasanarticleoffaiththattheEnglishhadneverbeeeninbattleandnevercouldbe.AtthattimeeveryoheNonists,usedtosiimentalsongsaboutthethinredlihesoldierboywhodiedolefieldfaraway.Thesesoldierboysalwaysusedtodie‘wheandshellwereflying’,Iremember.Itpuzzledmeasakid.ShotIcoulduand,butitproducedaqueerpictureinmymindtothinkofcockle-shellsflyingthroughtheair.WhenMafekingwasrelievedthepeoplenearlyyelledtheroofoff,andtherewereatanyratetimeswhentheybelievedthetalesabouttheBoerschugbabiesintotheairandskeweriheirbayos.OldBrewergotsofedupwiththekidsyelling‘Krooger!’afterhimthattowardstheendofthewarheshavedhisbeardoff.Thepeople’sattitudetowardstheGoverwasreallythesame.Theywerealltrue-blueEnglishmenandsworeth