You will be asked if you have any
complaints to make, and each of you will have an
opportunity of making a complaint in the correct manner.
"In making his complaint the man should advance two
paces forward, salute smartly, stand to attention and
make his complaint.
"And, by Heavens, if anybody does...!"
Yours ever,
HENRY.
* * * * *
A TRACT FOR GROUSERS.
Ernest and I were seated by the river. It was very pleasant there, and
it seemed a small thing to us that we were both still disabled.
"Did you ever say to yourself, when you were out there, that if ever you
got out of it alive you'd never grumble at anything again?'" said
Ernest.
My reply was in the affirmative.
We were silent for a while, remorse weighing heavily upon us.
"The worst case," said Ernest at length, "was when I got my commission
and came home for my kit."
I composed myself to listen, piously determined not to grumble however
tedious I might find his recital.
"We'd been near a place called Ypres," he began.
"I seem to have heard the name," I murmured.
"I hadn't been sleeping really well for a week--we'd been in the
trenches that time--and before that I had lain somewhat uneasily upon a
concrete floor."
"Yes, concrete is hard, isn't it?" I said.
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