MR ATKINS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6901, 15 September 1900, Page 2

MR ATKINS.

The line from Buluwayo to south of Kimberley (writes the wnr correspondent of the "Pall Mall Gazette ") is guarded by " Tommy," who has his camps pitched her© and there at intervals. Everywhere 1 see him, Mr Atkins is the ca/me — a smiling, careless, smoking, jesting, practical- joking' "Tommy," seldom up to Pall Mall marie in his attire, but always extremely much a man. Well may the nation sing " God bless you, Tommy Atkins !" If the people of the nation saw Jum in the fipld they would more emphatically bless him, amd they would love him the more, whether hebe the boy from a slum now licked into «hape and taught to think arid act, or the gentleman in khaki fresh from the Unirersity or the swagger saloons of London. It is only when you see the firemtin lighting the flames that you think mast of him ; t is when you watch "lomimy" working h a sleet of bullets, working his wniy nearer to his enemy, working for his Queen Em-, press and the flng he is willing to die for, that you begin to realise that ho is a maif worthy of his country's live. He never wn.s, and I* hope never will be, a. plaster snint,. for saints abhor bittlc and light, nmd would; be of no use in the field. Idolise Atkins' as much as you like ; you will not ;'poil him ; you will mnko him the better fio'lifing"' man. Goodness knows, ho deserves all the kind words that can be said of him now, and you can have no idea how liis cyesj brighten aud v how proud ho rerms when he is told that Britain appreciates his suffer-' ings and his work, and that the ,«mall-' minded ur.patriotic cranks who belittle him at Home get "no show." Be proud of your dare-devil soldier, and let everybody who has a son, brother or husband under ornis' in the field feel extra pToud that through him they are, in a way, bearing our nations load