only about one in four that returned.
I never saw my dear master again. I believe he fell dead from the
saddle. I never loved any other master so well. I went into many other
engagements, but was only once wounded, and then not seriously; and when
the war was over I came back again to England, as sound and strong as
when I went out.
I said, I have heard people talk about war as if it was a very fine
thing.
Ah! said he, I should think they never saw it. No doubt it is very
fine when there is no enemy, when it is just exercise and parade and
sham fight. Yes, it is very fine then; but when thousands of good brave
men and horses are killed or crippled for life, it has a very different
look.
Do you know what they fought about? said I.
No, he said, that is more than a horse can understand, but the enemy
must have been awfully wicked people, if it was right to go all that way
over the sea on purpose to kill them.
35 Jerry Barker
I never knew a better man than my new master. He was kind and good, and
as strong for the right as John Manly; and so good-tempered and merry
that very few people could pick a quarrel with him. He was very fond of
making little songs, and singing them to himself. One he was very fond
of was this:
Come, father and mother,
And sister and brother,
Come, all of you, turn to
And help one another.
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