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Show LITTLE GIRL KILLED IN AIDING CANADIAN Points Out Tree to Soldier, Who Places Machine Guii in Its Branches for Successful Operations, Special Cable to The Tribune. LONDON-, July 9. A Canadian soldier In London on leave tells this touching little story: A certain famous bit of showground on the British front Is usually rather quiet j in these days, but snipers on both aides are busy, aided by the excellent cover afforded af-forded by the woods. One of the Canadians was very keen on "getting some of his own back" on the enemy snipers. But he was baffled by the difficulty of locating them. At length, however, he solved the problem prob-lem as the result of a chance acquaint ance he had struck up. Children, despite tho occasional heavy bombardments, have been in the habit of playing about in the vicinity, and a little girl known to the soldiers as Nellie had become very popular pop-ular with the troops. The Canadian, In particular, was her great friend, and, wandering about with Ills little guide, he acquired an unusual knowledge of that particular bit of wood. One day Nellie pointed out to him a tree, which he at once recognized as a perfect hiding place for a sniper. So he obtained a machine gun and stationed himself in the tree, where he remained. At intervals bis little friend would steal through the wood and leave at the foot of the tree a small basket of food and drink. At length, although the Canadian had done notable execution with his machine gun, he was obliged to quit his post. But In the last hour of his stay, Nellie, coming com-ing as usual with his basket of provisions, provi-sions, was killed by a stray bullet. The Canadian was overcome with grief. He buried the little heroine at the foot of the tree where she fell, and put up over her grave a wooden cross, inscribed: "Nellie. R. I. P." Many soldiers walk over to the spot in their brief leisure to pay a tribute of respect to the memory mem-ory of the child who died in her country's coun-try's service. |