The evening times., 1899-10-02
TOMMY ATKINS PARENTS.
Comments of the Peasants Upon the
Service of Their Soldier sons.
(From the Snectator.

(From the Spectator.)
The soldier sons are a continual source
of pride and comfort, I'VE niver has TO lay
awake nights thinkin' o they, 'cepting
when they're fghtin' Now, theirs Fred
him that works at home, / dwun't river
knaw what time O night ell come home
E's bic fond O. drink, an when armsn 5
like that. e med be up to any mishtif. l
dwunt ha' no rest till / years 'un open
the door an come up to bed; wi they in
the army tbs different. / knaws they has
food to yet, cloes TO wear, an a bed to
sleep in; they're boun' to be in barracks by
sich 4 time an as | dwun't knaw what
they're doin', / can't fret about UNITS
sad pity as Fred didn't take arter his
brothers, OF war itself the parents have
the most haZy and confused notions Here
is the account of a skirmish in the late
| frontier campaign based on a letter from
one who took part in the acticn They
went out 10 fight, did our folks one
marnin', an the enemies was all IL front
OF 'uIn. Then they gets a-shootin'. the enc
side at t,other side. an the major colonel,
or whatiyer G calls his5slf, wur Ouuded-
Our major colonel / names, fur they black
'uns dwun't ha' sich things. | reckon an
the men had to earn away, so arter that
a-coorse they had 10 give out fghtin', an
take 'un home. Ny son, e had bullet
through his 'elma an another betwixt the
spine o his back an the pack as e ears
ont but a wurn't hurted nothink.'
Equally ignorant are they, as rule OF
the cause OF the war. Some O. they mig
gers killed some o. our folks, so I've
a'yeard h'wever, an We be gwine TO kill
some o they to punish 'um.' Or: The
giTt peoples, kings an sich, gets
a-quar'lin'. an cause they cant agree.
they sets the poor sojers TO fight it OFT.
What / sez is-them meks the quart
did ought TO be'r the blunt ont, net put il
on them as had 10 nought to doin' wit.
If these year high folk had to march all
day. wi p'Taps on'y q bit o bread TO yet
10 goo a'shoOtiE' an a-kiilin'. vi mebbe
bullet or a baggonette inside 'ul9 a-foor
twur done, they'd think twice abogt gwine
10 war, Iii waVn't."
The peasants are ready enough TO take
up arms for what they consider an ade-
quate cause. They kinGled to a white heat
OF indignation over the Emperor Williams
historic telegram 10 Mr.. Kruger So nigh
did feeling run that German songs were
vigorously tabooed at all the village enter
tainmeHts, and-triumpf OF principle over
mere Pleasure German band was con-
pelied TO beat an Improbable and inhar-
monious retreat. We've nothen agin
their moosic that be good anuf. but We
wun't ha nothen TO doin' vi they Ger
mans''-print alas, cannot rep. ofuce the
accent OF scorE-"so bein' as they are.
they'd best take themselves som'sTs else
His Teutonic Majesty was universally
repTobated, more particularly by the
mothers OF the community. To think o.
! him darein to DO sich a thing, I wunners
| as e wurn't fTowtened o. what his gran
mother I'D say to 'un; ARA one I'D
although as ed a-showed her moor rec
speCt she an old lady and the Queen.
But" at this point the speakers voice
waxsd confident: She gin i'm sdumat
you may depend upon't; she let him know
her Rindt; she's not one 10 stan no nom
sense from young chap like MIN. Did 'ee
see the letter as she. wrote 'ur: 'twer in
the paper?' The epistle here alluded to
may possibly be that which appeared IN
Punch and was copied into the local
! Journal. 'Ah. she just about let 'un have
it; e didn't fancy hisself quite as much
| arter readin' that. I'll war'nt," One and
! all in the village were eager 10 fight; one
| and all were absolutely secure of victory.
! eXpending much compassion OF ''to'ther
| side as didn't ought 20 ha' actei sa 81 ly.''
! One patriot in the excess of his zeal, was
! for smashing the Beers with the Flying
| Squadron by which arrangement more
| force could be brought to bear upon the
| Germans and their destruction made more
complete On its being pointed out 10 him
that. unhappiiy for the success OF this
| otherwise admirably conceived plan. the
| Transvaal possessed no seaboard. his coun-
tenance fell and he pondered for some min
utes Then frightening: But I've a
| yeard as them girt guns in our ships can
| hit ARA thing a wuDnerful way aft; mebbe
| they'd Kill some O. 'um Beers fellers artei
| ali. an il so be as um didn't, why. isn't
! ther' bit O. Germany anywheres about as
they could get ats'
! The Soudan campaign was followed with
| interest. and some of the more Intelligent
| among the villagers could tell you that tht
comntiscrat arrangements were not at
they should have been, and that the ~'hig-
milton o. the powder was orfuf bad" Blu
it is exceedingly doubtful whether they
| knew of what they We're talking; fault find
ing is an occupation peculiarly restfui Il
| the British mind-bucolic or otherwise
and long words exercise much Fascination
! over those who do not quite understand
their meaning The Fashoda affair created
no excitement except among such ardent
spirits as, in Difference to maternal entreat-
les. lad elected to enter the volunteer
| force instead of the line These were over
joyed at the prospect Of a conflict Will
France and hoped that now at last they
would have chance of striking blow
and showing what they could do ''in tn,
"soj jerin' business" The rest of the peo
pie were apathetie: what was Fashoda Il
them? The murder of a handful OF British
or even of one. an insult TO the Queen wer,
worthier causes of strife in their eyes thar
the acquisition of "a bit of land over ther'
some in furrin' parts, as udn't be mos
sci O good to we."
Besides the love and loyalty which move
the people gladly to give their sons to up
hold their sovereigns honor. they feel tha
she has right to demand service o. hel
soldiers Does she not pay them all ou
of her own purse? ''Taint TO be wunner'c
at as she meks We pay fur our dogs wheI
she has to kip all they; dear, dear, wis
sight O. money it must cost her. to b.
sure, to feed sich number. an, dress 'uu
in them fine cio'es." I've on'y one son.
said a village mother to the writer, "an
at one time e thought about goin' in tn
army; e niver went an l am glad ont
SEEM as 'es my on'y one. but 'udn'
a stopped him by sa much as word, fu
it's a noble thing to fight for the Queen