The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-05

in few feet OF ones bed could, en- occa-
sion. be endured with comparative tran
Quillity. The writer naively says that
after the bomb-proof shelters were built,
there was M use in resorting to them
every time a shell burst, because II one
lost self-control in that way there would
be nothing 10 do but to run at the first
sound of the bugle which announced that
one was coming. II was much better, he
says, to sit tight and attend to ones
Guty. As a physician. he was frequently
called to parts of the town which were be-
ing shelled. and he reports that nurses and
other attendants were constant at their
posts. and manifested little alarm.
On the whole. the impression produced
by the book is rather that OF comedy than
tragedy. Many amusing incidents find pace
in its pages. After the Smelling began,
most people who could afford 1t built them
selves shelters. digging holes in their gar
dens or lawns. lining these with metal. and
building them around with earth
works or roofing them with cor
rugated iron. The writer says
that one shelter which he saw in the
Malay quarter of the town was somewhat
unique. The owner had dog which owned
a commodious kennel. He evicted the ami
NAL. cleaned the place, and made it over
into very nice little bomb-proof cave.
The authors own shelter was seven feet
each way, SO that there was, as he eX-
pressed It, plenty Of room .or his six foot
three in every direction. He and his wife
slept in this tiny cabin, in which they had
few simple neeessaries. books and pic
ture of Kitchener pinned in the wall with
a diamond brooch.
One of the comic happenings OF the siege
concerned such a shelter. A tinid man had
built himself one, copper bottomed and
most complete in its furnishings, and his
nefghbor, who had come in to watch and
superintend the operation, found fault with
it at every turn. Finally he declared that,
in his opinion, such a structure would be
almost useless. and advised the
builder to take refuge in the
pany offered to all who wished to occu-
Ply them, after the Smelling began. The
timid man finally took fright and departed,
and the offieious neighbor calmly occupied
the shelter from that time on. All was
peace and quiet, the author says-until the
real owner returned.
A most interesting chapter describes the
Issuing of rations. Gradually, all deliclcies
and luxuries were coniinandeered for the
use of invalids and children, and milk was,
of course, among these things. Many were
the subterfuges resorted to in order TO
evade the ediet. and some OF them seem
almost too mean for civilized human nature
to conceive. One would suppose that adult
persons OF average intelligence and human
ity, shut up in beleaguered town for no
body knew how long, in company with
scores of little children who must inevita-
bly, suffer more or less from the circum-
stances attending the siege, would be will
ing to resign such small luxuries as milk,
butter. and vegetables even without Or
ders; but it appears that this was not so.
He reeounts the fact that some people. who
did not like black tea and coffee. dscov-
cred that a certain kind OF prepared in
fants' food contained milk. and made a
fairly good substitute for cream. and ac-
cordingly drew on that. When the trick was
discovered it was too late to save much OF
the food. Butter also was an unknown
luxury much earlier that 1t would have
been had 1t not been for the determination
of the selfish to secure Injuries. so far as
possible, for themselves The writer him
self mentions, without apparent hesitation. |
the fact that he avoided the rule against
watering gardens. AID watered his own
during a scarce time.
When the first rations % horse meat |
were issued, it is recorded that a part OF 1t |
was served at a certain ;egimental mess. |
and that the officer in command icsormed |
the company that one roast was beef and |
the other horse and whoever preferred the |
latter might have X. Naturally, Eobody |
did. But when the meal was about half |
through the officer looked up with quiz |
zical air. and informed the mess that a |
mistake had been made. and that the roast |
which had been cut was horse meat. in
stead of the other. He wanted to accustom
them to the idea gently! New York: Dou-
hieday Page e, Go, 81 Oh =