The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-27
GOSSIP IN LONDON

The sunday School Teacher-"what great man said Let us have Peace'?A Scholar-'Patrick Henry"
 Teacher (wearily) )-"Ridiculous No
 man by the name of Patrick ever said anything like that"
 Everywhere you hear almost affec- | tionate praise of the British soldier.
 France has taken Tommy Atkins to it's
 heart The porter who carries your bag from the railway station tells you that
 his son in the artillery says the British soldiers are splendid.
 France cannot understand why al great country like Great Britain should
 have so small an army. She wonders
 why the English people avoid the ob- llisation of universal service. She is eager to point out that if they had been
 able at the beginning of the war to
 send to the continent an army Of 4oV,- 900 or 500,000 men, the Bosches would now be beyond the Rhine. But France criticizes with reticeence and admira-
 ble humor. She is far more eager to appreciate and to praise.
 A doctor friend of mine, who has been in France with the R. A. M. C. since the early stages of the war; tells the interesting inside history of his 10 days leave from the front. He was busily at work one day in a stationary hospital when an orderly informed him that young officer had just driven up in motor car and wanted a surgeon to come and see wounded German of ficer who had just been brought in. In due course he accompanied the young officer in his car and attended to the wounded German. On the return jour ney, during conversation, the question of leave cropped up. He said that he lad been rather unlucky in having had none since he came out in September. On returning to the hospital he was met by the officer commanding, who asked: "Wel1-and how did you enjoy your trip with the Prince?' Then, as he seemed speech1ess with astonishment, he added. laughing heartily: "It seems that you've been for motor drive with the Prince of Wales without ever re- alizing it,' The sequel came the next day, when the doctor man was told that "by special request he had been granted 10 days leave, to start immediately"
 A little incident in the London post office yesterday shows how ready peo- pie are to do Jack a good turn. A mer- ry-looking sailor home on leave pre- scented his savings book and asked that E3 should be handed to him. said the man behind the counter. "the rules don't allow sum of more than fl to be withdrawn without notice. You can have the rest in few days Jack 5 face fell. and he explained that he had only 4s hours leave, and wanted the money to take out his mother and his sweetheart. Jack, very disconsolate prepared to go away. But just then an old man who had watched the scene stepped forward and said to him. Would you let me be your banker for a day or two? Take the pound they'll give you, and I'll lend you two more. You can pay me when you lilSe' Jack hesitated a moment, looked very much
 embarrassed and very grateful, and took the money.
 As you walk through the Magasin du Louvre you notice that all the as- sistants are women or quite old men, Women are carving the joints in the butchers shops and serving in the chemists shops. In the Boulevard quar- ter one in every three shops is shut altogether. and the same thing is true in the poorer quarters and in the side streets.
 Closed on account of mobilization" Is the most common notification Closed because the proprietor has joined the army Closed because the partners and the employees are at the front" Closed until the end of the war" are also very general
 on the shutters of one establishment in the Rue St. Honore is the announce ment: This essentially French house is shut. The proprietor is an old volun- teer of 1870. Three of his sons and two sons-inlaw are at the front Long live France"
 Another notice reads: All the part ners and the assitants and most of the customers of this establishment having joined their regiments, it will not be opened again until peace is declared" A large number of Paris offices are only open for two or three hours a day, and all the banks, including the central Credit Lyonnais on the Boule- wards, shut their doors altogether from 1 ? o'clock to 1:30. Their staffs have been so reduced by the mobilization that the remaining clerks have to lunch at the same time and the machinery of the business comes to a temporary halt.