The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-20
Women at Work ir Men'S Jobs
 Are InpreSSiOe Sight in London

1 of the corner of his mouth he said, | Permit from the W. Q. Husband, cap | tain in the --shfres Wounded at La Bassee.'
 He was already scratching his wise upon her passport As he wrote, he said cordially: T hope your husband is all right again." The woman did not reply. She was so long in answer | ing that they all looked up at her. She l was chilled with waiting in the cold rain. She had been on strain, and her lips began to tremble Meaning to of being dramatic, she raised her hand and over her face dropped a black veil.
 The officer half rose.
 You should have told us at once, madam" he said. He jerked his head at the detective and toward the door and the detective picked up her valise and asked her to please follow At the door she looked back and the row of officials, like one man, bent for ward.
 STUDYING A PASSPORT
 One of them was engaged in studying my passport. It had been vised by the representatives of all the civilized pow CTS, and except the Germans and their fellow gunmen, most of the uncivilized. The officer was fascinated with 1t. lt appealed to him like a jigsaw puzzle. ETe turned it wrong side up and slde- ways and took so long about 1t that the others, hoping that there was some thing wrong, in anticipation, scowled at me But the officer disappointed them.
 Every interestin'," he said. "Xo ou ought to frame it."
 Now that was free to leave the deten- tion camp, I perversely felt desire to remain. The sight of all the other pas- senPers kicking each others heels ana being herded by 'Tommies," gave me feeling of infinite pleasure. tried to express this by forcing money on the detective, but he absolutely refused 1t, So, instead I offered to introduce him to a Kings messenger. We went in search of the Kings messenger. 1 was alarmed lest he had lost himself.
 Since we had left the Balkans together, he had lost nearly everything else He had set out as fully equipped as the White Knight, or a temp sec. lieu tenant" But his route was marked with lost trunks, travelling bags, hat boxes umbrellas, and receipts for res- ervations on steamships, railroad trains, in wagon Its, and dining cars A King s messenger has always been to me fas- cinating figure. In fiction he is resource ful, daring ubiquitous. He shows his silver staff, with it's running greyhound, which he inherits from the days of Henry the Eighth and all men must bow be- fore it. To speed him on his way, rail- road carriages are employed, special trains are at his disposal, steamers cast off only when he arrives. So, when l found for days I was to travel in com pany with a Kings messenger I foresaW for myself journey of infinite ease and comfort. It would be a royal progress. I would share his special trains, his suites of deck cabins. But it was not like that My Kings messenger was moi that kind of Kings messenger. Indeed, when he left the Levant, had it not been for the man from Cooks, he would never have found his way from the hotel to the right railroad station. And that he now is safely in London is partly because at Pa tras we rescued him from boatman who had placed him unressting on a steamer bound for Australia.
 LOST HIS TICKET l I pointed him out to the detective. He recalled him as the gentleman who had blocked the exit gate at the railroad sta. 1 ton. I suggested that that was prob. ably because he had lost his ticket. Lose his ticketi A King messengers! The detective was indignant with me l Impossible, sir!'
 l told him the story of the drunker l bandsman returning from the picnic You can't have lost your ticket? sait l the guard
 Cant IF, exclaimed the bandsmar triumphantly, rive lost the bass drum.'
 Scotland Yard reproved the K. M witt deference, but severely .6 1 lou should have told us at once, sir ho said, that you were carrying dis.