The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-25
CONFESSIONS OF
 BRITISH CENSOR

A Certain Postal Station in an AL lied Country-One of the oldest things about censoring is the easy way in which one takes to reading other peo- 'ple's private correspondence. Shades of the past, when one averted an hon. orable eye from the letter lying half open on a friends Cor even an en- emy's) desk! And here sit, because 1t is wartime, before a large table cov- cred with serried rows of letters, with instructions to open them all and search diligently therein for, first, in- formation likely to be useful to the enemy; second, anything likely to dis courage recruiting, and, third. false information likely to alarm or depress a credulous public.
 They Do Not Complain!
 The little room in which we sit is a cell in the large hive of a hospital in the war zone, and the writers of these letters are either sick or wound ed, and their first thought is to write of their safety and welfare. This does not take the form of long descrip- tions of illness or wounds The great majority of men finger long and lov- ingly over the hospital menu, with it's four meals a, day, and make a grateful reference to the kindness of doctors and nurses.
 Among many Spartans one, however stands out who wrote that, barring pneumonia and a coming "opperis- hon" pn this ''thum," he feels well in himself. Very little comment is made on the country and surroundings, though the writers are probably out of England for the first time y
 Cross Marks For Kisses. '
 There are several things which make reading these letters easier than at first seems possible, when one is dismayed by the sight of hundreds of pencil scrawled pages. To begin with few letters are very long, with the ex- ception of a percentage of rambling love letters. and the formula of be- ginning and end takes up a certain amount of space. "I write these fev lines. hoping to find you in the best of health. As I am glad to say am in the pink. (The fact of. being in hospital is not allowed to interfere with purity of style.D Right back soon. From your loving soldier hus- band to my dearest loving wife and darling children" or "Fondest love from your ever loving," is the usual beginning and end, with a suitable of crosses for kisses. Crosses occur in all letters except busi- ness ones and are bestowed on men friends and also on young ladies to whom the writer signs himself Yours truly"
 Ardent Lovers; Cautious Husbands.
 As for love letters, you may think that knowing they are to be read by the censor reduces them to letters un- worthy of the name, mfssives of an early Victorian proprietary. They man writing devoted, effec- letter to his wife upon family matters is far more disturbed at the idea of the censoring to follow than the ardent lover who lavishes kisses and endearments brazenly throughout the letter. He even writes s. W. A. K. (sealed with a kiss) across the open flap of the envelope. cheerfNlly un- conscious that the censor, who does not include kisses in his warw ork, performs the office with some mechan- ical device, or, simpler still, a damp rag. He occasionally shakes one's faith by writing identical letters to two or more girls.
 Let us hope that the divergence in style makes less impression on the young lady than it does on us. An other young gentleman whom we only knew as Albert wrote to his sister that he could not break off wifh Bella, as it would break her heart After re- viewing the situation critically he de- cides that there is nothing to be done and that they must remain engaged. God, how she loves me!' he con- cludes quite simply. We turn with relief from him to a Maori writing to fellow warrior. "God be with us till we meet again." he says, "but look out for them dam Turkey