Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-04

| LONDON. July All entered the portals ls
| Of the War ONCE yesterday and walked
down a long corridor to the solemn In
quries for Casualties" department
On all sides were crowds OF Waltlns
| women. a queer. assorted sisterhood, gath.
| cred together by a common impulse ana
| cemented together by a common rear.
ITS worse than the trenches " said
| a boy-ofiicer, who was with me, Brittlng ms
| teeth and turning sharply on his heel, 1
| cant face them, those women with that
| look In their eyes standing there listening
| to the echoes Of death II makes me feel
| like a murderer! I'm going to clear
| You'll find me outside
It seemed as though this long room was
| indeed the ante-chamber OF death YER
| table charnel house, where lay the RECORDS
| Of those brave men gone west" Here In
this silent spaciousness women were paying
the penalty Of herosm.
CLASS DISTINCTION LOST
To the left Of me was an officers lady
comforting private's wife. Both held
in their hands a telegram. Both had come
this sunny morning to hear the worst con-
flrmed.
The worst had been confirmed, too, by
perspiring official whose time did not ad-
NIT OF comforting words
NO. OOO123? Yes killed three days ago.
No particulars. Your telegram's correct
heard him say to the pr.vate's wife
Then to the officers lady: Captain
Dash Of the Dragons? Yes. that's correct.
Fell a couple Of days ago at - WOODS
Was leading his company in charge.
Killed outright"
The wife OF the Dragon Guardsman said
not a single word. The telegram 1uttered
from her hand to the hoor and lay, face
upward. so that the opening phrase: Deep
81 regret to inform YOU was clearly visible.
Her eyes had far-off, strange look in
them
But the wife Of No. o0o12s broke into
control OF the officers lady. "Oh, God! :"
she cried, let me die, too ; let me die, too! :"
1t was then that the officers lady-a
patrician 70 her fngertips-put her arm
about the neck Of the prlvate's wife and
tried to comfort her. Amid the swiftly
moving officials they Stood isolated by sor-
row. the Coloners lady and Judy O'Grady,"
while from the street came the shrill cry
Of the newsboys: Great British Advance !
Great British Advance -
There was triumph in the newsboys cry.
But Il was these women who were paying
the price
To the right Of me was knot Of white
faced persons. Some OF them were gray
haired with shaking hands and dhnmed
eyes Others We're young, but with
shadow ecllpsing the bloom Of youth. And
all Of them held kilograms. They had
come. unbel!eving. half-belteving, wholly
fearful. to have them verified.
For the link between woman and her
man and a mother and her son is not |
snapped by mere telegram. kilograms |
have erred before. So these women go to |
the War Office as TO a shrine, and find It |
only crypt.
But still they-come every day No sooner |
does one woman so 20 sorrow in a |
darkened home than another takes her |
place in the room Of casualties.
~. .s-N-l
Advance" :" The words echoed through the |
corridors. And on a sudden silence the |
voice of a shrll-tongued little coster-girl, a |
gutter snipe such as only the London slums |
can breed. vas heard "Gorblimey. :" she |
cried, "wot the ell does the bloomin' ADJ
vance matter when it's killed my Bill"
EYES GLOW DESPITE SORROW.
But a wave of remonstrance swept from
the other women. Before it the gutter