Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-08-10

OF living with her. facing her across
the breakfast table. for instance, put
a vague fear into him. Up to the pres
ent time, however, he had always sue
ceeded in Kidding himself of such mis-
givings.
"And who do you think is going to
win, Mr. Brown?' Sir George put the
question abruptly. He. as well as
Streetman, perceived that their some
what bizarre guest from the other side
OF the Atlantic had gathered unto him
self a surprising fund OF information
during his short stay In their midst.
Before Charlie Brown could reply.
the spy Streetman threw himself into
the conversational gap. -
"rm sure from what Mr.. Brown has
said he agrees with me that the Ger
mans have the best chance" he inter
posed.
Mr.. Brown himself merely smiled at
the interruption. He may have
thought Streetman a cad-a lobster,
he would probably have termed him.
But whatever his feelings might have
been, he concealed them admirably.
"Wel, I'll tell you" he said, as he
turned his back squarely upon Street
man and faced Sir George when 1
was drinking Munich beer, was rath-
er pro-German. But now that I'm
switched to tea, I've sort OF swung
over to the allies"
A burst of laughter, punctuated
with cries of Bravo" greeted the an
swer.
Turning to them all again, "You
see," he explained, 81 like the English
as individuals, and 1 like lot of
their general ways, too. I admire the
easy going fashion in which they do
business. l commend the fact that
they won't talk shop over a luncheon.
l like their afternoon tea" He smiled
at Miss Willoughby, as he said that.
81 like the fact that knights and ladies',
clerks and shopgirls take their half
| hour of for 1t. I like the way they
respect their own laws-when they de-
eide to make one they decide at the
same time to keep it. But. collectively,
the English irritate me, because they're
so blamed sure they're little bit SUI
perior to all the rest of the world.
| That's annoying, personally, but can
and l do admire 1t as q great racial
| quality that's made 'em win out a
thousand times. If England goes to
war, it'll take the English about a
year before they realize they have
war-they really are slow, you know
but once they wake up to it they'll
raise the deuce, and l think they'll
win"
Sage holdings of various heads and
the exchange of approving glances on
the part Of the members of the little
party-or Of all but Henry Streetman
set seal of appreciation upon
Charlie Browns views
"Please God, you're right" Sir
George Wagstaff cried fervently, with
show of emotion that was, for him,
most unusual.
please God, he is!' Mrs. Falconer
agreed.
81 do hope so! The Germans are so
aggressive" Ethel Willoughby OBJ
served.
"And so ruder Georgy added. She
could not forget-much less forgive
having been shouldered off a sidewalk
In Berlin by the kaisers naughty off,
GERS.
| "Ah! But 1 fancy that pride in ones
country is a universal trait in every
nation" her more moderate father said.
Exactly! And as Mr.. Brown has
pointed out we English have tenden-
cy to be somewhat superior Also" AS
he spoke, Streetman rose. He was be-
coming restless under the CALLING of
that one-sided discussion of the merits
of the nations.
swell, l hope there isn't any war;
Guy Falconer said fervently. ''If there
is, you can bet your boots I'm not
going near it."
| Guy" Sir George turned upon him
with incredulity writ large upon his
fine face
"Oh, I mean it. Sir George" Guy
insisted shamelessly. "If it comes to
war, this will be a war of millions.
If there are thousand men killed in
a battle or only nine hundred and
ninety-nine what difference does it
make except to the thousandth man?
/. None! But If / happened to
be he, it'd represent deuce of lot
to me, and, with my luck, I'd be the
first man shot anyhow. No.
sir! Military service is not compul-
sorry In England, thank heaven! And
If there is war, I'm going to sit
home at my club and discuss very
harshly the mistakes of the war Office"
Guys mother regarded him with no
less amazement than did Sir George.
my son-you're not serious?" she
\ exclaimed, scarcely believing what she
heard.
"0f course he isw said Georgy. 81
never saw man who thought ais
much Of his own precious hide-so
much more than anyone else thinks of