Evening star., 1925-10-11

ends and leaves him poor.
He understands that his financial primacy
is in danger and he will do his utmost to keep
close to
There come dull and depressing ruts in this
road that we now travel, and now in
such a rut. Everybody who leave London
Is gone. Most houses where one meets people
who know things or who think they know are
closed Even the clubs are deserted Members
OF the government themselves-as many as
can-try to find secusion and a little rest in
the country a few days in the week. Most of
the diplomatic corps have gone to the country.
and come into town for Office hours every
day--an utter delusion unless they have babies
in the family, and the only diplomatic family
here that has babies Is the Chinamans.
My house Is as good a place there Is in
England for me as long as this nightmare lasts
except. Of course. every normal man hates a
town. But this isn't a bad Summer
town. 1t isn't really hot, as you know, and
there golf links within Is minutes Of my
Office. House be hanged! His kind solicitude
for me is case Of benevolence badly wasted.
But 1t is dull and depressing period
The streets and parks full Of wounded
soldiers. So is all England, for that matter.
saw them in every village I drove through In
the Midlands last Saturday and Sunday. The
price Of good food goes higher and higher.
Women make the hay in the fields. punch your
ticket at the railway stations and take your
fare in the street cars in some cities. My shoe
maker sent only yesterday a pair of shoes that
1 ordered nearly three months ago: MY men
have gone to the war" The uptown part OF
the city is nearly deserted Shops and resi-
dences are to let on almost every street. The
newspapers have little but Russian defeats
and assaults by Hoke Smth-two curious
sources of sorrow! Poor old John Bull. he
pathetcally looks to the United States for
sympathy, and he's "muddling through" con-
scious at last OF the fact that he didn't get on
to his job anywhere near the beginning Of it.
But his strong point is-nothing "rattles" him
and nobody can scare him-nor hurry him.
X X X
cannot yet definitely find out the mistake
that caused me to think that you thought 1t
desirable for me to make brief visit home for
a consultation.
There's such thing a vacation while
this earthquake continues. Fortunately don't
- need one. I am. occasion permits. driving
out and then into the country for Satur-
day afternoon and Sundays that gets change
of air. and l drop the war and all its brood OF
woes at the third hole on a golf course.
Many thanks for your kind letter about the
marriage OF my daughter. I am very content
with 1t. since such things must be. But it's
nevertheless "devilish hard the old man"
That girl has been the charm Of my household
here, and Gf the truth were know-n) her mother
and need her worse than her husband does.
But they are very happily paired. and that's
all we have right to ask. We all heartily
appreciate your kind thought of her happiness.
No sooner had l written this than the news
comes of the sinking of the Arabic. About this
there's writing, since all the informa-
ton will promptly 60 by telegraph. Nobody
here is in the least surprised-surely am not.
Some such thing has been expected. and more
will come Berlin is utterly desperate, and 1t
will become more desperate. The elation OF
success in Russia brings desperation, and so
will a reverse-such a German reverse, for
example, as I am now told will probably take
place within month or two at the Darda nelles.
I hear that the Turks showing unmistaka-
BILE signs of exhaustion-of ammunition and of
fighting qualities. The German machine has
Its qualities and character, which no event has
yet in the slightest degree changed. 1t has
that incurable disease-the Napoleonic am
btion Yours sincerely,
WALTER II. PAGE.
CThe ninth installment Of the Page letters will
be published tomorrow in The Evening Starr