OFF TO THE WAR

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 60

OFF TO THE WAR

Rennet Burleigh, in his recently published book on the war, describes scenes incidental to the departure of Japanese troops. He says

“Well schooled as women always are in the usages of race and custom, mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters look on placidly, and strive to have an air of being pleased. You can see them bringing forth an infrequent smile at these leave-takings. The-very children have Caught- the Spartan or Stoic habit, and bear themselves as if it were a. holiday,. No* Greek or Roman mothers ever bore their sons going to war, or the bringing home of their dead bodies upon their shields, with better fortitude than the Japanese mother. In the heat and dust of battalions entraining I saw two boys of eight to ten years of age, each with a grip upon the tail of their sot dier-father’s tunic, trotting beside him, proudly singing war-songs as he hastened with his company to the railway station. And the women—some with babies slung upon their backs —matrons and girls hied them hot-foot after to see their fathers and husband© off to the war. Mostly sedate and unemotional, they Said their ‘The gods speed youbut there were few who had flushed, anxious and uneasy faoes. Yet the correct habit of your particular ‘set’ is not always master of nature, for, as I looked more closely, I noticed here and there griefstricken faces amongst the women, woebegone eyes, and .tears and sobs that were only withheld by the effort of well'll igh choking themselves by pushing corners of their garments into their mouths. There were in the throng a few boys of quite tender years, fathers'’ darlings and playmates, I ween, who had gulped down their first hitter draught of sorrow, listless, mute with the pain of parting.”