The Letters of Lucia to a Lonely Soldier

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1164, 3 November 1917, Page 10 (Supplement)

The Letters of Lucia to a Lonely Soldier

By the Avon, October 31. My Dear Lonely Soldier, — This week we are more or less marking time—nothing doing, as the colloquialism so aptly puts it —but in a few days we shall break out into a perfect crgy of excitement, including races and show and "The Pink Lady," not to speak of the exhilarating circumstance of having the town so full of visitors and "go" that even the Godley Statue looks as though it would like to hail a taxi and go out to Biccarton for a flutter. I hope I am not maligning the memory of that great and good man—for all I knew he might have heartily despised races, but I often think how tired that statue must be of standing in the same position, and contemplating the same view, eternally. There was a proposal to move it some while ago, but there have been many other plans and counter-plans since then, and meanwhile the Godley Statue remains where it is. The moving plan was not, as you might think, a humane desire to provide a change of scene, but something to do with a town beautifying scheme. Well. Godley Statue or no Godley Statue, the world and his wife will go out to the races, aud it will be a case of: — "Back your fancy, back your fancy, come and have a gamble. But look at the price, just once or twice, before you join the scramble, And wait until your chicks are hatched before you count them up— There's many a slip between the tip and the horse that wins the Cup." There is sorrow among the West Coast miners, for their champion, guide, philosopher, and friend, Mr Patrick Webb, M.P., has been called up in the ballot, and the Military Board has refused to admit that he is an essential industry, or words to that effect. The appeal made on his behalf has been turned down with a dull thud, so Patrick, like the warrior who "bowed his crested head and tamed his heart of fire," has behaved likewise, and accepted the ultimatum. He will go into camp about January, if you haven't finished the war by then. Patrick has a noble soul, as you will readily agree when I tell you that he has resigned his seat, rather thanthattheworthyminershouldbe unrepresented rK while he assumes the fashionable tint of khaki. Jfcftf But you mustn't forget that his shoes, nicely warmed with the best coal, will be waiting for him

surprised if he knows it, too There is an advance hint of what the papers call "legal proceedings" floating about, and it has caused pleasant thrills in some quarters and uneasy flutterings of conscience in others. A lady who used to abide in this city, and who suffered much from the nialignings of all the amateur Providences, recently "looked in" on Christchurch for a short while, after living abroad for some time. During her second sojourn she was so horrified at the fresh mendacities that had been launched that she declared she would institute the aforementioned legal proceedings, and still later advices state that she—has—actually—done so! You can imagine the perturbation of Madam Scandalmonger, who is always a coward at heart, and who loves to pursue her machinations in stealth and dim corners. "What, exactly, DID I say about her, and to whom did I say it, and who would ever have DBEAMED that she would put it in her lawyer's hands!" I Lope she really has, for one needs something amusing now and again; besides, think of the good it would do! The Americans are a great people. I have been looking over a pile of women's papers, and have been deeply impressed with their enterprise and resource. They have designed clothes and costumes for livery phase of women's war work, and they are so fascinating, and cute, as they themselves would say, that one quite forgets the fact of war, in the contemplation of war's accessories. Even greater than that, the conviction gradually grows that the American woman herself has lost sight of it in her orgy of new ideas, or else merely regards it as a peg to hang fashions upon. Bed Cross costumes in many designs were shown, and soon, no doubt, a suitable costume for every phase of nursing will be evolved. One, for instance, in which the nurse may administer beef tea, one suitable for holding a patient's hand, one for very sericus cases, one for nursing slightly wounded youug officers, and one severely utilitarian garment for nursing married privates approaching the age limit! While one's dazzled vision rests upon this inspiring picture the feeling of respect intensifies, and one cannot but think that British women have missed many opportunities for distinguishing themselves in this war, which their clever little trans- . atlantic cousins have been quick to seize upon. h|s^ But, all the same, don't you dare to bring home a bride who speaks througn her nose! »*«!§?» LUCIA. fr£^t