THE BEAUTIFUL THING

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13245, 29 July 1916, Page 2

THE BEAUTIFUL THING

A LONDON INCIDENT. "You see ugly things in London nowadays. Oh, yes, hut you so« l>oautiful tilings as well. J saw one yesterday—one of the beautiful tilings," says "Punch." "It was a cold, wet evening, not actually raining, but very, very nearly. 1 stool at the place in Piccadilly where tbe 'buses stop. There was quite a little crowd waiting, as there always is at this time of day—women with parcels, work girls going home, a few men. All of them looked tired, and many of them looked cross. When a 'bus draw up at the kerb all those people made a simultaneous plunge tor it. Before it had finally stopped they were clinging like a swarm of bees to the steps and rails. Jt is an arduous game this 'bus-catch-ing. "'There were only three vacant places, and these, aiter a desperate wvro secured by two ath!ot; '-looking girls and a red-haired -ch'o M '<> •. The conductor waved back I the disappointed hoarders, and they ! dropped off sulkily. 1 watched them j a moment and then turned my eyes to- | ward two soldiers who were crossing | the street. Kino, well s t-uj) men they i were, end they carried themselves with the indiserihabie air oi those who have ! c ossed sword.- v. ith Death and left ! their opponent, for the time at least. I defeated. One of them had a green shade ov< r his left eye. The other carried a stick, and walked with a ! slight limp. '•They took up their position a little to the side of the expectant crowd fchat was already beginning to sway ! and jostle at the si:'.hi ol a fresh 'bus. I which had just rounded the corner. ! Small chance for the newcomers, howi ever slightly wounded in such a melee. ! !i unlit r. " j "'The 'bus came rocking along, reeled : to the left, staggered to the right, and I came uncertainly to a shuddering rest ' beside the pavement. | "And then it was that I saw the J Beautiful Thing. | "For of that little crowd, some 20 people in all, not a soul moved. Not a man, woman or child took so much as a I step forward. They looked at the two soldiers, and waited, motionless. I "Those two had pressed forward J briskly enough, but as they mounted ! the steps, the man with the shade giving a helping hand to his companion, the attitude of the crowd seemled suddenly to strike them. The lame man glanced over his shoulder, smiled 1 and murmured something to his friend. I His friend turned likewise and stared. iHe pushed his comrade through the ' doorway, turned again, and very ! solemnly raised his hand to his cap in j salute. A second later he, too, vanish- ' ed within the interior of the 'bus. I "And then the rush began."