September 13, 1917 
LAND & WATER 
13 
t 
of the soldiers mischievously. " You must have been a tidy 
young feller," he added, as" he gazed with a wink of his eye 
at the bony figure of the ancient man gnarled, like an old 
oak. 
" Young feller," said the old man solemnly, " I was a 
married man with dree childcr, and the quartern loaf cost 
a shillin' and more. How'd I find vittles for 'em ? There 
warn't no separation allowances in those days, there warn't, 
and no soldiers' wives living on the fat of the land an 
love-cliilder a-getting it too same as if they was born in 
lawful wedlock. No that there warn't. But I hev attested 
now and be ready, to come up when called upon if the King 
be so minded." 
At this all four soldiers laughed incredulously. 
" It be true, I'll take a gospel oath on it," said the old 
man's son. " It was when they had bills stuck up on the 
school by Lord Derby, calling on His Majesty's subjects 
to attest like men. And afore we knowed what he was gwine 
to do, fevthcr goe.s up to squire and says " I be come to attest, 
sir, and do my bit against those ungodly men.' And squire 
says ' You'retoo old, jarge, you're an old ancient man.' 
And (eyther comes home and sits in chimbly and never a 
word says 'e to any on us. And he won't touch 
bite or sup, and sits there a-fretting and won't speak 
to anyone, as though he were turned into a pillar 
of salt. And we calls in the Doctor as examined him 
and couldn't find nothing wrong with im, and he says 
' 'E's got summat on his mind.' And at last he gets it 
out on en, and feyther tells en as squire says he be too old 
and the grasshopper's a burden and desire do fail — and 
feyther says as he'll never go out of the house again e.xcppt 
veet voremost, and it ain't no good hoeing and hedge-cutting 
for squire, for if he be too old for a soldjer 'e be too old for 
labour at a shillin' a day, and 'e don't want no charity. And 
squire, when he heerd it, sent for feyther and — ^you tell 'era 
what squire said, feyther." 
The old man wiped his forehead with trembling hands. 
" 'E said to me, 'e said, 'Jarge, I made a mistake, I did. We'll 
put you in group one hundred and dirty dree — to he called 
up if so be required.' And he give I two shillin' and nine- 
pence and said ' Its the King's money, Jarge, and I con- 
gratulate you. You're a credit to the parish and an hexample 
to the younger men.' " 
" Aye, that you be, grandfer," chorussed his fellow- 
parishioners. 
" \\ ell done, old sport," said the soldier who had in- 
terrogated him, " we'd sooner have you in the battalion than 
any of those cold-footed conscientious objectors any day, 
Lord love me, we would." 
" \\e would that," said another. " We'll make you our 
mascot." 
" Mascot,", said the old mhn, " what be that?" 
" Pride o' the reg'ment," replied the soldier laconically. 
"WeVe got a bull-dog. I guess you're one of the same 
breed." 
The old man ignored the compliment. " This war be a 
deep and fearful thing, neighbours," he said solemnly. " When 
I did last hear parsfjn read the Commination Service I did 
think of that there Kayser at tiic Last Day, when the sea 
gives up its dead, and all the drownded babes and sucklings 
and the women with child and the poor chaps that hev died 
in torment a-calling on their mothers do rise up and point 
the finger of accusation at 'en and do say ' Thou art the 
man.' I tell ye it do make my old bones like water when 
I think of the wrath of the Almighty and what he hev in 
store for that misbegotten man." 
" True, most true, and well-spoken, Jarge. It were 
better a mill-stone were hung round that man's neck, it 
were — but 'tis time to put these sheaves up, sonnies." 
They rose to their feet. 
" Now, my lads," said Daniel Xewth tutorially to the four 
soldiers," you just bide a bit and zee how I does it." 
He took two sheaves and embracing one maternally in each 
arm he stood them upright upon the soil so as to get ' 
the butts about a yard apart. He then sloped them 
towarrls one another so that they made an isosceles triangle 
witli the ground. This done he took a second couple 
and ])laced them against the first, but not quite jmrallcl. so 
that they stood at an angle to it, stacked together like four 
rifles. '' It makes'em stand easier " he explained " and packs 
the ears better." This done the shock was complete. 
" Now my lads, ye zees as I've a placed 'em in fours. 
That's so as they'll get more air and dry (juickcr, though the 
sheaf to the north won't get much suii. Some folks shoiks 
em lengthways in sixes with the ridge running north and 
south. Well, that's to get the best of tlie sun on 'cni and 
to make 'em stand against the wind better. But they dunt 
dry so well that way," 
" Its like lining sand-bags and consolidating " said one 
of the soldiers reflectively. " You wouldn't think it, mister. 
but there's a loi ot science in building a parapet. You've 
got to fill yer sandbags only three parts full, beat 'em with 
yer entrenching-tool, and then slope 'em so as they arc well 
and truly laid." 
" Aye, aye, it be the same with thatching. It be won-^ 
derful what a lot of science there is in the works of man's 
hand. There's a right way and a wrong with everything." 
As they talked, a burring sound as of a gigantic insect 
was heard behind them and two liorses appeared driven by a 
girl in a " smock " and breeches who sat gracefully in the tinv 
saddle of a low iron vehicle. Bclovv the axle was a row of 
sharp steel knives like a shark's teeth, and at the side of it 
" sails " of painted wood revolved like the arms of a windmill 
with the progress of the machin :: and, revolving, pre-sed the 
corn on the near side of the driver against the knives and then 
carried the cut grain over the drivhig wh'.el by means of an 
endless web of canvas. A curved arm, threaded with twine 
like the needle of a sewing machine, encircled the bundle of 
grain, tied it, cut the twine-band, and the sheaf was then 
thrown off the machine. 
The chariot passed on leaving a swathe of sheaves of 
yellow corn entwined with a garland of lilac scabious, pink 
and white convolvulus, scarlet pimpernel, poppies, and all 
the hectic flowers of the cornfield. A hare bolted from her 
sanctuary in the diminishing wheat and was pursued with 
shouts of " Kamerad " by the soldiers till she made her escaj^e 
through the yarrow in the hedge. 
They returned breathless from the pursuit, and as the 
machine which was steadily reducing the rectangle of the 
standing corn to smaller and smaller dimensions returned, they 
gazed on it, their attention divided between its human-liko 
gesticulations and the girl who drove it. 
" Tanks ain't in it with that old wmcinuu said one of 
them. " It'll begin to talk next, like a blooming gramophone." 
" Its a binder," said the old man. " they came in in ninety- 
two. They be mortal clever things and can do everything biit 
talk. But they don't bind as tidy as a man do— they don't 
keep the butts together." 
" There ain't no flies on that girl," said another soldier as he 
watch«d this new Persephone gathering the flowers of the field 
with the finger-beam of her docile chariot. 
^^ " I don't hold with 'em " said the old man dubiously. 
" I don't mind wenches 'a binding sheaves— its like holding 
a little maid against a woman's bosom and tying her pinafore 
behind her — and women can do it tidy. But this driving of 
bosses- it's men's work. The world's getting topsy-turvy 
with maids a'doing the work of men. It's against Natufe. 
Male and Female created He them, I say." 
The day wore on to its close, the shadows of the elm 
deepened, and the sun began to sink like a ball of fire over the 
down;,. A light breeze flickered among the stalks of uncut 
corn and brushed the surface with an invisible caress so that 
a ripple passed over the drooping ears of grain. 
" Time to be getting home-along," said Daniel Ncwth. 
The toilers rose and straightened themselves. There 
was an unmistakable sound of amorous salutation behind one 
of the shocks of corn and the girl in the lilac sunbonnet emerged 
readjusting the strings, her face a deep crimson. She was 
followed by a soldier wearing a look of studied unconscious- 
ness. His comrades gazed at the pair with a mortifying con- 
viction of lost opportunities. 
" They do say as kissing goes by favouring," said the old 
man reflectively. 
Five days later the Musketry Inspecting Officer, sitting 
m his room at the Headquarters of the Command, was in- 
terrupted by a ring on the telephone. He took down the 
receiver. 
" Hello ! What ? Harvestirvg finished, did you say ? Right 
oh ! We'll close the field-firing range again." And he rose 
and removed a flag from the map. 
The official .'\ir Services lixhibition, first opened in London 
and organised by f.ady Droghcda, has clone good work in collect- 
ing for the Flying Services' ho.-ipitals ami Field Marshal Viscount 
French's War Charities. It was opened at BinniuRham bv Sir 
David Hendenson, at Coventry by Sir .Arthur du Cros, at Liver- 
pool by Lord Derby, at Mancliester by Commander Paine, and at 
Glasgow by the Duke of Atholl. a week being given to each centre. 
An idea of its |)opularity may be gained from the fact that 
although the charge for admission is only sixpence, (i\er';{;'^,ooo has 
already been cleared for the charities which the exhibition 
assists. The exhibits comprise Zeppelin engines and other relics. 
war trophies, types of (lernian aeroplanes, aerial photographs,' 
and such historic relics as the aeroplane flown Iw the late Lieu- 
tenant VVarneford. It is an interesting and instinctive collection 
of articles pertaining to na\al and military aviation, and has be- 
come virtually a permanent institution, to which all that is in- 
teresting and at the .same time capable ot complying with the 
restrictions of the censorship eventually linds its way. Ladv 
Droghcda, the organiser of the exhibition, is to bo congratulated 
on the results of her work. 
