The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

BIG GAME. [By LIEUT. F. J. SLEATH.] Q NIPER GEORDIE SAUNDERS could stop a hare on the run at three hundred yards with an ordinary service bullet from his rifle. But this is not the tale of how Geordie shot the hare. The incident is only men- tioned to show what a really great marks- man the sniper was. The story now to be told opens with Geordie seated at a loop- hole, keeping a sharp look-out for much bigger game. The clouds were hanging low over the ZD trench area; but the day was still, and above the leaden-tinted sky the air was full of the hum of unseen aeroplanes. Sometimes the rattle of machine-guns would be heard, telling the men who watched by the fire-step and parapet that their brethren of the air were keeping guard as faithfully. But of sniping there was none, for the very good reason that during the early part of the week the British snipers had given the Germans a more than usually drastic lesson; and the soul of Sniper Geordie was weary within him. It was then that the aeroplane appeared. The general hum ia the sky suddenly increased at a certain point to a roar, the unmistakable sound of an aeroplane diving with engine full on, an engine which gave forth the deep-throated chorus of the German Mercedes. Just beyond the bat- talion sector the clouds suddenly vomited downward, and out of the smoking spin- drift flashed an Albatross scout, with bulbous blue nose well down. and tailplane and rudder flicking rakishly high above the wings. It fattened out two hundred feet from earth, and came speeding along the firing- liRe, its guns sputtering viciously, the bul- lets whanging spitefully among the wire of the entanglements, thudding into and rip- ping the sandbags of parapet, traverse, and parados. The men dived for cover behind traverses and in side saps. But Sniper Geordie remained standing in the middle of the trench. Those crouching nearest spoke of him standing staring up at the hostile plane in amazement; even when a bullet neatly cut away the button of his shoulder-strap. Of all the brazen impidence," he was heard to say; and then he dived back into his sniping post. The Albatross had turned, and was swinging past overhead on its second sweep of the line, when he emerged again, bring- n In ing his rifle with him. An unlucky strand 0 y of telephone w;re entangled his foot and sent him floundering into the bottom of the trench. When he rose to his feet the plane was nearly four hundred yards away. The pilot was looking back at the scene of his exploit, waving his hand tantalisingly at its defenders. In civil ¡;fe Geordie had been a game- keeper, and his rifle came up to his shoulder with that easy movement which always marks out a man accustomed to the daily use of a gun. His eye hardly seemed to rest alon? the sights before his finger had pressed the trigger. With the report of his shot the German pilot stopped h:8 waving. He seemed to slip back into his cockpit a little, while the Albatross sped smoothly on its course. Geordie lowered his rifle and watched the retreating plane. "Got him after all!" he suddenly exclaimed. The Albatross had quivered slightly, so slightly that it was almost imperceptible except to a. trained eye. I've seen the same thing many a time when oot efter pigeons," Geordie afterwards explained to his friends. The machine suddenly shot up almost to the perpendicular, sat on its tail for a second or two, wobbled rockily. Then its nose came down like the head of a buck- ing horse, and the whole machine crashed to earth just beyond the lines.

VILLAGE THUMBNAILS. [Bv E. W. R. Toleration. I passed the Rectory at the hour of morning service. The organ droned through the open church door through the thick box hedge I heard—the click of croquet balls. A gap in the fence showed me half-a-dozen men in blue playing croquet—within sound of the church organ. My hair rose on end, for I thought of the dear old lady, the wife of the rector of long ago, herself now sleeping in the churchyard, who gave me a terrible wig-g-ing- for returning once from church with the whooping and tally-hoing of a schoolboy's imaginary fox chase. After the service I met the Rector. Croquet at the Rectory on Sunday inornin-o, I commented, still amazed. For the wounded-yes," he said. There are twenty hospital beds in my house, you know. I don't like it, but in a soldiers' hospital the doctor rules and the padre obeys. They think I'm a good sort because I don't make a fuss. Because it helps them to mend I jUft tolerate their games even during the hours of service. They'll be tired later on and let me read to them. The padre has to be a strategist in war time."

THE N'XT FEW WEEKS. The future of our country and of the world dependson the next few weeks. It depends in the first place on our soldiers and those of our Allies. They will not fail us. It depends also to some extent on the lines of communica- tion on those of us who remain at home It is for us to bear and to share the strain thrown on us as our soldiers have borne it ana will bear it. with confidence, with courage, and with hope." —MR. BONAR LAW.

BY THE WAY. Random Jottings about Men and Things. Here are a few of the little Little Things things that mean much in war Mean Much. time which our friends across the Atlantic have reduced to crisp terms: -Swat the fly; Shoot the spy; Cut out the lie Swear off on pie Quit drink- ing rye Never say di«. Two disabled soldiers in a The Plumbers' striking and notable partner- Arms. ship are running a business in a London suburb. One has lost his right arm, the other his left arm, dur- ing the war. So they have joined forces, and. putting their hands together to make a pair, have resumed their old trade as plumbers. If the war loaf you are eat- Relish for ing seems to be not very Your Bread, appetizing, just remember that in Austria to-day it would be considered a luxury, rich and rare. For your war loaf is unrationed, and in Austria they were cut down, on June 19th, to a ration of 22 oz. per head per week-a little over 3 oz. per day. And by all accounts it is dreadful stuff at that. A Prague newspaper tells of a man who bred meal worms for poultry food. One day he put the meal worms in rationed flour, and the next day they were dead. The cost of the war is reach- Cost Of the ing figures so huge that it is War. impossible to realise precisely what they represent. Our Votes of Credit have gone up at an alarming rate:- First -year £ 362,000,000 Second year £ 1,420.000,000 Third year £ 2,010,000,000 Fourth year £ 2.450,000.000 Current year £1,100,000,000 This gives a total of E7,342,000,0,00, and of that figure £ 1,370,000.000 has been advanced to our Allies and the Dominions. The figures are appalling, but the credit of the British Empire is still the most substantial credit in the world, and none need hesitate to bank on it. Those people who think that Germany's Germany is inevitably ruined War Profits, should study a fascinating little book, in which M. Andre Cheradame has explained exactly what profit she would make if she concluded peace on her own terms. In its simplest form it would mean that the Allies had spent E6,000,000,000 more than Germany; that we should be crushed under a load of debt so severe that Germany would be the commercial, as well as the military, mistress of the world. This ruinous effect would react down to the smallest wage-earner in the United Kingdom. Even if Germany never sent a single soldier to this country, she would be bleeding this country white, and of every shilling ear-nod here she would take a proportion. When you hear the question. America's "What is America doing?" Help. you can answer it best with the assurance Mr. Bonar Law gave the House of Commons. He could not, of course, give in public figures to demon- strate the measure of America's help so far, but he read a minute of the Supreme War Council which is richly significant — I Thanks to the prompt and cordial co-opera- tion of the President of the United States, arrangements which were set on foot more than two months ago for the transportation and brigading of American troops will make it impossible for the enemy to gain a victory by wearing out the Allied reserves before he has exhausted his own. A fine answer this to the German boast that America's contribution to the war is big talk and little more, Many a father of five-and- What Father forty soon will be doing Will Do. physical jerks and lunging at 0 straw-stuffed sacks with a bayonet. But it does not follow that he will soon be going overseas to fight the German. The authorities know that his physical con- dition is not equal, as a rule, to the strain of the battlefield, and so they intend to use Private Middle Age for garrison and auxiliary duties at home, and for similar duties over- seas. Of course, his employment in this way will relieve younger men for France. There will be no need to speak disparagingly of the services of older men on this account. It will all help to win the war, and Private Middle Age will get another half inch round his chest if only he remembers that he is backing up the lad doing heavier work in France. His duty may seem irksome, but it will be easy if he'll just sing about it. And one o'f the songs he may sing is this revised version of a very old favourite I'm following in Johnnie's footsteps, They're collaring his poor old dad. The boy's stuck it out since the war began; Now they're calling for the poor old man. I can't say what fm good for, But I know I'm proud and glad To be following in Johnnie's footsteps, For I'm following a dashed good lad.

"THE LIKES OF THEY." One more plucky old ship gone down- Ten men shot in an open boat- Six more widows about the town — One more little account to note And if she'd gone down to a decent crew It's little there'd be to pay, But God, I'll do what a man can do To punish the likes of they- ■ 0 never a Fritz shall sail In a ship that sails with me, Never a box or bale That smells of Germany. Never the likes of they Shall soil the English shore Till the seamen of England say, "You've settled the seamen's score." I used to think that the sailor man, Whatever his alien breed might be. Was somehow built on a healthy plan And much of a piece with you and me. But men who laugh while a good man drowns Are made of a different clay, And I'll sail with the scum of the world's worst towns, But not with the likes of they- No, never a Fritz shall ail. &c (A. P. HERBEHT in Criobe.")

FOR OUR FOOD THANK COD AND THE NAVY. -1 tij),uwot by Litiatt Citiociut. Never in any former struggle did the force of Blackstone's words seem more pregnant with truth and reality: "The Royal Navy of England hath ever been its greatest defence and ornament; it is its ancient and natural strength- the floating bulwark of our island." [Reproduced by special permission from The Graphic.

.J .f8" ;r8C.. '.ÕIl'CIJ' ,,r-- .:0- A PRETTY PAIR. 4 I [British Official. During the lull in the fighting in Italy our troops organised a horse show. This picture of a winning pair gives an idea of some of the beautiful four-legged creatures doing their bit uncomplainingly in the Great War.

CUT THIS OUT. MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. Vegetable Hot-Pot.-INGREDIENTS.-2 lba. of potatoes; about 4 ozs. each (more or less, as convenient) of asparagus, cucumber, cauliflower, carrot6, leeks, spring onions, turnips, spring cabbage, lettuce; £ oz. of dripping; 2 teaspoon- fuls of meat extract (optional); stock to cover; seasoning; parsley, herbs. METHOD.—Wash and prepare the vegetables according to their kind. Put a layer of thickis,h slices of potato in casserole, then one of onions (sliced). Add layers of the other vegetables-the asparagus in handy lengths; cucumber, carrots, and turnips, in dice; cauliflower in large sprigs; ieeks in thick rounds; onions left whole; and die cabbage and lettuce thinly shredded Between each layer sprinkle some chopped parsley and a tiny dust of powdered herbs. Mix meat extract with vegetable stock, season well, and pour in sufficient barely to cover the vegetables. Cover th") top with thick slices of potato. Put little bits of dripping here and there on the potato, cover the casserole, and bake in a moderate oven for about two hours. For the last half-hour remove the lid, in order that the potatoes may brown. Serve in the casserole. The ad lition of a few fresh greea peas is an improvement, and some people like an oz. of small sago shaken between the layers of the hot-pot. Bacon with Mae aron GrLDIE--N-I'S.i lb. of macaroni; some rashers of bacon slices of bread; 2 beads of garlic seasoning. METHOD.—Cook the macaroni in salted water, drain, and leave until cold. Fry some rashers of bacon and keep these hot, then cut some square pieces of bread an ] cut each ore across to make a three-cornered shape; fry these a crisp brown in the f,at, remove them and keep hot with the bacon Cut two beads of garlic into pieces, place in the hot fat and cook for a minute, then remove the garlic and throw away—the flavour only is required. Place the macaroni in this seasoned fat and add pepper, fry until the macaroni is thoroughly heated, place in the centre of a dish, cover with bacon, and put the fried bread round. To Cook Young Carrots.—INGREDIENTS.— 1 bunch of young carrots, 1 oz. margarine, tablespoonful chopped parsley, pepper, salt. METHOD.—Wash the carrots and cook them whole till tender, then scrape the skins off lightly. Melt the margarine, stir in the season- ing, heat the carrots, n sp, -in ,kl* with parsley, and serve very hot. Herring Cutlets and Lemon Sauce.—IN- GREDIENTS.—4 salt herrings; 1 egg; dried bread-crumbs; 1 tablespoonful floar; 1 table- spoonful dripping; add juice of half a lemoft. METHOD.—Soak and clean the herrings aud [Continued at foot of next column.]

(Continued from last column.) cut. into fillets, removing the skins, sprinkle with pepper, roll with the outside inwards and secure with a skewer or string (a skewer 18 much the best. and small wooden ones are quite easily made at home). Brush each fillet with beaten egg, roll in breadcrumbs, and fry till golden brown. To make the sauce, melt a tablespoonful of dripping, stir in flour and cook for a minute, but without bro. ning the flour. Then gradually add half a pi t of milk and water and the lemon rind finely shredded to avoid using the white. Cook for ten minutes, stirring constantly, dilute with a little water or fish-stock, add seasoning and the juice of half a lemon, cook 5 minutes longer. Steamed Cake.—Can be cooked over a gas- ring or oil-stove.—INGREDIENTS.—2 teacups flour; 3 tablespoonfuls syrup of treacle 1 table spoonful sugar; l oz. fat; teaspoonful bak- ing soda; ii tablespoonful cocoa, 1 teacup sour milk; lemon or almond flavouring. METHOD.—Mix the dry ingredients, rub in the fat, add the treacle and enough milk to make a stiff batter. Pour into a well-g"eased cake-tin. -t cover with greased paper, and steam for bO minutes. Test with a hot skewer; the cake should be well risen and firm at the top. Do not cut till next day. Cocoa-butter is nice for this cake, as it has a chocolate flavour already.

THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. I "The next few months will form the supreme hour in this fight. The Germans have deliberately bent every- thing on winning a decisive result now before the forces of America can be brought into play. If three months hence none of the strategic objects which I have indicated have been secured by the enemy, then their cam- paign will have failed." —MR. BONAR LAW. .I

1 1 1 THE SPIRIT OF FRANCE. I | —; & (fh The least slackening of our will, the least hesitation- of our hearts, can but embolden the pretensions and W insolence of the [German] Imperialists. We on our part declare that any attempt at peace without victory suggested to the mass of citizens could only pave the vw .v/ way to defeat without peace, to moral degradation, iftj material ruin, and economic slavery, the burden of (fJ' jX\ which all classes of the nation and all the provinces of A\ the country would have to bear for a century. For this A( reason we Republican Leagues of the Left, addressing AA AX ourselves to all Frenchmen, and more especially to mili- W w tant Republicans, propose as our watchword Confidence, w W patience, serenity, tenacity, and no politics before the Iw vy) enemy. rm [A] From a Manifesto issued by a number /A\ \y of Republican Leaguts in France, June, 1918. Vu i

FOOD TOPICS. 1 4 Ilems About Production and Rationing. '1 TBY SMALLHOLDER. | Cabbage Butterfly Pest. Every sunny day sees the garden thronged with white butterflies. "White thoughts of Heaveni," thinks the poet as ithey flutter past. But the well-informed gardener thinks differently. He knows thait the eggs of these pretty flickering creatures will hatch out into green caterpillars ithat will gobble up untold quantities of valuable garden produce. The white butterfly lays her eggs chiefly on plants of the cabbage type. Lettuce, beans, peas, i and the like she avoids. She raises two broods of green, greedy caterpillars in a year, one in late spring or early summer, and one in the autumn. The bright orange eggs are deposited on slabs on the outer surfaces of the leaves, and she lays two or three hundred i of them. Each egg is a potential Hun in green uniform. To search for the eggs and ] rub them off the leaf is the only sure way of defending your war-time cabbage. The Price of Milk. The Ministry of Food, in fixing the new 5 milk prices, has acted in the interests of both j producers and consumers. Dairy farmers j cannot be expected to conserve their herds of cows, let alone add to them, if they find the 4 price paid for milk is not an adequate return i tor their labour and the risks involved. The xtra 4d. per gallon now granted will have a :i,asstiriiig effect on dairy farmers, whose reasonable request that they should have -ome indication that remunerative prices should be paid next winter. The increase was fixed after an exhaustive investigation into the cost of milk production, supported by the desire to maintain the supply. The producers' prices are based upon the esti- mated cost of production taken over the entire country. With farm labourers' wages sub- stantially increased, the cost of feeding stuffs more than twice as much as in pre-war days, and (the depreciation in cows considerably greater, the price of milk before the increase iid not show a sufficient profit to encourage die upkeep of large dairy herds. Jam and Marmalade. A big jam maker said the other day, with a grim smile. There would be less dis- { appointment if people only knew." He was talking about marmalade—how there were thousands of cases of oranges spoiling on certain quays in Spain, and no means of getting them overseas, because a certain ship had been torpedoed on the way out, and could not be replaced in a hurry. If people only knew There are a hundred such jars every day, from one cause and another. Our food supplies are kept up and im- proved in spite of ithem, and there is nobody to tell the heroic story. Letters in some of the London papers complain that the meagre crop of this year's 1 eft fruit is taken to make jam. Well, we 1 know why it is taken—or we should kuow. The very good reason has been j stated by Lord Rhondda's department. It is the most economical way. But who rdops to think, for example, what trouble there must be in getting jars and containers fur all the jam ? A new industry has had II be founded, requiring new plant and the material to be made; for the tin containers hitherto used are required for munitions. Xot one of us has imagination enough. < Nowadays, there is a story of fascinating interest connected with every single article of food in the shops and markets. j Silly Rumours about Bacon. V1 Who started the story of bacon coming | from America in a state fit only for the soap factories, and why did he start it ? On enquiry at the Ministry of Food, it appears that there has not been a single tainted piece landed, nor any bacon used for soup at all. The wild scandal seems to have been invented. For what pur- pose ? Nobody knows; but it may be as well to keep in mind the fact that certain private schemes for the provision of more cnld storage have been turned down as un- suitable or impracticable. There are people who lend a too ready ear to such rumours, and repeat them thoughtlessly. Light-cured bacon, such as America sent us early in the year, is not intended to keep in hot weather. It will go slimy. It had to come over in ships that had no storage facilities, and to be washed and dried on this side. On this discovery, made by people who knew nothing about the trade, the whole sensational tale was built up. There is actually vacant space in some of the cold stores at this moment, and by the end of the year we shall have 40,000,000 cubic feet of such storage in the country. A pinch of salt is as good for some newspaper "stunts" as for curing bacon.