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OUR SHORT STORY. ! .I
OUR SHORT STORY. CUPBOARD LOVE J i By VINCENT EMS. When Mudeford's new vicar, the Rev. John James Chickford, arrived in the village ihe determined, even if the laying of the vicarage at-air carpet had to be postponed, that he would, without any delay what- ever, set about visiting his flock. "My dear," he said to his wife, "I gather ttsKat my predecessor was extremely remiss in carrying out what I deem to be one of the most important of a clergyman's duties. I refer to the pleasure and privilege of paro- chial visitation. I intend, therefore, to in- vite A favourable contrast by goisg to see th? dear people at enoo, If you, my dear, 'Will, bog-in at the top end of the village, I "wiy begin at the bottom. You, my dear, can teJl tho people at the top thai I am coming as quiclly aa I can, and I will tell the folk at the bottom that you are on the way to them. You, my dear, can put in a good word for me, and say how extremely anxtoue I am to make myself and my minis- trations acceptable and fruitful; and I, on my part, will spread tie- good rewai that you are not only my wife, but also my moet use- ful coadjutor in all good works." At 2 p.m. to the miswite the vicar aad his wife sallied forth to visit the dear people. Here it must be put on record that although the motives of the Rev. J. J. were quite praiseworthy, and he really did desiro to know hie flock, y?t his ardour for visiting was not wholly and entirely ministerial. He had n liobby, or perhaps it would be more correct to oay -t-h,it the hobby had him. He Wi!« passionately fend of old furniture, and he knew from experience that many a tumblodowH cotta ge yielded treasure. To have a remote old-world village to explore made him thrill with anticipatory delight. < It would be extraordinary if he did not light upon a chair, or a tt;ole, or an old sideboard, end txxv.re one, or ell, for the v icarage. However, m it happened, he lighted upon nothing of interest save on old tea caddy. But Mra. Chickford had better luck. She tad called at two cottages, and at the third she found an old couple, each suffering from iheumatk-s. She gathered that they had a fcard job to make both ends meet, and thereupon, being quite a kindly person, she bestowed haif-a-crown on them, and pro- mised them a pudding on the morrow. Then she glanced round the little sitting-room, and caw in the corner one of those antique corner cupboard's beloved by collectors. It was exactly what her husband had been looking out for and had never found. Here let it be said that in her heart of hearts Mrs. Cliickford had uo great liking for antique furniture. But, fl5 a loyal and dutiful wife, she had interested herself in her }-Ju.band'¡> hobby, and had given him— and therefore herself—much pleasure for many successive years by presenting to him on his birthday something in the old furni- tune line, for which she had bargained her- self. His birthday was a month di. stant, and then and there she determined to get the corner cupboard. "That's' a funny cupboard you haye there," she said to Job. "I suppose it's an old one, isn't it?" "I couldn't say its age, mum," quavered Job. "Might be. three or four 'undred years, an' it might be less." Mrs. Chickford crossed the room and looked at it closer. "I suppose you've never thought of sell- in it?" 6he asked, trying to keep the tremor of excitement out of her voice. "Sell i-t?" chuckled Job. "An' who'd buy a bit of old stuff like that? Why, Mister Tims, the carp enter, 'e'd make a better one than that for three 'arf-crowas any day. Sell it!" The vicar's wife xamird the cupboard again, and could fc-ardly suppress an excla- mation when she saw scratch ed in the scroll work of the panel the date "1562." ,-It is dreadfully old," she admitted, as if disillusioned. U I believe it's Eliza- bethan." Li1.ziÐ wn(\. mum?" asked Job, putting lis hand to hia ear. "Elizabethan—made by Queen Elizabeth, you know." said the vicar's wife. "Tha.t worn't made by no Qu<?u 'Liza- beth! You can take my word for that, mum said Job. "I didn't quite mean that," said the ladv ,-What I meant was that someone who lived in Queen Elizabeth's time made it." "1 as far back as that, mum," admitted Job, "but if you says it was, 'vcrv likely you're right. There worn't wa?, verv likely you're right. There v-ern' t ?o much thought o' achoo'm' -.vbeu I was a lad." "If you sold it, don't you think the money would .be very useful to you?" "If I did, it would, mum admitted Job. But as I said afore, who'd buy a old thing like that? Mister Tims-" "Some people like old cupboards," said the vicar's wife. "Now do thev, mum?" asked Job, greatly surprised. "Well, that fair beats me: Come to ihink of it, though, there was a gent ,8tay- I in" 'ere once what offered me four pun' ten for that cupboard, but 'e was one of them joky sort. E said 'e'd come an' bring the rnor,ey, an' then I d see 'o I joKin but he never did" 'E might 'ave done," put in Job's wife. "You're forgettin' 'o was killed on the line. "I don't reckon that made much differ- nc-e," said Job. "I means to that cup- board," he explained. "I'm willin' to admit it made a bit o' difference to 'im. Fair cut to pieces, 'e was. Well, mum, we thanks you kindly for callin', likewise for this 'arf-crown an' the pudd-en that's comin If so be you want3 a clipboard, Mister Tima is wonderful "andv taken quite a fancy to this," said the lady. "And I'll give you four pounds ten for it." "Shall us let it go?" asked Job, turning j to his wife. The old lady wiped her evc-9 and nedded. "The money'11 be 'andv, she said, "al- though I've got that used to thnt old Clil)- board that the place won't seem like 'OIDO when it's gone. Let the lady 'ave it, Job." It's JOdr", Intlm, said Job solemnl" y. We'll give it a coat o' paint aforc-" "No!" shrieked tho vicar's wife. "I want it as it is; Please don't touch it. I will bring the money to-morrow, but I want it to stay hei-e for a month. I am going to give it as a birthday present to my husband, and I should not want it until the day before. That's the 16th of next month'. And"—sud- denly remembering—"as the vicar will be coming here to see YOU, and I don't want him to see the cupboard would you be so kind as to tell him to go round to the back door. He can have bis chat with yetI in the kitchen quite well." "We'll remember, mum," said Job. 'Tain't often we does PTOV. t'hn front door, but as it was yon, we did." Mrs. Chickford returned to the vicarage extremely well pleased with her afternoon's work, and when she had looked up "Corner Cupboards (Elizabethan)" in one cf her hUfJ- band's manuals on Old Furniture, and found that good cupboards of that period were worth from fifteen to twenty guineai she was extra pleased. On the morrow she went down with the money, as "Thank yo kindly, muni." soil Jcb (D. bis surname, by the way), I 'ope 'id civerenee will like 'ia cupboard. 'E'-? got h ,i T (-, t s T 1-+ E c, i gotn good wife in yru, as [n;51:èt¡¡::rl'.) I 2Y€ can see. it c-en: just iike rob- bery takin' four pun' ten for an old cup- d "No, no!" said the vicar's wife, flushing a little. "If you are satisfied, I am. I ¡, want you to bring it up in the evening oi the loth, to the back door, so that the vical may not see it until it is in his study. And do not forget your promise that he shall not see it here." "Don't you be afraid, mum," said Job. "An' while we're on about promises, iLtt an' the missus would be much obliged if you'd promise us solemn not to say where you got the cupboard from. We gets a little 'elp mum, trom one an' t'other, an' if it got out we' d been selling "I quite understand," interrupted Mrs. Chickford, smiling. "I promise you t;b --t wild horses will no; Make nie say from whom I bought the cupboard." • » » In duo course the vicar, ad his visitation proceeded, reached Job's cottage. He rapped on the front dcor, but Job (through the keyhole) shouted that the door was stuck on account o' the damp an' would e' ColiO to the back. The vicar didn't mind in the least, and was soon sorted in the cosy kitchen chatting ilway jovially. As had been the ooto with his better half, there came an interval in the conversation when his eyes wandered round t.he room. ge-eking what they might devour in the antique line. "Ah he ejaculated, as he spotted a little table of the variety termed "gate-legged." "Now, my friend, you must let mo Ux>k at that table. May It" "Look at it, sir?" said Job, astonished. "Of course ye may. an' ",lcome It'" nought but an old -it to hav-3 been chopped up years a go. The missus is rather set on it. though. Now, sir, you tell 'er it's three 'undcrd year old, an' p'raps she'll believe you, an' let me smash it up." The vicar looked, and his eyes glittered. "Doc," he said, "I cannot see a piece of old furniture like this without coming very closely to an infringement of the tenth com- malldm'nt-' Thou ehalt not covet thy neighbour's goods,' you know. I want to buy this table from you, and I am prepared to offer you five pounds for it." "Folks'll like you, H said Job. "Our old parson never cracked a joke with nobody. Did you catch that, Martha? Tha gentleman says 'e'll give five pun' ten for this old t>ai>le He, he "But I'm not joking!" protested the Reverend J. J., "and I hereby renew my offer of five poun-J.-r?ten shillings." "There's worm 'oles in it, sir," said Job, "an' the top's been spoiled with comecne puttin' the date on when it was made. There's the figgers, sir, sixteen sixty. That's a terrible long time ago, but you could put a book over the place or a vase or summat, so that nobody wouldn't knew." The vicar smiled. "It's the date that attracts me, friend Job. In an old table I obtain a new treasure. Will you sell it to meF" "'Tain't worth five shillings, sir, let alone five pun' ten!" said Job. Now if you're wantin' a table. Mister Tims 'ud mako you one-" "I know he would. But I like old tables, not new ones. I offer you i-ve pounds ten shillings for it. For the third and last 1 time, as our friends with the hammer say will you accept that sum?" "It's robbery, sir," said Job, with a sigh, "btot I can't 'old out no longer. But you'll 'ave to promise that you won't tell nobody I sold it. not for that sum, or they'll be savin' 1-" "The matter, so far as I am concerned, shall be kept absolutely private," said the vicar. "Much obliged, sir," said Job. And when would vou like the table sent?" "I'll let vou know. We're still in some- what of a muddle up at the vicarage. Koep it for a little while, please. I'll change a cheque to-morrow and leave the money as 1 pass. The corner cupboard went up to the vicar- age on the evening of the 15th, and (Tims assisting) it was faxed in the vicar s study while he was out. On his return he was delighted. "My dear," he said, as he kissed his wife, "vour thought is as charming as yourself The cupboard is a splendid specimen of the beet Elizabethan workmanship. I shall keep mv sermons in it. I, too. have a surprise for you, and I am precluded from doing any- thing more than say: Here, my dear, is a new adornment for your drawing-room! Ask no but receive at the hands of your spouse a crift from the gods!' To- morrow that g-ift shall be yours Mrs. Chickford was delighted with the e-ate-legged table. She really wanted a small table, and had at first been afraid that the "gift" was to be still another an- j tiquc warming-pan, making the ninth, or a three-legged stool, making the sixth. » write a "Missus," said Job, "I'll 'ave to write a letter to-night. So if you're goin' out, you might tret a postal order for thirty shillings. You know what for." "dere Sirs," wrote Job, slowly and pain- fully "the cuberd is Sold and Abo the tabel. And"I send the 30 shillings for them along of tbM. I might havo 1 of them spinning wheels same as I had larst summer and 1 chest not 2 big, oping to do better when the War stops ana Visitors come back.—Yours truly, "JOB DOE." The envelope was addre^ed "Messrs Abrahamstein and Co. to an address in London, and Abrahamstein and Co., to those who know, are expert makers of "Genuine Antiques." They may supply Bond Street, or they may not, but certain it is that they prbvide Mr. Job Doe, of Mudeford (and other simple-minded villagers in other quaint old villages), with expert-defying imitations of Elizabethan and Jacobean work. "Who do I reckon I'll sell that chest to?" repeated Jcb, in reply to his wife's question. "Why, the vicar, of course! Directly it comes I'm goiu' to 'aTe rooniatics dreadful bad an' go to bed. Thilt chest will be along- side Hi v bed, and if "i- 'oly riverence don't spot it an' want to get it I'll eat my 'at!" j And it can be recorded that when the vicar came to see poor old Job he saw the chest, coveted it, and bought it for ten guineas, the wholesale pries to Job being "putting on one side the ministerial aspect of my work, Job," said the vicar, "and regarding myself merely as a judge and collector of the antique, I feel sure that it wa3 Providence that guided me to this village." "There ain't a doubt about it," said Job. "An' seein' you're so set on these old things I've asked niv sister to send over an old spicnin' wheel she's got what belonged to graii d iii,-t? h ,,er. 'er great-great-qrandmother's grandmother. T .ike as not vonr lady would like to 'ave a lo-.k at it." Tin spinning wheel is in the vicarage.
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"I am thirty-five years old," announced a woman of fifty-six a.t a tea last week. "And I am twenty-six," said a woman of forty-five. Then. turning to a girl of seven- j teen who stood near by, she asked, "How old are you, Ethel?" "Oh!" replied Ethel, > "according to present reckoning, I'm not born yet." "Papa," eaid Bob, "wouldn't you be glad I' if I saved a shilling for vou?" "Certainly, my son," said' papa, so delighted at the evi- dence of budding business ability that ho II handed Bobbie a peuny-" BpOt cash." "Well, I saved it all right," said Robert edging towards tho door. "You said it I brought a gocd report from my teacher you would give me a shilling, but I didn't."
iMEN OVER 45.I
MEN OVER 45. I —— —— INVITED TO WORK FOR THE NATION. I A scheme which will facilitate the obtain- ing of fit young men by the Army and will enable a considerable number of the older men to remain at home is being perfected by the Ministry of National Service. It is con- nected with the Agricultural Volunteers, and with the War Work Volunteers. It »ia intended to enrol volunteers for agri- cultural 'work. Not every man will be ac- ce table. Men will be enrolled by the employment agencies or agricultural executive commit- teea for a period not exceeding twelvo months. Offers of enrolment are open to Grade III. men of any age. and also to all men over forty-five years, whatever their medical category may he, even if it is Grade I.. provided that they are not issider call for military service at the tiitie of enrolment, and that they have not been refused final ewmipfeittn by a tribunal. Men not yet m I" Ily graded may al?o offer their ser- viœs. NEW Z" CLASS. I Tha position with regard to protection from military service is as follows Should a man who has signed on for enrolment re- ceive a calling-up notice it will be suspended i-jt a month from that date in order to pro- vide time for him to be actually enrolled. No man is definitely enrolled until he has been accepted by an employer for a specific job 01 his own choice. Once a man is en- rolled he will, of course, not be called up for military service aa long as he remains in hia job, and provided he fulfils the condi- tions mentioned. Discharged soldiers and sailors and men outbid* the scope of the Military Service Acts aro also invited to enrol without re- gard to age or medica! arrr-de. A further arrangement of greater import- ance t. tho older men is tno creating of two classes of War Work Volunteers:- Z Class, which will includo Grade III. men of all age. Grade II. men over thirty-five on January 1, 1918, and Grado 1. men over forty-five on January 1, 1918. Ordinary Class, which will include Grade III. men of all ags. and Grade II. men over forty-five on January 1, 1918. Theoo men will also be protected from a call-up for military service. The aim is to obtain men who are employed in the less essential industries and to transfer them to work of greater national importance, where their services are urgently required, thus relieving younger men fit for the Colours.
IOBJECTOR AT ADMIRALTY. I
I OBJECTOR AT ADMIRALTY. I Before the Law Society Tribunal, Pereival Parsons, aged twenty-ono, single and Bl, de- scribed as an assistant accounts officer at the Admiralty, appealed on conscientious gTounda. Parsons belonged to the Plymouth Brethren. He quoted numerous passages of Scripture, including "Love your enemies." Sir John Paget: You have been working at the Admiralty. Is it not the Admiralty's duty to protect us from the enemy by nink- ing German ships if necessary? Appellant: It is impossible to get out of i-g A G i'I ? ?nl, we get out of the world. I am not taking the life of my fellowmen. I am a civil eervant. Appellant was granted exemption from combatant eervice.
I KING CUTS SHIRTS.I
I KING CUTS SHIRTS. I The King helped to cut soldiers' shirts, when accompanied by the Queen he visited various factories in London engagod on work of national importance. It was at the Army Clothing Factor y thai the King received and accepted the invita- tion to try his hand as a cutter. He used an electric machine, and in a few seconds severed true to pattern, shirt lengths on a pile of material fifty thickResaea deep. The cut material was then transferred to machines, on which the detail work of cut- ting out was finished. At a second factory visited their Majcstie-s wore informed that here every week thirty miles of cloth are cut up for Army clothing purposes.
!^ I STRAWBERRIES ON SATURDAYS.…
STRAWBERRIES ON SATURDAYS. I The Food Controller has issued a general licence regarding sales of picked straw- berries between 8 a.m. and midnight on Saturdays until further notice provided that they are delivered on the game day without any restriction as to destination. This concession, which will relenee a quan- tity of strawberries on a Saturday for con- sumption by the public has been made in view of the difficulties experienced by many of the jam manufacturers in handling Saturday consignments.
F.EAT¡¡Y DESERTER.
F.EAT¡¡Y DESERTER. At Old-street Police-^ourt, John Berry, eighteen, describing himself as a pugilist, was charged with stealing a bicycle and being in the unlawful possession of Army discharge certificates. -He told the magis- trate ho was a deserter from the Navy. Joseph Arbuckle, a discharged soldier, of Newcastle, said prisoner was his brother, and that Berry's real name was Arbuckle. He had been left several houses and other property, and had plenty of money. Sen- tence of three months was passed.
IDEARER COAL.I
DEARER COAL. I The Board of Trade has made an order in- creasing the price of all coal by 2s. 6d. per ton, except in the case of shipments to France and Italy, in which eases the amount of tbo increase is 5s. per ton. The advance, which oomes into operation at one- is due to the higher coots of work- ing at the collieries.
—————————— t I BABY TAKES…
—————  ————— t BABY TAKES STRYCHNINE. I An eleven-month-old baby at Blandford (Dorset) swallowed a syrup tablet for head- ache, and died from strychnine poisoning. The jury at the inquest expressed the view that such medicine ought not to be pur. chasable without a doctor's certificate.
GOVERNORSHIP FOR AN M.P.I
GOVERNORSHIP FOR AN M.P. I Major the Hon. Sir Eustace Edward Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, Bart., M.P., is appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Seychelles, in succession to Lieutenant- Colonel C. R. M. O'Brien, C.M.G., appointed Governor of Barados.
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Colonel 11. A. Sunders haS been returned unopposed Unionist member for Bridgwater (Somerset). Captain Maurice D. Quili, R.M.A., agd twenty-two, &)u of Surgeon-General Quill, was killed through his horse bolting while on parade at Eactuey Barracks, Pcrtsmcuth. Robert Hurt, wh é) died at Chertiey, aged eighty-five, was three wour.ded in the Crimea and the Indian Mutiny, but lived to draw a pension for over sixty years.
FOUR AIRMEN KILLED.
FOUR AIRMEN KILLED. A collision which occurred in the air be- tween two aeroplanes in Cheshire, resulted in the deaths of three airmen. In one ma- chine were C-Ltptain Reginald Gay Pearson, R.A.F., London, and Lieutenant William Smith Macfarlane, R. Scotd, attached Air Force, Edinburgh. In the other was Second Lieutenant Vincent Flvnn, R.A.F., New Jersey, U.S.A. Second Lieutenant A. J. Maltby, R.A.F., who was only eighteen, son of Mr. J. H. Maltby, Abingdon, Sandgate, Kent, has been killed while flying at Mont- rose.
ONE-MAN BUSINESS HARDSHIPS.…
ONE-MAN BUSINESS HARDSHIPS. I Mr. Cecil Beck, replying to a question in the House of Commons asked by Sir Watson Rutherford, says that careful instructions have been given to tribunals to mitigate the hardships inevitably suffered by proprietors of one man businesses, but he is not pre- pared to restrict the National Service repre- sentatives' right of appeal, even when the exemption has been granted unanimously.
ITALIAN VICTORY.
ITALIAN VICTORY. AUSTRIANS RECROSSING THE PIAVE IN DISORDER. GREAT OFFE-NSIVE FAIIS. The great Austrian offensive against Italy has failed. On Sunday tho Italian Supreme Command issued a statement that" from liont-ello to the sea the Austrians were de- feated and were recrossing the Piave in disorder, closely "pursued by the Italian troops. The Austrian offensive was begun a week earlier, and it was evident at the outset that the Austri-ans intended to conduct it on the model of the German offensive in France. But they did not attain a single one of their objectives' and thoir gains in territory were insigniiicant. After a wcoek of furious fight- ing they have been definitely defeated, and their total losses are stated to amount to not less than 180,(XX) meu. The Italians and Allied troops have cap- tured over 12,000 prisoners. On Saturday night the following Italian official communique was issued:- The enemy's powerful offensive pressure, broken heroically or withstood along the whole front of battle by firm resistance and the counter-offensive spirit of our troops, has not been renewed since the evening of Juno 20. Yesterday the enemy launched another strong local attacks in the direction of Lesson (south-west of Fossalta.), but he was sanguinarily repulsed. He carried out violent concentrations of fire on the Mon- tello and in the Grappa region, which were effectively countered, and successive ad- vances attempted by infantry divisions were crushed. At Cavazuccherina, strongly supported by the batteries of the Italian Royal Navy, our brave sailors and BersagJieti during another urilliant action enlarged the bridgehead, capturing 150 prisoners and a large quantity c-f arms and material. On the remainder of the Front small ad- justment actions allowed us to rectify the line in our favour, and brought us in some other prieoners and war booty. On the Asiago Plateau one of our small detach- ments daringly penetrated in full daylight into an enemy advanced post, and after a lively struggle captured the garrison. Ten enemy aeroplanes and three captive balloons were brought down. The following further Italian communique was issued on Sunday night. It refers only to the events of the previous day — Along the whole front of battle our ar- tillery is continuing to bombard the enemy intenwly. On tho Montello and along the Piave our infantry, everywhere maintaining a powerful pressure on the enemy, yesterday carried out with success small coups-de-main and patrol actions. To the west of Fagar" the enemy attempted some offensive returns, .which were immediately crushed. A British party, in an energetic surprise action, broke into the adversary's lines to the south of Asiago, and after a lively struggle killed 1C0 of the enemy and brought back thirty-one prisoners and one machme- gun. and Allio(I airmen con-lini e d the Our own and Allied airmen continued the struggle with undiminished daring. Yester- day thev also carried out big and effective bombardments on the imin-ediate lileo of c-ommunication of the enemy. Ten enemy machines were brought down. Lieutenant Flavio Baracchini gained hi* twenty-ninth vietory. The aerial losses suffered by the enemy since June 15 amount to ninety-five aeroplanes and six captive balloon?. RAID BY YORKSHIRE TROOPS. I The following report was received on I Saturday from the General Officer Com- manding-in-Chid British Forces in Italy: — British Front (Italy), Saturday. Situation quiet and unchanged on the British Front. Our counter-battery groups have been most successful, obtaining many direct. hits on hostile batteries previously located, and exploding numerous dumps of ammunition. Last night Yorkshire troops successfully raided the enemy's positions south of Asia- g-o. inflicting heavy casualties and capturing thirty-one prisoners and one machine-gun. Between June 12 and 21 inclusive, the Royal Air Force have destroyed twenty-three enemy aeroplanes. During the same period two of our machines have failed to return. GREAT AUSTRIAN DEFEAT. I The following official report from General Diaz was issued 0;1 Monday:— Yesterday gave us the crowning results of ,-ir vietory. Pushed up agiiinst the bank of the Piave in a strip of ground ever becoming narrower, ■K'Titbaided without pause by the artillery and aeroplanes, the enemy, a., tor having maia- caincd himself desperately for eight days, at ti. price of enormous sacrifices, on the right bmic of the river, began on the night of June 22-23 his withdrawal to the left bank of the river. The crossino, of the river under the deadly are of our artillery centinued yesterday, pro- tected by a strong array of machine guns and covering troops, who, after a stubborn resistance were successively driven back by mir troops at their heels. The Montello and al! the right bank of the Piave, with the exception of a small portion I rt ilusile, where the struggl-e is continuing, returned into our hand", Eo far more than 4,000 pri-oiurs have been counted. A great quantity of arms ard material of ill kinds has fallen into our hands. An extra- ordinary number of Austrian de;d covers the ground of the struggle, and this proves the unfortunate valour a and the great defeat of Liie enemy. 4 (}(J\ nRTO"1>' L'n¡; I 45,000 PRISONERS. In a message from Rome on Monday night it w,;s stated that the Italians had captured 15,000 prisoners, with enormous booty. The following Italian &? mi-official coiumn- niquti was issued ou Monday night The enemy, already beaten by the Italians and the Allied contingents on the Asiago plateau and in the Grappa region, had been pressed up towards the Piave in the Montello I area and between Candelu and Capo Sile, thanks to th3 stubborn impetus of the Italian troops. The armies of Archduke Joseph and Colonel von Wurm were already beaten, obliged as they were by the counter-attacks of the Italian infantry to retire into a narrow strip of ground, where they were swept by continual fire, and where supplies were most difficult to obtain on account of the bridges and foot-bridges across the l' iave being con- tinually destroyed by the Italian artillery and aeroplanes. But their defeat, as that of the troops of Marshal Conrad, may bo ,:1.id to have received the mark of material evidence from their precipitate retirement across the )1 Piave. The enemy will attempt to attribute to hia I retirement a character of spontaneous decision, as may be argued from a bulletin of his in which he speaks of the Piave being flooded. But the truth is that the Piave during Iiia retreat was not at all flooded, and it is due to this fact principally that the enemy has been able to transport to the other bank of the river most of his troops. Had the fords across the river been wanting and the Aus- trians been obliged to depend only on the I bridges always under the Italian fire their looses would have been even greater than those suffered. The retreat across the Piave is the direct consequence, the natural corollary, the inevitable conclusion of the battle, which the Italians offered to the Austrians in reply to their offensive; a battle in which at first the anemy was arrested by the countcr-prepara- j Hon of the artillery and by the resistance in the first belt of trenches, by an active rcsit. ?nce consisting of counter-attac?a, and after- j wards by a counter-offensive battle, when tho advance made by the enemy on the Montello and along the Piave, on the right bank of the river, with about twenty divisions, and hia bringing up his artillery, counselled the Italians to oppose massed actions prepared with concentrations of fire of extreme violence and intensity. Defeated in the mountains and on the plains, worn out by the enormous losses, ex- hausted in strength and in war material, deprived of his initial advantages, the enemy has had to retreat. The Italian army tnav be proud in haTin, with the aid of Allied divisons on the Aeriago plateau, beaten all the A.ustrian army.
TWO NEW V.C.S.
TWO NEW V.C.S. LONDONER'S THREE ATTEMPTS TO DELIVER MESSAGE. The V.C. has been awarded to: Private R. E. Cruiclcshank, Lond. R. (Harringay). Tho platoon to which Private Cruickshank belonged came under very heavy rifle and machine-gfun fire at short range, and was led down a steep bank into a wadi, most of tho men being hit before they reached the bottom. Immediately after reaching the bottom of the wadi the officer in command was shct jdead, and the sergeant who then took over command sent a runner back to Company Headquarters asking for support, but was mortally wounded almost immediately after; the oorporal having in the meantime been killed, the only remaining N.C.O. (a lance- corporal), believing the first messenger to have been killed, called for a volunteer to take a second message back. Private Cruickshank immediately responded, and rushed up the slope, but was hit and rolled back into the wadi bottom. He again rose and rushed up the ftlope, but, being again wounded, rolled back into the wadi. After his wounde had been dressed he rushed a third time up the slope and again fell badly wounded. Being now unable to stand he rolled himself back amid a hail of bullets. His wounds were now of such a nature as to preclude his making any further attempt, and he lay all day in a dangerous position, being sniped at and again wounded where he lav. GURKHA'S FINE WORK. I Rifleman Karanbahadur Rana, Gurkha Rifles. During an attack he, with a few other men, succeeded under intense fire, in creep- ing forward with a Lewis gun in order to engage an enemy machine-gun which had caused severc, casualties to officers and other ranks who had attempted to put it out of action. No. 1 of the Lewis gun opened fire, and was shot immediately. Without a moment's hesitation Rifleman Karanbahadur pushed tho dead man off the gun, and in spite of bombs thrown at him and heavy fire from both flanks, he opened fire and knocked out tho enemy machine-gun crew; then, switch- ing his fire on to the enemy bombers and riflemen in front of him, he silenced their fire. He kept his gun in action and showed the greatest coolness in removing defects which on two occasions prevented the gun from firing. During the remainder of the day he did magnificent work, and when a withdrawal was ordered he assisted with covering fire until the enemy were close on him.
BY-ELECTION RESULTS. I
BY-ELECTION RESULTS. I Claplnam has returned the Coalition candi- date. The result of the polling was as fol- lows: Mr. H. Grc-er (Coalition) 4,512 1 Mr. H. Beamish (Ind.) 3,331 Coalition majority 1,181 The East Cavan election resulted in the return of Mr. Arthur Griffith, founder of I Sinn Fein, who is interned in this country. The figures were :—■ Griffith. 3,795 O'llanlon (Nat.) 2;581 majority 1,214 1 The Sinn Feiners have n?w secured 813 I Ma.ts. I
"THANKS TO THESE MANLY FELLOWS"I
"THANKS TO THESE MANLY FELLOWS" I In a telegram to the Lord Mayor of Lon- den, replying to birthday congratulations. Sir Douglas Haig says "I must share the gratitude which you ex- press to me with the glorious troops under my orders. Thanks to the devotion of these manly fellows the British Army in Franco is withstanding the utmost endeavour of tho enemy.
OVERSEAS FOR OLDER MEN. I
OVERSEAS FOR OLDER MEN. I Mr. Macpherson states that he can give no pledge that men from forty-three to fifty will not be sent to India, but the utmost care will bo taken to .-+:C that men sent over- Beas are fit for the duties they will have to perform.
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Billy Holland, revue artist, was at Mid- dlesbrough fined £ 30 for altering, on his discharge certificate, his service period from one to two years and adding that he had iron the D.C.M. "I regret that I cannot make any conces- sions," said Sir Albert Stanley to a deputa- tion which urged consideration for season- ticket holders living outside the twelve I miles radius.
THE BRITISH -FRONT.-
THE BRITISH FRONT. I FIFTY PRISONERS TAKEN IN RAID. ON GERMAN LINES. OUR LINE ADVANCED. Tåe following reports have been received from Sir Douglas Haig: Monday, 10.15 a.m. A successful minor enterprise, in whicS many Germans were killed and fifty prisoners and some machine-guns were captured by our troops, was carried out by us last night south of Moteren. Casualties were inflicted on the enemy, and a few prisoners were captured by us, aJsc during the night, in raids and patrol encoun- ters on other parts of the front. Monday, 7.45 p.m. The minor operations carried out by us last night in the neighbourhood of Meteren waa completely successful, all our objectives being gained, and our line advanced. In addition to the prisoners reported this morning, ten machine guns wero taken by us. A few prisoners were captured last night in a successful raid carried out by French troopa in the Locoo sector. There is nothing further to report.
TRAVEL RATIONS.
TRAVEL RATIONS. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company has decided to adopt a system of rationing Saturday travelling facilities be- tween the various stations on their line to Blackpool and Southport. The traffic on this line during the summer is enormous. Persons desiring to travel on Saturdays to either of the resorts mentioned must apply for tickets a fortnight before hand, and must then only travel on the trains to which they are allocated and for which their tickets are marked.
THE CHASE IN AFRICA.
THE CHASE IN AFRICA. War Office. In Portuguese East Africa the enemy force, much reduced, is reported to be moving south from the Iragu Hills. On June 15 the main body was at Alto Mulocue, 225 miles west by south from Mozambique, with an advanced detachment at Ille, fifty miles further to the south-west. On June 18 an enemy detachment was reported at Mujeba, eighty miles north of Queli Mane- Our pursuit continues.
SIR DOUGLAS HAIG AND HIS TROOPS.
SIR DOUGLAS HAIG AND HIS TROOPS. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig-, in a tele- gram to the Lord Mayor of London, says:- "Please accept my very best thanks for the very kin4 message you have been good enough to send me from the citizens of Lon- don on the occasion of my birthday. "I am greatly touched by your references to my services during these long and anxious years, but I must share the gratitude which you express to me with the glorious troops under my orders and with the many mem- bers of the numerous services and depart- ments which go to make up our great Army. "Thanks to the devotion of these manly fellows, the British Army in France is with- standingr the utmost endeavour of the enemy. "D. HAIG."
THE GIRL WITH THE LAMP.
THE GIRL WITH THE LAMP. Last November a British military car had ft breakdown in a village near Creil. A little girl brought an electric lamp to help the mechanic, while he was repairing. The officer in the car asked her name and age. Her name was Nenette, and her age was six. "1 have a little boy of my own at home," said the British officer. A few days ago (eays the Paris correspondent of the "Telegraph ") the same British officer, who was Sir Eric Geddes, passed through the same village, and asked to see Nenette. She was not there, so he left a present for her with his card. a
IRISH DEPORTEES.
IRISH DEPORTEES. In the Hotise of Commons, Mr. Outhwaite asked the Chief Secretary whether he had cow secured sufficient evidence to enable a prosecution of treason to be brought against the Irish men and women who had been de- ported and imprisoned. Mr. Shortt: There is sufficient evidence, but no prosecutions for treason are con- sidered either nccessary or advisable.
CAVALRY IN PALESTINE.
CAVALRY IN PALESTINE. War Office. tl.e, of June 12 a cavalry reconnaissance wau carried out to the east of the Jordan, in the course of which a number cf the enemy were killed with the lance. Imperial and Australian air sq uadrons executed an extensive bombing raid on El Kutrani railway station, Hedjaz railway, and the eiiomy cumus in its vicinity on the morning of June 16. Direct hita were obtained cn a troop train full of trocps on tho enemy shelters. The station build- ings were set cn fire. On June 15 a similar raid was carried out at Amman railway station. The Arab forces have been active in the vicinity of Aneizeh station (thirty miles north of Maan) and Hafira twenty-uve miles north-west of Medina).
NEW PAPER RESTRICTIONS..
NEW PAPER RESTRICTIONS. The Board of Trade have issued a fur- ther Paper Restriction Order in place of that issued on February 27 last. Dealers in imported wrapping and packing paper, cardboard, and boxes must restrict supplies for the six months ending December 31, 1918, to one-third the weight of such goods as they supplied during the previous twelve months. Imported paper or paper-making materials for the ensuing six mouths are restricted to one-quarter the weight of such' goods re- ceived during the year ended February 28. Paper supplies manufactured in the United Kingdom in the ensuing six months are re- stricted to one-fourth the weight of sup- plies received in the year ended February 28, if made mainly from imported materials, and to one-third if made mainly from materials home-produced.
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Pare-la for Expeditionary Forces are now accepted up to illb. Four Merthyr mine workers have been ap- pointed magictrates. A Grade 1 man, aged thirty-seven, with ten children, has been sent to the Army by the Essex At;peal Tribunal. A Russian barber was told at the Guild. hall that he might get exemption if he put a notice in his window d free shaves for soldiers and sailors and joined the ambu- lance. "Accidental death" wes the verdict at Southampton on an Australian, Corporal Ernest Ptx-le, twenty-one, of Sydney, who di/slocetcd his spine by diving into shallow water to savo a child's life. Two Ger man j ri/oncrs who escaped from Shrewsbury were rcoapturcd at Titcombe.