It most be acknowledged that {a good meny Reservists Vring misery upon themselves. They squander their savings, and too often marry lovely Mary Anne," Vefore they have secured permanent employment. Talking of wasting money, I must refer in protest against the way civilians tempt reservists to do this, When soldiers go into the reserve with a little money saved or a gratuity, there are many who, by means of the abominable system of treating, help them to get rid of it. And when they crime from the reserve to join the corys and went to the war in South Africa, what an amount of well-meant but cruel Kindness there was in tempting them to get overcome with drink at the solemn hour of bidding farewell He's an absent-minded beggar—that's no reason we should take Advantage of poor Tommy's absent mind; Blow him up with pies, at jarring, till his belt begins to br "'with the colours," he enters the reserve of the life they are leaving rush into their Fill him full of patti liquor till he's and there remains for five years, The minds, and they wonder when they will be blind."
Army Reserve is not a separate force in well off again. is often said that reserve men are not itself, but '*men who have been allowed mne of his barrack room ballads Mr. willing to work. In the cate of some of to go'on furlough on certain conditions."
Ripling thus sings of the soldier's outlook—them this is undoubtedly tue. There who They are classified into four sections accord-"Then don't ye weep for me, enlisted. hoping to get away from work ing to their length and date of service with My lovely Mary Ann, and have an easy time, are not likely to the colours. As a retaining fee for rejoin-For I'll marry ye vit, creatly hanker niter it on returning to ing the army when required they receive On a fourpenny-hi lion life, They join the ranks of those from 4d. to. 1s. per diem according to the As a time-expired man." who look for employment ud pray all class in which they are. It is from this source mainly that the "peace strength The fourpenny-hit is only too symbolic the time that they may not find it. of a battalion of infantry, squadron of of the prospects of many a Tommy Atkins As regards the majority of reserve men, cavalry, or battery of artillery is mobilised on leaving the service. What one "gentle-however, we believe that they are willing up to war strength." The strength of man in khaki" thought of these prospects to work, and if they seem not to be, many the reserve is from eighty to a hundred may be inferred from the fellowing which of them have told me the reason.
thousand. a patient in the Royal Victoria Hospital, because they are offered wages less than It is universally admitted that no larger Netley, wrote to raise his spirits as he other men by the amount of their reserve or finer army ever left England than that meditated, the evening before leaving the pay. There are mean people in garrison which sailed to the South African cam-hospital and the army, on what was before towns on the look out for cheap grooms and him in civilian life. other Jabs urers, These generous gentlemen paign, This was because there were reserves at hand to bring each corps up to "First Annual Consolation Meeting of say to reservists who seek work: "You war strength. An experienced command-the Unemployed will he held in get sixpence a day for belonging to the re-ing officer, Colonel Smith-Dorrien, thus Incurable Rooms, Forlorn Place, serve, 80 you can afford to take that much wrote in a' letter home: "I am in' com-'Melancholy Street, less than other workmen." Very properly mand of the finest, battalion it has ever on the 34th of February, 1901, men refused this dishonest and unpatriotic been the fortune of a colonel to take on Scavenger Mick in the chair. offer. It is dishonest to get cheap labour Those who are sick of life admitted free. by defrauding a man of his reserve pay and active service. I thought our ordinary men 8 very fine lot, but when I saw the Reser-The platform will be reserved for iptendthe country that give It is unpatriotic vists I was fairly astonished at their size ing Suicides. too, for more than anything else it prevents and physique. They are absolutely the Tears on the Table during the evening. young men enlisting. They seo that re-finest lot of men I have ever seen.
Ropes, Poison, snd Razv-rs gratis. Coffins servists, after being on active service and We have every sort of useful trade repre-will arrive at 11 p.m. in unhealthy foreign stations, get no reward in the shape of pension or reserve sented, engine drivers, plate layers, fur-This was written a few years ago when pay for so doing. The country gives it, riers, bricklayers, whitesmiths, and ma: y there was a prejudice against employing but employers of labour appropriate it to old regimental signallers. A large men who had served in the army. The themselves by deducting it frm the wages number are railway experts, who will be excuse was that they might be recalled to they pay. very useful in the present war." the army, and in this way give trouble by
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.