The ration of wives, if we may so speak, allowed in the army by Government is as follows. All warrant officers and non-commissioned officers of the higher grades can marty and their wives come on the strength asa matter of course. The same is the case with half of the sergeants, and from three to seven per cent of the privates according to the arm of the service. This may seem a small number for the privates, but as the majority enlist at the age of eighteen, and even younger, and complete seven years' service with the colours at twenty-five, there is no excuse for their marrying. Why should soldiers marry earlier and oftener than other people, while civilians do not think it a hardship to postpone marring until they are twenty-five years of age?
makes a great difference to Mrs. Thomas Atkins whether she is on or off
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.