All for a Scrap of Paper A Romance of the Present War

rve left in one day, while many who were away in their fishing-boats were expected to join their vessels as soon as they could return home. Young territorials left the neighbourhood by the s

and presently, when the news came that an army consisting of one hundred thousand men had landed on French soil without even a hitch or casualty, we cheered wildly. Evidently o

ken of as "the enemy." We held our breaths when we read of the bombardment of Liége, and cheered wildly at the thought of the brave Belgian army holding the forts against the opposing forces, and driving back the hordes

these provinces. Of course it was only forty-four years ago that they had been taken from them by their conquerors in the Franco-German war. We knew too that, ever since, they had been longing for revenge, longing to win back what they felt to be part of their own country. Naturally we sympathised with the French in this, and tears came to our eyes, and sobs to our throats, when we read how old Frenchmen who had been through the Franco-German war, welcomed the soldiers with wild and

ike the Iron Duke in Boney's time. Nerves like st

rman advance towards Paris. "If the capital is taken," men said, "Isn't everything done

day. Yorkshire and Lancashire proved their devotion and their loyalty. Devon, too, our sister county, more than maintained her traditions. We read how in one little village where only thirty young men lived, twenty-five of them had volunteered. "It is beca

was the love of his country and his own people, and the other was the voice of his conscience. He thought, when he happened to go into the little town, that people nudged each other significantly as he passed, and made unflattering remarks about him. As a matter of fact, however, no such thing happened. True, there were some who wondered why he

n the Public Hall on Thursday night in order to explain why this war has taken place, and why it is the duty of every man to help." It announced also that Admiral Tresize was to take the

reasons for the war, and I should be in utter misery if I

en them. He felt that his mother despised him. He felt sure, too, that she knew all that had taken place at Penwe

meeting at the Public

day of the meeting

ook hi

speaker," went on Mrs. Nancarrow. "But you see, the fact of his starting for the front in a day or so, makes

tered wildly as

ayed at Penwennack la

re than ever. The Capt

yesterday

anion was a man after the Admiral's own heart? He had showed no hesitation about the right of defending his country; rather he had throughout been enthusiastic to a degree, while Bob had hung back. Mad jealousy fille

s you know, she goes almost everywhere with her father, and as the

f defending his country, the crowd cheering wildly, while Nancy, carried away by her admiration of the man who accorded wit

hour before the announced time, and found the place nearly full. All round the walls hung bunting, characteristic

y scorn Tre,

l Trelaw

y thousand

w the re

m some one had written, "Cornwall has never failed her country yet. Shall she be unwort

the man who took him there, wanted him, as the son of one who had been,

voices are sweeter than those of the dwellers in our most Western county. His heart caught fire as he listened. Yes, there was something in fighting for home and fatherland, something sublime in dying for a

lf his eyes were drawn towards her as if by a magnet. He tried to look away from her, but could not, and then, when he least expected it, her gaze caught his. It was only for a second, but that second plunged him into the deepest darkness.

bout the causes which led up to the war, and then told of the part which the county had always played, and of her gre

nthusiasm. He was little fitted to explain the intricacies of international politics. Bob felt, during the whole time he was speaking, that he d

nalist which was said to be very popular in various parts of th

struck. It only wanted a little to rouse the whole audience to white heat; the train was laid, the powder was set, but no one seemed able to ignite the match. People

s and looked a soldier, every inch of him; tall, stalwart, straight as a rule. Young and h

st the first time that I have tried to address a meeting. I am a soldier; I sta

way that they appealed to every one present. Bob felt it more than any one else. Yes, he envied h

ing; training, training; preparing for the fray, and waiting and longing to, hear

and as he spoke a new ligh

thousands of the brave lads from all over the Emp

le, because he told a simple story, which, while from the standpoint of the cold critic it migh

nd now the final stage had come. They had sent what was in some senses an ultimatum to Germany, and they were now waiting for the answer. War and peace hung in the balance. The time was approaching midnig

to be trusted, or was it a sham and a lie? 'We Britons gave our word,' our statesmen had said, 'and, like Britons, we are going to kee

layed the traitor, that he had torn up the treaty he had signed; and thus when the last stroke of Big Ben sounded across London, the

the many-throated re

any, at Berlin. Our Ambassador there, was speaking to a representative of the German Kaiser, the mouth

ds,' said th

' queried

going to be true to the treaty you ha

ot?' the G

by and see a little state wronged and ruined, because a great nati

t is a treaty? Will you go to war with

r means our nation's hon

' asked the German, thinking

Ambassador, 'are not likely to go

ssion, and the Englishman sa

had him give a

shout from the hall

rival. Oh, how he envied him! He saw that Nancy's eyes were ablaze with joy, that she was moved to the depth of her being;

, but what are his excuses worth? I have heard of young fellows, men who have been trained in our public schools, who stand by and refuse to help; what shall we say of them? And you yo

e enthusiasm he had roused, became almost eloquent. He knew he

who is such a coward as to refuse to fight for his country isn't worth having. Tell him so, shame

o?" shouted a vo

se. Any of you girls who know men who are hanging back from cowardice, just give them a white feather, and never speak to them again until they h

eeting was in a state of w

discuss the situation. An old retired sergeant of seventy years of age stayed with a number of youn

t, "aren't you going to be men? are

sked. "What 'ave we g

nquer your country? would you lik

shudden us?

'em-we bean't goin' to," said another. "Why shud w

n old man near; "you bean't wo

bean'

ud 'ee like to be trait

a darned sight better on

o 'ee

eform, zaid that the Germans was a lot better off than we be. He zaid that the Germans was fat, and that we was lean, and that the Germans

he old man. "Bean't 'ee goin' to

naw trick worth two of that"; and then shamefacedly

he not doing the same? Yes; his reasons were different, and of course he could have made a better case for himself than they did, but was he not a shirker just as much as they were? Then all such thoughts were driven from his mind in a second, for down the platform steps, with

"You should, as an old O.T.C. man. I find that hosts of the f

hy Nancy stood waiting as if with the intention of speaking to him. He knew that he cut a poor figure compared with Trevanion, and that to Nancy he must seem a slacker,

y's honour?" she said, and her voice quivered w

ing in her voice, and that her eyes became softer. It seemed to him that she wa

d out a white feather. "I am sure you must be proud of it, and tha

im the greatest ignominy of which she was capable. There were not many people in the room, but th

must be going." She took hold of his arm,

rthy of an Englishwoman. Wanted to-God knows what he wanted. His brain was whirling, everything seemed to be mad confusion, but he only took one step;

tain Trevanion had said at

have beaten me, but in the ne

silently made his way

rything, but wh