England Expects

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Germany declares war on England and the news comes into one English home like an imperious bugle call. In this family are four generations the great-grandfather, whose medals commemorate the occasion on which he saved the colors in the Crimean War, the grandfather a veteran of the Boer War, the father, a prosperous business man, his brother, an unmarried volunteer officer, and the children of the business man. The two veterans have regretfully to admit that they are too old for service at the present crisis, but the younger one is consoled by the fact that he has "two sons for the king." The volunteer officer joins his regiment and leaves for the front, but for the business man matters are not so simple. He has his wife and children to think of, and there are other good reasons for acting with deliberation. His wife sees his hesitation. "You are thinking of me," she says, "You should only think of your country." There is almost accusation in her attitude. Still the business man hesitates. He sees enthusiastic troops marching to the front. His own clerks shut their desks and hurry off to enlist. In his own home his grandfather is telling his children how he saved the colors, and teaching them to lead their leaden soldiers against the wooden fortifications of the Germans. He feels that he must get away from this electric atmosphere, and he decides to vanish for a few days. He hastily packs a small bag, puts a cap in his pocket and prepares to set out, but even yet he has no escape from the influences around him. He goes to his desk to get money for his immediate needs, and his hand disturbs a packet of old love letters from his wife. The very first one catches his eye: "I cannot tell how proud I am to be marrying into a family that has served their country as has yours." He stiffens, and doubt comes to him. His hand mechanically falls on a book and he sees that it is "The Life of Nelson." He goes, torn by indecision, to take a last farewell of his children in their nursery. "Will papa save the colors, too?" he hears one of them naively asking. He can hold out no longer. He sees that there is no course open to him save one, and he looks up to his eager, expectant wife with a smile. "I enlist to-morrow." he says.