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Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 253, 4 December 1914, Page 1

Ih'j lad bought a pet ny ore, threw threepence un it my tray and refused * j t ke his chang.'. As I passe.) a cab rank, the gooJnaturcd cabhic. J pave m a handful of eippers. "it's a ;; ui cawrsr, is wot wo them Hr 'ave 'tlped Old Ergbid," paid Vr.y. Presently, pas.irg tlu erd r.f a very dirgv strett, I wps hailed, "Please, Mhs, some ladies further along wants to link at them badges."

I went along, net expecting to get any sale, but because of th_ pitiful little fzioLin up there, and because miwhite dress and hrilliaot red, yellow and black badges arranged over my lar*e tiay made a patch of rare brizhtnesT in that squalid street. "Wc wants to know the price of them badges, Miss; and to ask, is it them little fellows in Belgium jojr're duing it for?' The average Hriton finds it hard ti believe that any other nation can have quite the physique of an Englishman! "Yes, over a hundred of us in this ix>*n have made and are toing about selling the c badges, and the money h ti bo sent to help the Belgians who are hem less and hdyleas owing :o the war," I explained. "Tnen cre's good tj you, Miss, and we want 3to do wot we can. 'Ere, Mrs Jonrs, you c&n lend me a penny,'' said the spokeswoman, and Mis Jones cheerfully complied. An old white-haired woman put down a pennv and took her badge, shaking her head; "ah! we would like to know someone over there would do as much for our lads," she quavered, "but it wont fill the empty chairs having them badges." A sturdy woman pushed herself forward: "Mrs brown 'ere 'as 'er two sons a fightiti' now. Tell the lady, Mrs Brown!" she commanded.

So Mrs Brown told me ot her hopes and fears, and her eld back sraightened as 1 told her how proud she should feel to have two stins to give to our country's service. 1 said 1 wished 1 had a dozen sods to send, and it acted as a battle cry, and as the little group grew they were eager to point out. those on the Roll of Honour who had given their loved ones. When I said we must all help and sympathise with each other, rich and poor alike, their toil-bowed heads were held up, seamed faces brightened, and thev eagerly chose their badges, one bonowin# pence from another; the fortunate ones whose hußbands had lately bad a good job so cheerfully ready to lend to more needy sisters. When at last I told them I must get back to the road where 1 had been stationed, they were reluctant to part with me and my gay tray, bat duty was dutv, so with mutual wishes that we might soon hear good news of our dear ones, 1 on, proud of the chance 1 had to get to know these mothers of o\ir soldiers in their own environment.

As 1 passed the cab rank once more the cabmen enquired eagerly as to "what luck 1 was having," and seeing a tradesman's cart pass and refuse to stop for the driver to purchase a penny worth lit was one of the only ones that did so trnugh many a carriage and pair and many a motor car rolltd by disdainfully) the cabmen called after him: "Wot! Won't 'elp them plucky little Belgians; well, 1 'opes r.o one will 'elp you first time a German soldier gtt's 'old of you! Gam!" Another pathetic little incident made a big lump in my throat. By me passed a pitiful old couple, the old man crippltd and bent with many years of hard work and rheumatism; the old woman hardly more able bodied, with such n drawn face; they carried a bundle of watercress for sale.

I gave them a sympathetic little smile, for I had begun to realise how awful it must be to sell something people did not really want, if one had to.

They stopped and looked at my gay if ay; "Got any penny ones, Miss?" "Yes.most of these are penny oaes ' We, Miss, we 'ave not made but threepence to-day, and we tramped since dawn, but ore of them pennies goes to help thebe people who 'elped Old England." I trust those ragged old patriots struck luck before BUQdown; they deserved to, and f am sure those hard-earned "widows' mites" our badge army got tuch hundreds of are of more value to our friends the Belgians than all the begru gcd half-crowns we coaxed from richer folk laud as much as thooc that were given gladly by people «ho could all'ord it easily! becau-c of the warmth of human sympathy that went with them, the true sympathy of inner knowledge from those who know what it is to want.