chew. I give them about six weeks. What can they do with Russia on
the one side and France and England on the other? Besides, the German
people don't want war. It's that blooming Kaiser. In about six weeks'
time they will be on their knees crying for mercy."

That was the general feeling of the town during the first fortnight of
the War, and when as day after day the brave little Belgian army at
Liege held out against the advancing Huns there was great confidence.
"They have had their time-table smashed to smithereens at the first
go," was the joyful comment. "Wait till our lads get across, they'll
let 'em know."

In these days there was very little bitterness against the Germans.
The terror of war had scarcely been felt. People talked about the
untold millions of Russian soldiers who would be in Berlin by the
following October. They boasted confidently about the armies of
France, and the unconquerable power of the British Navy. It is true
that at the first news of the War many of the employers of labour were
staggered; but presently as, when day followed day, they saw that trade
would not be destroyed, but that possibly new avenues of wealth would
be opened, they became more cheerful. Besides, England was rising
nobly to her responsibilities. Lord Kitchener's call for half a
million men was answered in a few days. "Think on it," the people said
one to another, "half a million men in a week! Why, we'll smash 'em
afore they know where they are!"

Tom never thought of joining the army. The idea of being a soldier was
utterly strange to him. The soldiers whom he knew were mostly of the
lower orders; fellows who had got into trouble, or had taken the
"King's shilling" while they were drunk. He had looked down upon them
as being lower in social scale than himself, and he would never be seen
walking with a soldier. When he saw lads of his own class enlisting,
he shrugged his shoulders with a laugh. "Let 'em join if they want
to," he said, "but it's noan in my line." In fact, after the first
three weeks of the War, although terrible stories were reaching England
about the ghastly atrocities in Belgium, and about the Germans nearing
Paris, the manufacturing parts of Lancashire were largely unmoved. The
terrible harvest of war which was to come later was not yet realised.
It is true that thousands of young fellows responded to the call of
duty. Young men of the better-educated class obtained commissions an