lizes that she is attacked by a powerful
and ambitious enemy. Today no man in all _la Patrie_ regrets the
sacrifices which he has made to maintain an army capable of defending
his country; no man but gives fervent thanks to Heaven that he has
been forced to pay taxes to support that army; no man regrets those
three years of his life which he and each of his fellow-countrymen
offered up in order that its number might not diminish, for now that
army stands READY to prevent the ruin of his property, of his nation,
of his women. It is Ready! At this moment--what a wonderful word! In
modern wars little is of use which has not been prepared beforehand.
Weeks only are necessary to ruin untrained and ill-armed forces, while
years are needed to train an army and to manufacture arms. The
victories of today are not won by Bravery armed with a rifle, but by
Science supplemented by many complicated instruments.

Every hour of every day presents new sights or experiences unique in
kind and all speaking dramatically of war. Each such sight is a
surprise more vivid than the preceding one. Every day is a succession
of startling novelties, each of which gives one a tingling shock. We
are living so rapidly that some are benumbed, others intoxicated by
the rush of events.

In the shops the prices of food staples have nearly doubled. The
people are all anxious to lay in a little supply of provisions against
sudden famine conditions, and the merchants are holding them up for
all the traffic will bear. Articles that will keep indefinitely, such
as flour, chocolate, dried fruits, potatoes, coffee, and preserved
meats, are most in demand. Owing to the hand-to-mouth buying methods
of the French, Paris is never more than three days ahead of famine. No
one realizes this better than the French themselves, and therefore
each and every one desires to lay in at least a small supply of
provisions. A temporary shortage has consequently already occurred.

The newspapers have been emphatic in the denunciation of the merchants
who, taking advantage of the national crisis, and making capital of
the fear and need of the populace, have raised the prices of the
necessaries of life, and have advised the people not to submit to the
imposition. Today the poorer classes have adopted the policy of
smashing anything for which an unreasonable price is demanded. I heard
a big, broad "femme du peuple" ask the corner grocer the price of some
prunes, several bushels o