I often wish I could take things as lightly as Rilla Blythe . '' CHAPTER XVI REALISM AND ROMANCE `` Warsaw has fallen , '' said Dr. Blythe with a resigned air , as he brought the mail in one warm August day . Gertrude and Mrs. Blythe looked dismally at each other , and Rilla , who was feeding Jims a Morganized diet from a carefully sterilized spoon , laid the said spoon down on his tray , utterly regardless of germs , and said , `` Oh , dear me , '' in as tragic a tone as if the news had come as a thunderbolt instead of being a foregone conclusion from the preceding week 's dispatches . They had thought they were quite resigned to Warsaw 's fall but now they knew they had , as always , hoped against hope . `` Now , let us take a brace , '' said Susan . `` It is not the terrible thing we have been thinking . I read a dispatch three columns long in the Montreal Herald yesterday that proved that Warsaw was not important from a military point of view at all . So let us take the military point of view , doctor dear . '' `` I read that dispatch , too , and it has encouraged me immensely , '' said Gertrude . `` I knew then and I know now that it was a lie from beginning to end . But I am in that state of mind where even a lie is a comfort , providing it is a cheerful lie . '' `` In that case , Miss Oliver dear , the German official reports ought to be all you need , '' said Susan sarcastically . `` I never read them now because they make me so mad I can not put my thoughts properly on my work after a dose of them . Even this news about Warsaw has taken the edge off my afternoon 's plans . Misfortunes never come singly . I spoiled my baking of bread today -- and now Warsaw has fallen -- and here is little Kitchener bent on choking himself to death . '' Jims was evidently trying to swallow his spoon , germs and all . Rilla rescued him mechanically and was about to resume the operation of feeding him when a casual remark of her father 's sent such a shock and thrill over her that for the second time she dropped that doomed spoon . `` Kenneth Ford is down at Martin West 's over-harbour , '' the doctor was saying . `` His regiment was on its way to the front but was held up in Kingsport for some reason , and Ken got leave of absence to come over to the Island . ''
`` I hope he will come up to see us , '' exclaimed Mrs. XXXXX .
Blythe German Gertrude Jims Kingsport Oliver Susan West choking second