A very good one we had , too , though we did get ingloriously ditched at the end , owing to a certain grim old dame -- to wit , Miss Elizabeth Carr of the Upper Glen -- who would n't rein her horse out to let us pass , honk as we might . Father was quite furious ; but in my heart I believe I sympathized with Miss Elizabeth . If I had been a spinster lady , driving along behind my own old nag , in maiden meditation fancy free , I would n't have lifted a rein when an obstreperous car hooted blatantly behind me . I should just have sat up as dourly as she did and said ` Take the ditch if you are determined to pass . ' `` We did take the ditch -- and got up to our axles in sand -- and sat foolishly there while Miss Elizabeth clucked up her horse and rattled victoriously away . `` Jem will have a laugh when I write him this . He knows Miss Elizabeth of old . `` But -- will -- Venice -- be -- saved ? '' 19th November 1917 `` It is not saved yet -- it is still in great danger . But the Italians are making a stand at last on the Piave line . To be sure military critics say they can not possibly hold it and must retreat to the Adige . But Susan and Gertrude and I say they must hold it , because Venice must be saved , so what are the military critics to do ? `` Oh , if I could only believe that they can hold it ! `` Our Canadian troops have won another great victory -- they have stormed the Passchendaele Ridge and held it in the face of all counter attacks . None of our boys were in the battle -- but oh , the casualty list of other people 's boys ! Joe Milgrave was in it but came through safe . Miranda had some bad days until she got word from him . But it is wonderful how Miranda has bloomed out since her marriage . She is n't the same girl at all . Even her eyes seem to have darkened and deepened -- though I suppose that is just because they glow with the greater intensity that has come to her .
She makes her father stand round XXXXX a perfectly amazing fashion ; she runs up the flag whenever a yard of trench on the western front is taken ; and she comes up regularly to our Junior Red Cross ; and she does -- yes , she does -- put on funny little ` married woman ' airs that are quite killing .
If as at in of that though through until while