` Sophia Crawford , hold your peace ! ' she said sternly . ` You may be an idiot but you need not be an irreverent idiot . It is no more than decent to be weeping and wailing because the Almighty is the sole stay of the Allies now . As for Kitchener , his death is a great loss and I do not dispute it . But the outcome of this war does not depend on one man 's life and now that the Russians are coming on again you will soon see a change for the better . ' `` Susan said this so energetically that she convinced herself and cheered up immediately . But Cousin Sophia shook her head . '' ` Albert 's wife wants to call the baby after Brusiloff , ' she said , ` but I told her to wait and see what becomes of him first . Them Russians has such a habit of petering out . ' `` The Russians are doing splendidly , however , and they have saved Italy . But even when the daily news of their sweeping advance comes we do n't feel like running up the flag as we used to do . As Gertrude says , Verdun has slain all exultation . We would all feel more like rejoicing if the victories were on the western front . ` When will the British strike ? ' Gertrude sighed this morning . ` We have waited so long -- so long . ' `` Our greatest local event in recent weeks was the route march the county battalion made through the county before it left for overseas . They marched from Charlottetown to Lowbridge , then round the Harbour Head and through the Upper Glen and so down to the St. Mary station . Everybody turned out to see them , except old Aunt Fannie Clow , who is bedridden and Mr. Pryor , who had n't been seen out even in church since the night of the Union Prayer Meeting the previous week .
`` It was wonderful and heartbreaking XXXXX see that battalion marching past .
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