The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

M A. JAMES & SONS, Publishers. $1.50 a year In advance ; BOWMAN VILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA, THURSDAY. APRIL 12, 1917 Volume. LXIII, No. 15 Every Lady in West Durham is invited to see the superb stock of New Spring Coats and Suits The finest collection of these goods we have ever shown. A very large and choice stock of New Silk, Voile and Crepe de Chene Blouses, all made up in the very latest styles. Couch, Johnston & Cryderman Tv SIGHTS OF LONDON Yours- This is your drug store. It is here for your convenience, and w» shall be glad if our courteous service and painstaking efficiency will make your shopping so pleasurable here that we may be privi- deged to supply your every need that is within our province Uur stocks of family remedies and toilet goods are thoroughly complete and hundreds of household necessities are ready for your selection. Our prescription work is respected by every» one for exacting care and unfailing accuracy. A When We flake Test Bowmanville 4- Eye It Beautiful Is Done, 200 Packages Swëét Peas FREE To encourage children to grow this beautiful flower and to clear up some odds and ends of perfumes perfumes we have put the perfume up in 10c bottles and while they last every one buying one bottle will be given enough Sweet Peas to plant a row 10 r !éet long. 3 prizes will also be given to children who grow these seeds. Call and ask particulars. Properly. * JURY & LOVELL, When we Test Eyes t is Done Properly \ How England's Lax Liquor Laws Help Along The Great Moral Plague. A West Durham soldier sends us this article, to help warn the Canadian boys against the twin evils of wine and women that await them in London London the Greater. He calls the story "Locusts of London or Anzacs and the Moral Plague". That it is true to life, many a foreign soldier can testify. London has her plague of locusts, even as Egypt of old. The difference is that in the land of the Pharoahs the creatures devoured the food, actual and potential, of the people, and in London they wreak havoc upon manhood manhood itself, and deal out peril to body and soul. The modern locusts are creatures that once were women. They descend in their devastating cloud upon the best- of our men--but those men must be in Khaki, or they care not to trouble themselves about them. The civilian is practically immune immune from the plague, In concentrating concentrating on the army, these legionaries of the lost, show a cunning discrimination discrimination even further. They will fasten on the English Tommy, the Irish Pat, Jock from the Highlands, or Taffy from the Principality, but the attack is half-hearted. It is carried on with one eye on a possible most profitable Ç rey. A Canadian comes along, and 'ommy is released from the tentacles. But should an Anzac hove in sight, even the Canadian fails in favor. The man with the most money has come, and that is the man the harpies have been waiting for. Should the Australasian Australasian delay his coming until the night is far advanced, the Canadian will do; his pay is still substantial and his wallet wallet fairly heavy. Pitiful, pathetic--a E icture in pain--this nightly meeting etween bedraggled bendizement brigade, brigade, and the division of the doomed- to-disaster. So pitiful in its lack of lure the one--so fine in" its semblance of strength the other. To the people who ought to understand the problem of this thing--the professional preachers preachers of purity--it is unfathomable. To the ordinary common-sense observer the how and why of it is as simple as sad; and in the simplicity his half the sadness. There are three chief centres of operation, Waterloo-Road, Horse- ferry Road, and the streets by the clock at Victoria. In the first and third instances the ground is chosen because of men arriving at or departing departing from Waterloo or Victoria stations; Horseferry road is the neighborhood where Australian soldiers have so many real friènds; so the false flock there as well. King's Cross has its snipers, and Prald street a few Paddington Paddington prowlers, but the three places I have indicated are the foulest plague spots of all, and Waterloo the worst of the three. Neither person nor possessions possessions are safe around some of the drinking dens I have myself visited. A large but not too cleanly public house I will not indicate the street; it might do more harm than good. A long bar with wooden bench running along the side. The whole bench full of soldiers and women, drinking, laughing, laughing, jokes of as sanitary a character as the general atmosphere. Between two of the Australians a girl. The tendrils of hair that cluster on the temples are young and fair. The eyes are old and cold calculating. The man on either side has had enough, more than enough for his safety, of whiskey. Girl woman is urging them to come away with her. They are ripe for the second act. "But we must take a drop of something with us" is the condition condition on which she will bestow her caresses; "the houses will be closing soon and we shan't be able to get any more before 6.30, rotten idea this Defence of the Realm act. Shutting up pubs just when you're getting cosy for the afternoon". Rotten idea it is" the men from "down under" agree, "Jim will buy a bottle"; "Dont you bother Jim" says the girl woman, "give me the money, I'll get it for Î rou". "Good girl, says Jim, "nice ittle thing is Nellie". The girls will do anything for a fellow in the old country won't they Bill? Here you are Nellie, to the counter Nellie; with a ten shilling note. "Bottle of Whiskey Whiskey please", no brand mentioned. Any old brand will do, Nellie isn't going to drink much of it. The landlady landlady hands over a bottle all wrapped up, so that the label cannot be seen, takes the ten shillings, and says, "Thanks dear, that's right"--(There is no change). I turn to the landlady with a question "is whiskey really ten shillings a bottle today"? "Yes" jhe-- says, "itis for them". Then as though she notices the slip, says, "I suppose I ought not, as a business woman, to have said that to you, perhaps you are a 'tec, for anything J know, but of course I knew she didn't want it for herself". Fleeced at the curtain of Act 1. Of how much will they have been robbed before Act II is over. A solemn eyed Irish lad from Cork is my neighbor. He checks a smile, "îe has paid for experience and can urecast the possibilities. "Shure, un ! was as big a fool meself one time" he lays. "It's not me that's being had ;hat way again. I was in one of these daces no more back than me last eave. I was taking a fancy to one of sm--a girl wid the black eyes and the coaxin ways, an she got me to take ' my overcoat off. The whiskey I'd n drinkin had made me warm. I'll. :e care o' yer coat for ye, sez she, 'an I niwer set eyes on that coat, nor ; hat girl again, but it had me money j ,n' me pass an' all me papers in the locket of it. If I ever catch that girl 'll--". The threat was rather terrible ■nd the lowering brow of the lad that ittered it more terrible still, and I he threat if ever I saw it - put into execution. At the railway station a tall figure in ( " . PTE. WM. RICHARD PETLEY son of Mr. Richard Petley, Hampton, killed in action in France, March 1, 1917. Pte. Wm, Richard Petley, aged 22 years, was born on W. L. Law's farm North West of Bowmanville. He enlisted enlisted in Port Hope with 136th Batt., 805131 "A" Co., C. E. F., December 1915. Married Annie Jamieson, Port Hope, only a few months before enlisting. enlisting. He worked with Messrs R. Cale, Alex Wight and J. D. Hoar, farmers, near Bowmanville. khaki steps quickly from the carriage and marches up to the barrier, ticket in hand. "Say, constable, this is the very first time I've held out a ticket to a British policeman. policeman. Glad to be in your country, just over from Vancouver, going to fight the Germans with your boys, I am, going to give 'em socks, we fellows are". "Good" says the constable, "quite as glad to see you, but you wont mind my giving you a tip, will.you? There's some pretty slick customers around this station, and if you have money on you, you'd better be care- full". "That's all right sonny, I guess I can take care of myself allright; I'm from Vancouver, I àm, you can't teach us Vancouver Vancouver boys much, shake". Passengers behind stop grumbling when they see why it is their progress is being impeded. That hand shake has to be given. The man from Vancouver steps it out blithely into the unknown and the centre of so- called civilization. Three days later, a sad and sheepish man from Vancouver approaches the same policeman, "Say, are you the chum who advised me to be carefull of my wad? Thought so, well chum, I've come back to say I wish I'd left the wad with you, its gone". "Where"? "Oh,some woman, something in the drink I think. A ride in a taxicab, felt sleepy, found myself in some side street with my pockets empty, twenty pounds gone". "Case after case like this", says the policeman, as he tells me the story, our chaps are busy as they can be, but the women are often too smart for them. Arrests ? Oh yes, plenty, but not nearly as many as there, are robberies. Smart! I should just say some of these women are smart. Not necessarily in appearance, appearance, for the majority are tawdry in thejr finery almost to the laughable. The expensive, high-legged boots, those dyed catskin furs, and then those cheap, untidy, unmended coats and skirts. ■ Silver bangles, bangles, shilling rings, and black rimmed finger nails. But they are the eternal feminine, and the man from the trenches has longed to look upon the feminine. "He is often out looking for trouble", says the Bishop of London. What he is out looking for is the society of womanhood which war has for months denied him of, and it greets him in its worst form. Her welcome welcome is warm if her language is obscene, and wfien she takes him by the hand along the path of dalliance he doesn't always stop to remark how faded the primroses are. Smart though, what do you think of this? "I was going to be so clever, but they were cleverer than I was". He is an Australian with the bronze on, corporal with a jaw. "I wasn't going to mess around in any bars; I wasn't having anything anything to do with any girl who looked as though she belonged to the regular crowd, I found mine in a restaurant. Rather a decent place it looked. She was neatly dressed and said she was on war work Theatre? Oh yes, she'd go with me to a theatre, so long as I didn't want „to spend too much on her, wasn't going to see an Anzac throw his money away in naughty London. Too much of a good little girl of the world for that. After the show-- well she could perhaps manage a bit of supper, but nothing expensive, insisted bn that, régular kind sister, to a stranger in a strange land, she was. "Stoy out wi' a gentleman, Oh dear no, never did such a thing in her life; well, once, perhaps. As I was so nice, she might risk it. Where to go? not the vaguest idea, perhaps the taxi-man might know". Taxi man did know, hotel in a quiet square. Five shillings shillings for driving us, and I2s, 6d for the proprietress proprietress after the registration form was filled in. Ten minutes later a knock at the door. Girl had left me--"won't be a minute"--and when the police came I was alone. The lock-up for me, Magistrate called me a fool in the morning for registering registering in a wrong name and for letting the girl pick my pockets. When a chum had paid my £2 fine the police sergeant told me something. The woman who kept the hotel had phoned the station that there was a suspicious customer in her place, and that was how they nabbed me. The proprietress got iny 12s, 6d and ran no risks with the police. Between them, I suppose, she and the girl got my pocket- book, I got a night in the cells and a wigging wigging with a mark in my conduct sheet afterwards. The beak was right when he called me a fool, but I say, weren't those two women smart? They were, and the trouble of it is there are so many like them in London. PTE. HOWARD G. ORMISTON. OUR FALLEN HEROES Pte. Howard G. Ormiston, son of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Ormiston, Enfield, who enlisted with the 136th Batt., in January,1915, and left forValcartier in Jiily and went overseas in September, 1916. He was transferred to the 75th Batt and was killed in action in France March 1st, 1917. He was a member of Enniskillen Orange Lodge, which will attend the memorial service Sunday in a body. The following is a letter written from France on March 5th by Pte. R. D. Preston, Enniskillen, to Mr. and Mrs. David Ferguson, Burketon, telling of the, death of their son Pte. Cameron Ferguson. Enfield has suffered suffered the loss of two of her boys at the front, Howard Ormiston and Cameron Ferguson, both splendid fellows, well respected in the community and favorites favorites among their chums. Both were fond of manly sport and played well on the foot-ball field. They will be greatly missed, indeed. The people of Enfield are holding a memorial service Sunday at 2.30 p. m. to honor the" fallen fallen heroes and show gratitude for the sacrifice made on their behalf and give what comfort their sympathy may mean to the stricken parents: Dear Friend--It becomes my duty to drop you a line to let you know a little about poor Cameron. No doubt you will know this sad news before you get my letter. Well, Mrs. Ferguson, Ferguson, the last time I saw Cameron was on the morning of March 1st. He then said to me, now Bob, if anything happens to me you write and. tell the folks at home, and I said I would and you do the same. That was the last I saw of him. I was not with him when he was shot but Jack Steel from Black- stock was there with him and he told me all about him. I was in front of him when he got it and it was impossible impossible for me to get back to him or I would have got it myself. There were several of 136th boys killed or wounded. wounded. I can not tell you much that happened happened because they do not allow us to write of it, but, Mrs. Ferguson, it just seems to me that I have lost every friend that I ever had, since Cameron has gone, because he was a good, true comrade to me. It is a hard job to write a letter like this, but I promised Cameron I would, and it is my duty. THE CHILDREN'S CONCERT Miss Helen Morris' Pupils Gave One Of The Very Best Entertainments Entertainments Enjoyed Here In A Long Time, An event which was looked forwai d to with a great deal of enthusiastic anticipation by young and old was th<- children's concert giver by Miss Helen Morris' Division of Public School on Wednesday evening in the Methodise schoolroom when her pupils put on .1 splendid entertainment full of interest, from start to finish. The little peopa- _did themselves great credit and brought honor to their teacher anu the finances helped to swell the treasury treasury of the Girls' Patriotic Club. Mi. M. A. James very ably discharged the duties of chairman.. The program which lasted two full hours, was wel 1 worth twice theadmission fee charged and consisted of thirty numbers. L opened with an appropriate choru - "Here's a Health to His Majesty", tin- audience standing while this patriotic- number was sung. Part one of the program consisted of choruses, "Gone is the Winter" by the girls; and "There's a Fight agoing on" by tin- boys: recitations, "The Old Home Flag" by Lenore Quick, "If" by Hugh Cameron, "The Man behind the Gun ' by Marion Clough, "On Account of the War" by Stuart R. James. Piano solo, "The Fountain" by Gwendolyn Williams; vocal solos--"Will the King be proud of Canada"? by«UMarian Clough, "Home Sweet Home for you we're fighting" byTJoward Hallman, _ "Somewhere in France", Janey.Mason; i duet--"The Flag we all admire", Ed- ' sail Oliver and Alex McGregor, and two full choruses, "Three cheers for the Lads of the Navy", and "Follow us Along". Part Two opened with the chorus, "Ye Mariners of England"; Piano solos "The Sylphes" Jennie Merchant and "Paderewsksi's Minuet", Doris Foster. Vocal solos: "Carry On"--Gwendolyn Williams; "Pack up your Troubles"-- Tom Wilkinson, "The Bright Red Berry"--Jennie Merchant". Recitations: Recitations: "The Second Table"--Alex McGregor; McGregor; "How the War began"--Frances began"--Frances Worden for Reid Pearn who wa- ill; choruses:. "The Fisherman's" and "Heroes of the Flag"; "Hats off to the Flag and the King", 6 pupils. Trio: "Cause we're Pals"--Janey Mason. Chas. Pethick and Morris Joness. Miss Fiances Worden recited "Crow- borough 'Tis of Thee" an original poem sent by Pte. Allan Luxton. This excellent excellent program closed with a capital dialogue: "Flags of Many Lands". The representatives were: Helen McGregor, McGregor, Canada; Stuart James, Ireland; Ireland; Janey Mason, Japan; Gwendolyn Williams, China; Marian Clough, France; Tom. Buttery, Sweden; Alex McGregor, England; " Lome - Allin, Russia; Jean Ramsav, Hollancf;^ and Gordon Richards, Italy. Each boy and girl was dressed in the costume of the country represented and the effect was very amusing and interesting. interesting. A hearty vote of thanks was given Miss Morris for the excellence of the program and for the opportunity given to the public to enjoy it, moved by Mr. John Grigg, seconded by Mr. J. H. H. Jury and supported by Mr. W. B. Couch and heartily endorsed by the audience. The National Anthem closed this pleasant evening's proceedings. proceedings. Proceeds nearly $70.00. SOLDIERS' LETTER Pte. Lionel Byam, "B" Coy., 87th, Rgt., St. Duke's War Hospital, Halifax, Halifax, England, writes to his home at Tyrone, that he is enjoying hospital life. He is getting to be an expert one-hander. . His trip from Calais to England across English Channel to Dover was without incident. St. John Ambulance Sisters boarded the train at Peterborough and gave the returning soldiers sandwiches, cakes, tea, He adds, we get all we want to eat here. Visitors call found the hospital hospital and chat with the Canadian boys. Red Cross ladies are- welcome callers, they inquire if they need anything. One is sending Lionel a toothbrush, hairbrush and a Toronto paper and promised to call round in a few day~ again. He says they have plenty of music, pianos in the wards.- Of 40 patients in his ward 4 or 5 are Canadians. Canadians. Referring to his trip from France he says the hospital trains are fine to ride in, they run so smoothly. Following is the report of his accident: I happened with a little misfortune yesterday morning at about seven a.m., our platoon was just coming off stand too in the front line when Fritz started started to shell us. pretty heavy, they were dropping pretty close all the way to the dugout and I was only a couple of steps from being inside when a big shell dropped nearly beside me and now I am in hospital with a shrapnel wound in the muscle of my left arm, onfe on the elbow and one on the first finger. I dont know yet whether they will save the finger or not, it has a hair right through it by the looks of it anyway, and besides I have a slight shrapnel bruise on each leg, the only thing that saved me I think was the corner of the dugout, it got in the way a little. The fellow in front was just stepping in and he got a piece behind the knee. The next two fellows behind were killed and the fifth one got it pretty badly in the lungs, ,so I think I got off lucky. I walked to the closest dressing station and got my wounds dressed and they fed me some bread, butter, and jam and then we passed to the next dressing station, I walked there, it would be a couple of miles, I would think. We got some more to eat and drink there and then was put Y. M. C. A. CAMPAIGN Many Bowmanville" men have gone to the front and made the Supreme Sacrifice. Many others have been, or are sick and wounded, while others are serving in the trenches or are in training for such service. service. These sacrifices have been made for God, King and Country and we are proud of our bays for so doing. Some of those from Bowmanville who have givç% their lives for the cause of freedom and righteousness are: Major A. E, McLaughr lin, Major Clare WiDiams, Lance-Corp. Kenneth Martin, Lance-Corp. Cochrane, Gunner Alex Christie, Drummer Potter, Pte. Fred. Kershaw, Pte. Edgerton, Pte, H. Ireland, Pte. D. Ireland, Pte. Harfisdn, Pte. Living, Pte. Cousins, Pte. Wheeler, Pte. Tait, Pte. Wren. We at home are doing "our bit" and thus upholding their hands in their time of stress and danger by. such contributions of time and money as we can render. The Y. M. C. A. campaign campaign gives an opportunity for such co- operation and many of our citizens have embraced it. Many inspiring acts of devotion devotion to a worthy cause have come out in this campaign--a number of soldiers' wives and widows have voluntarily asked the privilege of contributing to this fund . because of what the Y. M. C. A. has done for the comfort and uplift of their husbands husbands in the trenches. Any individuals who may not have given as yet or who may desire to give more generously are requested to hand in their contributions to Mr. W. J. Jones, Treasurer, or some member of the committee, as soon as possible. possible. on a little push car on the railway and taken .$0 another station, where we had our wounds dressed and had some more bread, butter, jam and cocoa. Then off we went again till we came to the place we are now. We reached here just in time for dinner, had meat,* potatoes, soup and pudding for dinner,, so I got along well yesterday. It ' snowed nearly all the time we were moving yesterday abd it has «.melted today and made roads a trifle muddy. I think the place I am at now is just a clearing station and I shall likely be passed along somewhere else some of these fine days. I am sleeping in a fairly big room with about 22 stretchers stretchers in it and we sleep on the stretchers --a little softer than boards at any 1 rate.