Lord Kitchener went to Greece, whereat
Susan foretold that Constantine would soon experience a change of heart.
Lloyd George began to heckle the Allies regarding equipment and guns and
Susan said you would hear more of Lloyd George yet. The gallant Anzacs
withdrew from Gallipoli and Susan approved the step, with reservations.
The siege of Kut-El-Amara began and Susan pored over maps of Mesopotamia
and abused the Turks. Henry Ford started for Europe and Susan flayed him
with sarcasm. Sir John French was superseded by Sir Douglas Haig and
Susan dubiously opined that it was poor policy to swap horses crossing a
stream, "though, to be sure, Haig was a good name and French had a
foreign sound, say what you might." Not a move on the great chess-board
of king or bishop or pawn escaped Susan, who had once read only Glen St.
Mary notes. "There was a time," she said sorrowfully, "when I did not
care what happened outside of P.E. Island, and now a king cannot have a
toothache in Russia or China but it worries me. It may be broadening to
the mind, as the doctor said, but it is very painful to the feelings."
When Christmas came again Susan did not set any vacant places at the
festive board. Two empty chairs were too much even for Susan who had
thought in September that there would not be one.
"This is the first Christmas that Walter was not home," Rilla wrote in
her diary that night.
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