THE VOICE OF AN ENGLISHWOMAN.
[To TIIE EDITOR OW THE "SPECTATOR.") Sin,—As a constant reader of the Spectator and a mother of soldiers may I try to tell you how much the sane, hopeful, and manly tone of your paper has helped me week after week through this first year of the war ? Living as we do in a country district in Ireland it is sometimes difficult not to be down- hearted; for although there is plenty of sympathy among our poorer neighboUrs for any personal sorrow caused by the war, from ignorance and prejudice produced by yeare.of political teaching there is no real sympathy for the cause for which we are fighting—in fact, in many cases the feeling is.hostile, and, at a time like this, to feel that if One goes outside one's own gate one may be surrounded by the potential eliemies of one's country is, to say the least of it, depressing. Perhaps, partly in consequence of this, there is a widespread feeling of pessimism among the upper classes. I have heard the Spectator condemned as too optimistic. It is easy to understand that in these circumstances one needs some help to keep a firm hold on one's courage, and one's conviction that those who have given their lives at their country's call have not died in vain. The words I would specially thank you for are those at the end of your article in last week's Spectator, entitled "The End of the First Year," and I am sure many `.. mothers of fighting eons,' will agree with me. We have had four sons serving their cotintry in this War: two have died on the battlefield, a third has been wounded, but is again in France, and yet I too can "feel grateful beyond measure that I have seen the heroism" this war has called forth, and for the honour of being the mother of four of the many heroes who know no fear when duty and honour call. Our youngest. boy, aged nineteen, who was miserable while still at the depot waiting for orders, writes happy letters now, because he is at last privileged to spend his days and nights in the trenches. In spite of all the pain and constant anxiety, it is indeed, as you say, good to be alive at such a4time.—I am, Si:,, &e., AN ENGLISHWOMAN IN IEELAND.
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