Mr. Hudson is now calling for two thousand more land-girls
to cope with the increased acreage now coming under plough. Will the time come when the hop-gardens, our hanging vineyards, are swept from Kent, leaving the oast-houses to swing their cowls unused? Even for such sentimental losses there will be compensations. Or will there? A year ago fifty London children came WI settle with us like a flight of sparrows. The rooms were cleared for them, the glass and ornaments stored away, the lighter furniture removed, until only the books and the oak-tables looked down upon the rows of little heads which lined the walls. They were pale and heavy-lidded in those days, with scrannel wrists and violet circles round their eyes Today they yell and shout and have bramble-scratches on their large red knees. Will they remember the smell of sweetbriar and the bark of foxes in the wood? Or will the unconquerable gregariousness of the Londoner wipe out these memories and benefits, and will they return with unashamed delight to the paving-stones and the loud voices of the street?
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