r standard of professional
achievement, anywhere in the world. If all the other officers are like
our two, West Pointers are a formidable body of men.

DICK.

EXTRACTS FROM THE LETTERS OF VERA WADSWORTH
TO HER SISTER FRANCES

Sep. 6, 1916.

DEAR FRANCES:--

You can't imagine what a relief it is to be where there are no men. That
may seem to you a curious statement, for here there are practically no
women at all, and nothing but men in the landscape from morning till
night. But there are no men buzzing about. It was disgusting to me that
no sooner was my engagement to Dick broken than the rushing recommenced.
I am so glad to be where no one pays me any attention at all. The place
will be flooded in a few days with a thousand new rookies, but they will
be nothing else to me than trees or bushes, and I can still have peace.

There are ladies here whom I have met, and shall meet again. Only I feel
no interest in them just now, except that the two I am likeliest to see
most of are such as always rouse my pity, overburdened with the cares of
children and a social position on a small salary. And the money of one of
them has just stopped coming in because her husband, at the border,
allowed an emergency purchase which the auditing department at Washington
will not pass. You know that in such a case the officer's pay stops until
the deficiency is made up or the matter is explained. No one questions
his honesty, but his wife and children suffer. And a man will ask a woman
to take that risk with him!

The Colonel is the nicest old gentleman, very courteous. There is no
doubt that army officers have delightful manners; he begs my pardon every
time he lights his pipe. Cannot afford cigars, of course. And threadbare,
but very neat. But what is the use of courtesy and self-denial if you
believe in war, make war your business?

He and I have had it out already. Neither of us made the slightest
impression on the other. His argument is the old one: be prepared, and
people will let you alone. He cannot be made to see that if a man has a
gun, or a nation has an army, the temptation to use it will some day
become too strong.

I haven't given him my opinion of the army as a profession _for women_.
He always ends our discussion with a charming compliment. But I am aching
to point out to him the condit