Made in Great Britain
by Butler & Tanner, Frome and London
[PREFACE]
A few months after the Armistice of 1918 was signed, when the talk of everyone concerned was either when they would be demobilized or what they would do when they were demobilized, two young men were exchanging views on this same subject in the heavy atmosphere of a very ordinary hotel somewhere in London.
One was wondering how near, or how far, were the days when he would see the old home-folks once again "way back in Dixieland."
The other was wondering what form of dissipation would be best suited to remove that haunting feeling of unrest, which as a result of three or four years of active service was so common amongst the youth of England at that time.
"How about getting married?" suggested the one.
Then followed a long pause, wherein the other was evidently considering the pros and cons of such a unique proposition.
"Nothing doing," he replied eventually—"not exciting enough, old man." Another pause—"And when I come to think, I don't know of any girl who'd want to marry me even if I wanted to marry her." And as if to give a final decision to any proposal of that nature, he added—"Besides, I couldn't afford it!"