These reports were absolutely untrue. U-9 was the only submarine on deck, and she flew the flag she still flies--the German naval ensign--which I hope to keep forever as a glorious memento and as an inspiration for devotion to the Fatherland. I reached the home port on the afternoon of the 23d, and on the 24th went to Wilhelmshaven, to find that news of my effort had become public. My wife, dry eyed when I went away, met me with tears. Then I learned that my little vessel and her brave crew had won the plaudit of the Kaiser, who conferred upon each of my co-workers the Iron Cross of the second class and upon me the Iron Cross of the first and second classes. [Weddigen is the hero of the hour in Germany. He also wears a medal for life-saving. Counting himself, Weddigen had twenty-six men. The limit of time that his ship is capable of staying below the surface is about six hours.] THE SOLILOQUY OF AN OLD SOLDIER. By O.C.A. CHILD. You need not watch for silver in your hair, Or try to smooth the wrinkles from your eyes, Or wonder if you're getting quite too spare, Or if your mount can bear a man your size. You'll never come to shirk the fastest flight, To query if she really cares to dance, To find your eye less keen upon the sight, Or lose your tennis wrist or golfing stance. For you the music ceased on highest note-- Your charge had won, you'd scattered them like sand, And then a little whisper in your throat, And you asleep, your cheek upon your hand. Thrice happy fate, you met it in full cry, Young, eager, loved, your glitt'ring world all joy-- You ebbed not out, you died when tide was high, An old campaigner envies you, my boy! *The War at Home* *How It Affects the Countries Whose Men Are At the Front.* *The Effects of War in Four Countries* *By Irvin S. Cobb.* [From THE NEW YORK TIMES [Transcriber: original 'TMIES'], Dec. 2, 1914.] [_The following story of conditions in Belgium, Germany, France, Holland, and England was sent by Irvin S. Cobb of The Saturday Evening Post to the American [Transcriber: original 'Aerican'] Red Cross, to be used in bringing home to Americans urgent need for relief in the countries affected by the great war. Red Cross contributions for suffering non-combatants are received at the Red Cross offices in the Russell Sage Foundation Building, 130 East Twenty-second Street. Such contributions should be addressed to Jacob H. Schiff, Treasurer, and, if desired, the giver can designate the country to the relief of which he wishes the donation applied._] Recently I have been in four of the countries concerned in the present war--Belgium, France, Germany, and England. I was also in Holland, having traversed it from end to end within a week after the fall of Antwerp, when every road coming up out of the south was filled with Belgian refugees. In Belgium I saw this: