St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-12-02
From sOUTH AFRICA
Mary Tyler Gray Writes Of War Con-
ditions In That Country.

IA1AUMS III 4l1tAG NOUAAAATs
Grahamstown, South Africa
Dear Friends in st. Johnsbury:
l fancy that you like all the world,
are touched by this great and terri
Bile conflict raging in Europe. For
once, every part of our globe is learn
ing what the other parts are exper-
fencing. / presume you have your
prophets and your expounders, and
news is brought to you that is served
out without any suppression of facts
or realities.
We are having very anxious and
heavy times, and have seen our men
and boys go forth to the bitter and
trying experiences which they are
meeting in German West Africa,
among the hot, sandy hills. 1t is a
dreary, thirsty place, with little of
interest and nothing of comfort.
The drill hall is next to our house
and for weeks our volunteers and
cadets were drilled there. We miss
the quick marching and the clear
ringing notes of command, and the
town seems strangely still. From
all our farms, stores, colleges and
schools the lads have gone forth, and
as many of them are very young,
only seventeen and eighteen, there
is an ache in many a mothers heart
as she realizes that her boy is among
temptations and difficulties of which
he had no conceptions before.
This treachery on the part of Gen
eral Rogers, Cert MaritZ and many
others complexities matters sorely.
Distrust and suspicion are aroused,
and towns are rent into factions.
Gen. Botha is doing his very best
but he has the same hard part that
Gen. George Washington had when
he heard of Benedict Arnold's treach-
cry. Gen. Botha has taken the
field, and will rally many round his
standard, but it is hard for him to
tell who are friends and who are
foes.
In this part of the country, funds
are being raised for every need.
Boxes of clothing have been made
for soldiers widows and children.
A large box has gone to the Belgian
sufferers. We are busy over kit
bags for our own troops, putting in
protectors for the black to ward off
the sun, Balaclava capes for the chill
ly nights and to protect the heads
from scorpions and spiders and
creeping things, soap, towels, socks
and all sorts of little comforts. Our
w. G. T. u is arranging to make
lime juice and lemon drinks to send
to German West Africa for in those
dreary, hot places the men are over
come with thirst. There are relief
works for the poor, and all our So
cieties feel the strain and the anXi-
cites that oVerwhelm so many. ES-
pecially grieved are we to hear that
so many students must leave school
and college, because of lack of re-
sources at home.
Sons of the conscribed French mis-
in Rasutoland tell us that
their supplies have ceased from
France and as the Basatos are having
a terrible drought and famine, the
outlook there, is serious, and means
and death unless help can
be given.
1 should be so glad of donations
your paper for these devot-
ed mission workers. The burden
lies very heavily on the hearts of the
older men for in many cases the
younger missionaries have been call
ed to France to fight, leaving young
wives and children in the care of
their older brethren. Letters come
very infrequently and there is sore
pecuniary need.
If ever a few dollars could be
gathered in fair Vermont, among the
farms, in the factories, among those
who have comforts and peace or if
a concert could be given for these
funds I feel sure that they could be
sent either to Mrs. M. G. Buckham.
d. 70 Aw~k1nr
F. Stone to be forwarded to me for
these friends. Sometimes one pleads
and hopes and prays and the heavens
seem as brass and the hearts of men
are adamant. God grant it may not
be so in this case.
Your old st. Johnsbury friend,
MARY TYLER GRAY,
(Mrs. James Gray.)
GrahamStOWn,