Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06


AS YOU throw back the heavy oak door
\ and enter the new haven a large sign
reading welcome greets you. The signs
meaning pervades the entire building, and
it is doubly manifest in the manner of its
attaches.
The first two floors are given to the large,
airy concert hall, with its stage, pit, and
balcony. Here it is that Mr.. Kings we'll
known Thursday evening concerts enter
tain the sailormen during the winter
The Episcopal City Mission Bishop
William Lawrence, presidcnt) is the gov
erning board of the haven. Through this
board the different Episcopalian congre-
cations throughout Boston contribute the
talent for these concerts. Mr.. King takes
charge of the stage, which, to make the sea-
men feel at home, is rugged with a mast and
sails During the intermisson hot coffee and
fresh bans are passed out When ten-thirty
O'Clock is reached the men going to sea are
given literature and dunnage bags, and the
good time is over
The concert hall on Sunday evenings is
the scene of religious services and the cab
aret show. Again the men in port assemble,
listen to CHEEKY songs and witty stories,
and receive light refreshments
The third floor is taken up by many pool
and billiard tables. In one corner is the
accommodation Office where the wants of
the sailors are attended to.
Upstairs IN a corner room, where one is
impressed by the many pictures, paintings
and mottos of the sea- is the round table
which was presented by the Humane Socie-
ty of Massachusetts. Around this great
oak table, VII III easily seats twenty-five,
the topics of the day are discussed by sea-
men and Mr. King on Sunday evenings.
TOD al.
to his say.
On this floor is the library, gift of Mrs.
Larz Anderson, in memory of her father,
Commodore Perkins of the United States
navy. Here too are Mr.. Kings offices and
the shower baths
"We accommodate here, said the super
intendent, ION the average three hundred
men day. In they come, Lascars, Ger
mans, Hindus, Turks, men of all kinds
from vessels of all kinds. Some are out of
work, Others in trouble, many come here
for enjoyment. Here, let me show you"
T WAS led to the billiard room. Mr..
King approached negro who was talking
in a foreign language to large number of
men. "Tell these poor fellows that every
thing will be all right" he said The
negro interpreted. One of their number an
swered.
"They wish to thank you for your kind
ness said the negro.
MIR. King turned, "These are Germans
and Austrians,' he said. They cannot re-
turn home on account of the war. They
were taken off British liners They sleep
and eat here, all forty Of them. Each man
is compelled to take a shower bath each
morning. Yesterday a big department
store postponed picnic on account of rain
They sent us five hundred sandwiches and
hot coffee. These poor fellows benefited by
the bad weather. We hope that they can
soon go home.
Miss Helen Hunt, an able assistant, is
in charge of our hospital work. Her duty,
and she does it gladly, is to visit the various
hospitals in search of unfortunate sailors
She visits and comforts them. She then
writes cheering letters to their people She
does grand work. My first assistant, Al
bert Mansfield, helps me wonderfully, as
does Miss Rachael Stevens, another angel
of good.
"At Gloucester we have our summer
camp, where we send boys of needy families
during the hot spell"
Mr.. King is happily married, and has a
daughter, Grace. He met his wife, then
Miss Annie Emerson, at Sunday services
at the Charlestown naval prison. King
hn1 t1a ,1,,