Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-11-16
KING ON WAY TO
FIGHTING FRONT
Sees. No Submarines, But Air Raid
in London
Meets Many Middebury Men
Gives elanket TO Refugee
Children
October "a, 1877.

My Dear Editor;
This is the first time have felt capa-
Bile of collecting few thoughts and
getting them on paper 1t has been a
long tedious trip and when il was not a
case Of keeping ont on deck driving away
that dreaded seasickness which lowered
about good share Of the trip across,
! was on the 40 seeing the sights in
brief our limited time,
No sight of submarines, an air raid in
London near where happened to be
and pleasant trip to PARIS marx in our
trip as far as excitement goes,
But now comes the real business. To-
morrow receive my appointment which
think viii carry me out pretty well to-
ward the front. When ! see what Il
necessary piece of work is to be done,
! feel that ! am far irom capable of
accomplishing what ought to be done.
However ! am going at it with all the
strength have and do my best II is
surely mans job
As ! wrote you before, Merrill Jen-
kins and Whipple were aboard the
transport ! happened to be on and also
Hamilton and Ruben Foster of Middle
bury, When reached Paris last night
| was met by Salisbury, l6 who has been
over here since July in Army Y. NJ. c.
A. work, shall send you his address
later, President Benton was on hand
at headquarters last night to greet US.
Today ! met and listened to an interest
ing talk on the work by a brother of
Harold Davis II, who is in charge of
the Y. M. c, A. work among the French
troops.
While we were able to do considerable
for the troops on board the ship we were
handicapped owing to the fact we did
not know they were on until we left the
harbor. However, we managed to get
from the Y. M. G. A. at - while
we lay there in the harbor day, maya
zines, checkers, writing paper and
set of boxing gloves which helped pass
the time for the boys going across.
was indeed glad to be of service in
helping out in this way. | spent con-
siderable time below decks with the en-
listed men, especially the Vermont boys.
We had sing for the men nearly every
night and our party conducted Sunday
services Tor both passengers and troops.
] would like to mention little Incl
dent that occurred crossing the channel,
1t may seem small and no doubt will
be over-shadowed by others. But it
was the first and ] shall never forget il.
On the boat as ] wandered about the
decks with another of our party, we
found fourteen boys and nine girls, none
of them over twelve years old, cuddled
up and getting ready to sleep on the
hard decks, They.were children from
Northern France who had been driven
by the Germans into Holland and taken
from there by society to England and
were on their way to Paris to an as> lum.
A kindly looking but sorrowful French
lady had them in charge. The poor
youngsters had lost their fathers in the
war and did not know about their
mothers. 1t was pitiful sight and |
realized there were many more to come.
AS we stood there watching them it
occurred to US that we had our army
blankets. in our trunks and within reach.
so out came half dozen blankets and
the little ones did not suffer from the
cold that night. They could not have
shown their appreciation more and in
the morning when we went after the
blankets they Rugged and kissed us
after their fashion.
! see that ] have written quite extern
sively and will trust that the letter goes
across the Pond safely.
Very sincerely,
ARTHUR B. KING.