St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-12-26

Iry caiedonfais, Wednesday,
got here at 100 a. m. yesterday and
have been here ever since. got
some ma gaines to read to. pass away
THE time.
A fellow from my Company told
me last night that our Company was
to coal ships today, so | decided that
/ wouldn't appear at Headquarters
until exactly ten o'clock. BY the
time we get our things together and
change our clothes the forenoon will
be pretty nearly gone.
Last night / was standing here
when one of the "Y'' men asked me
is / would help him little. | was
glad l did for he. wanted me to give
out. tickets as the crowd of sailors
came into the gym for church Ihose
that were fortunate enough to get
ticket had a free supper at the Con-
gregational church in town. Strange
as it may seem, the first ticket that
gave out found It's way into my
pocket It is strange how such things
happen, isn't it. WE'LL after the
short service we marched over to the
church where we found some good
eats waiting for US. After the eats
we had to sing-and go to church
again. This last service gave US a
fine chance to sleep after our all
nights ride the night before, as the
people had to sleep quiet and the
minister spoke in low, monotonous
tones that helped US go to sleep at
once.
Tie churches take turns in giving
these weekly suppers. | understand
that these suppers have been given
weekly for ten years. Believe me, I
am going to be around next Sunday
night if. am ashore. I understand
that things have been happening
lately at the station. One of our men
has jumped ship and the, yeoman in
charge of Barracks A mail has de-
serted. They evidently took affairs
into their. own hands and gave them
selves indefinite leaves" The yeo-
man will probably get ten years in
some federal prison, and mike may
sample the .'angel cake and wine be-
fore getting dishonorable dis
charge.
I'll tell you more about the New
port "Y'' some other time. We haVn't
any snow down here. Will close now.
Sincerely yours,
RAYMOND C. HALL.
Dec. 6, 1911. got your letter to-
day as I was on guard duty on the
tip top of strawberry HILL where
the wind blows Not long after I got
your letter was relieved and order
ed to fall in with my company in
front of headquarters. Here we were
marched up before the doctors for
a medical examination. I passed,
among most of the others, so I ex-
! pect to leave for Norfolk, Va, to-
morrow night. Of course we do not
know where we will go from there.
| Perhaps I'll be able to go to Wash
! ington to see Ralph, and then again
we may so right out as soon as we
arrive. I think I am safe in saying
[ will not be at home this Christmas.
I am surely out of luck. I just took
an examination for admission to the
Radio School and passed it, but as
my name was on the list to go to
| Virginia, l can't change. If my name
hadn't been on this list, would have
been sent to Harvard University for
four months OF wireless training, but
was just too late. Four hundred
of us are going out together SO you
see we didn't expect to all go out sc
soon. OF course this is not sure
but we expect to follow the follow
| ing schedule: Leave the station at
$50 tomorrow night, (Friday), get
into New York at 800 q. m. Satur-
day, leave New York at 800 p. M
But then after all it is possible we
may not go at all. I have known OF
men being called back after they
were on the boat. Well, be good
Please write when you get my ad-
dress. Good bye.
R. G. HALL.
Dec 8, 1917.--I am writing to tell
you that 1 did not go out on that
Virginia draft after all.
| My company went to sea with the
others, but at the last moment, five
OF US got orders to transfer to the
radio school. You see, a while age
FIVE of US took the radio exams, but
I've didn't know that we had been &C
cepted until we were about to take
the New York boat. Now | will tel
you something about what we have te
do. Eight hours every two weeks we
do outside guard duty. Besides this
we get two hours guard tours inside
hut that is not at all bad. Five days
a week have the following schedule
to carry out: Drill from 500 a. m
until $40 a.. M, go to school from
$50 until 11.30, go to school again
at LOO p. M. and close for the day a
$50. 1 find that much better thar
coaling ship every three or four days
j and drilling or working On Straw,
berry Hill" other days.
The school is in long narrow
shack containing three tables, with
lfbenches on both sides of each table
AT one end of each table IS sending
key, while along the table are
enough receivers for all the men who
can gather around. The first table
is for new men, the second is fol
men of more experience, the thir6
for men who can get speedier mes