Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-06

pleasantly that I dislike TO think that II
is all over. One perfect day has followed
another Uith the say almost as clear and
blue as In Vermont. The water has been
as smooth as mill pond at times and as
blue as I have ever seen. Again 1t has
tossed this boat as though 1t were mere
cork. The moon was beautiful for the
first few nights as 1t gittered on the
waves. Since the moon waned and 1t has
become dark at night, 1t Is fascinating
to look over the rail and see the phos-
phorus shining in the swishing water.
Needless to say nobody has even thought
Of being sick. Some people who have
been abroad so times say they have never
seen the water any more beautiful and
calm. Each day at four-thirty we have
setting-up exercises on the forward deck
which is very popular with the more en-
thusiastic and lively passengers. Daily
at noon we set our watches ahead Is min
utes and every night at IL o'clock. 20 min
utes.
Last night the steerage passengers gath
| cred together just below the promenade
deck rail and sang the Star Spangled
Banner and America. At the end OF each
song the Storage applauded and yelled
| their approval. 1t was an inspiring cpl
| sode In which. to take part.
| thursday evening a concert was given
| by the passengers for the benefit of the
wounded in France. There were instru-
mental quartettes. piano and vocal solos,
readings and group songs and the singing
OF the Star Spangled Banner" God
save the King and THE Marsellaise'' by
the entire audience. After the formal pro-
| gram had been closed, various articles Of
small value were auctioned off. The en-
tire proceeds amounted to about $500,
which, considering the size of the crowd,
was exceedingly generous.
| saturday afternoon there were athletic
| events on the forward deck under the di-
rection Of Mr.. Wendell. Some of the
events which proved a circus to the au-
dience as well as the participants, were
as follows: Rooster fight, within chalk
| ring; hand wrestle, also in the ring; hand
push; stunts; wheelbarrow race; stand
ing toe wrestle; standing broad jump;
foot race and tug of war. The engineers
and the field service men each presented
a team of eight men. except in the tug
| of war, when there were 10 men on each
side. There are so many Americans on
board and we do so many things exactly
as do at home that it hardly seems
possible that 5000 miles and more lie be-
tween us and "the land we love-" and
that the scenes of death. destruction. hon.
or and misery are so close at hand.
AS we look back over the past week and
more 1t seems pity that it is all over
and that the pleasant parties must pass
into memory. There is much that might
be written that would prove highly in.
teresting and amusing, but this must ar
wait until we return and the war is pass
ed and gone forever. Already I feel
| longing for just glimpse of Mansfield q
killington and I know that when the tin<
of my first enlistment is at an end ther(
will be no steamer that can carry me fast
enough to the boundaries of the OK
, Green Mountain State.
"East-bound DER an untraced swinging
| track,
In the eye of war-red sun:
East-bound DER the broad seas sway AMI
, roll,
Each one the Captain of his Soul.
With purpose high and single goal,
n And-"God bless US every one"
, The above lines were written by a Eel
! low-passenger and the war poet, Edwin
Clarkson Garrett. on August 10 and pre-
I sent the thoughts that are uppermost II
the minds of all on board.
/ All that l have thus far written coult
o just as we'll have happened in peace time.
cause 1t was written before the event.
due to the world war had transpired.
Z For two days and nights we were pass
ing through the danger zone and although
: we knew not at what moment we nigh
a be forced to take to the life boats, no
body seemed particularly nervous. Per
: haps a few more people walked the deck
a and spent the night in various decided
e uncomfortable positions. perhaps tn
a word submarine" was spoken fifty thou
4 sand times more during the day thai
usual, perhaps one could hear two hun
, bred more rumors about German spie
. on board, how high a perscope project
a from the water, whether dawn or dus
- is the most favorable time for a U-boa
attack. etc, but aside from this. Their
, was nothing particularly different in tn
q regular routine movements of all Of
!, board The last two nights nobody wa
=, permitted to undress and with life-bel
. in position each person, upon given sig
nal, must proceed to his or her assigns
!, life-boat and be ready to be crooked Il
. the cradle of the deep in a decided
- small craft, when the size Of the wave
- was taken into consideration. To wal
. around the decks about $3.50 a. M, jus
a as dawn was tinging the eastern horizon
- and to see the various positions and ex
- pressions of those too weary to sta
), awake another minute was highly anus
- ing. The situation at times was a b
=, tense and when the sun was high a
" rested bit easier.
:, But. never a submarine showed II
- ugly head and as write We are passin
=. up river Of exceptional beauty. Farm
. come down to the banks on either sid
and the scene is so peaceful and so home
- like that war still seems far away. ]
:. has been a great trip, proclaimed b
all on board. We regret that it must enc
=. and yet there is not one who is not ann
- ious to proceed with his or her appointe
W task willingly and enthusiastically.
Z RODERIC MARBLE OLZENDAM.
It Rue Francois Premier Paris.
D.