Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-09-07

my people TOR your SERVICES.
average hospital are unknown here.
There are soft lights and comfortable
beds and pretty women going about
as visitors. The stage beauties and
comedians come to entertain US. The
food is delicious, and the chief thought
Of every one seems to be to show the
inmates what a comfortable and CHEEKY
thing it is to be i'll among a lot of real
friends. | was there from December
until February, and my recollections
of the stay are SO pleasant that some
times l wish l was back.
On the Friday before Christmas
there was a concert in u ward.
Among the artists who entertained us
were Fay Compton, Gertrude Elliott
(sister of Maxine Elliott, George ROBBIE
and other stars of the London stage,
After our protracted stay in the
trenches and our long absence from
all the civilized forms of amusement
the affair seemed to us the most Won
derful show eve given. And In some
ways 1t was. For instance, In the most
entertaining VI 0IdnldIlC OAh1pltAOhf
did you ever see the lady artists go
around and reward enthusiastic APP
plause with kisses? Well, that's what
we got. And l am proud to say that
1t was Miss Compton who conferred
this honor upon me.
At about 3 o'clock on that afternoon.
when we were all having a good time.
one of the orderlies threw open the
door of the ward and announced in a
loud voice that his majesty the king
was coming in. We could not have
been more surprised if some n had
thrown in a Mills bomb. Almost i'm
mediately the king walked In, accom-
panied by a number of aids. They
were all in service uniforms, the king
having little In the style of his uni
form to distinguish him from the 9th
ers. He walked around, presenting
each patient with a copy of Queen
Mary's Gift Book" an artistic little
volume, with pictures and short stories
by the most famous of English artists
and writer's. When he neared my bed
he turned to one of the nurses and in
quired:
SIS this the onef"
The nurse nodded. He came and sat
at the side of the bed and shook hands
with me. He asked as to what part of
the United States I had come from.
how I had got my wounds and what
the nature of them we're, how l was
getting along and what I particularly
wished done for me. I answered his
questions and said that everything l
could possibly wish for had already
been done for me.
Thanked by King and Decorated Fol-
Bravery.
81 thank you" he said, "for myself
and my people for your services. Our
gratitude cannot be great enough to-
ward men who have served as you
have"
He spoke in a very low voice and
with no assumption of royal dignity.
There was nothing in the least thrill
ing about the incident, but there was
much apparent sincerity in the few
words.
After he had gone n of the nurses
asked me what he had said.
"Oh," I said, George asked me wha:
I thought about the way the war WI
being conducted, and l said I'd drop il,
and talk it owe with him as soon as
1 was well enough to be up"
There happened one of the great dis
appointments of my life. She didn't
see the joke. She was English. She
gasped and glared at me. and I think
she went out and reported that l was
delirious again.
Really, 1 wasn't much impressed by
the English king. He seemed o pleas