Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-11-30
Journey Across Atlantic
Continued from page ~


darkness was frightened by the soft
voices of the nurses who had gathered for
the evening song. When the sweet tones
Of Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me- waited out
into the stiffness one could very readily
understand the trust these glorious
women had placed in Hin who rules the
wind and stills the wave.
When acquaintance had ripened into the
Good morning" and "Howdy do" stage
several enjoyable entertainments marked
the passing Of the evening. Down in the
ships roomy salon these colld be held
without giving warning to the voracious
Boche that we were in the vicinity. |
recall one of these at which one of a
party known as the Distinguished Gentle
men presided. The results were surpris-
ing. One Of the Hollanders came on with
more tricks than pet elephant; the re-
firing naval medical surgeon did a scream
ing imitation of a German band; the
Perpetual Passenger delivered the speech
of his life and then went forward to the
smoker where he did it all over again until
they put him out;a big, sunny-faced young
officer from Yale sang, and he sang some
too, for he was the soprano Of Yale's glee
club with voice that got in and thrilled
the very cookies of your heart; and
then the mult millionaire came out boldly
over the top of his trench Of impregnable
wealth and talked to us so simply and so
humanity sensible that he seemed all at
once to have become one Of us. And as
these little happinesses we're created
the great ship sailed on so silently, but
on, on, on.
A time came when the ship followed no
direct course, but zigzagged in many
directions. The danger zone" had
been reached. A more alert watch, ii
such thing were possible, was kept; the
gunners stood by constantly; the life
boats we're madeready for easy lowering,
the ships, crew was out for daily drill,
and preparations were made for a fight
and also for safety if disaster came.
But at no time was there halt; each
day brought US nearer to the home port,
and to fuller realization of the indomi-
table courage Of those who brave the seas
in these untoward days.
In passing, l must pay tribute to those
men who follow the sea. One would
scarcely believe the number of men
aboard our good ship who had been in
submarine disasters while serving on
other ships. The second steward had
gone down with the Lusitania, but was
saved; one man had been torpedoed in
two other ships; more than half
dozen had passed through this hell at
least once. Yet they still held to the sea,
because it is the only work their lives
has known. Were they concerned and
anxious2 If so they were most consumate
actors, neither by word or action did
they ever betray such concern if it ex-
isted
One morning we awoke to find that
our conveys had met us, and had already
assumed the task of helping in our pro-
lection. And when we saw that old
beauty flag Raging out from the mizzen,
we blessed God that we hailed from a
land that could make ships that would
run rings around a race horse. Our new
friends were torpedo boat destrOyers, the
kind that inspires wholesome and we'll
warranted respect in the treacherous
submarine. From the first moment it
occurred to me that the commanders Of
these little ships were business men.
There were no folderols in the way Of
salutes, nor stopping to pay respects;
they took up the duty of securing the
seas in our vicinity and kept'at it steadily
until we passed over the bar into our
English landing port. 1t is useless to
attempt to disguise the fact that their
coming was welcome. The man who
crossed ninety-nine times said they
looked good; the nurses laughed and gig
sled like Riddles; the. young men said it
was fine; the parents of the little ones
gave silent thanks to God, in which we
oil joined for the sakes Of the blessed
babes; the shipped officers surely slipped
abig part Of their burden of responsibility,
we hope they did, and the sun joined in
the Joy by coming out and warming the
decks so that it was comfortable to
stand and watch our new friends. In
order to keep it from being unanimous,
the Old Man Of the Sea said he couldn't
see any reason for being glad, as he had
been frothing for fight with some kind
of sea terror all the way over. Now
he was disappointed. We knew that he
was liar, just like all other Old Men of
the Sea-
One might acquire the impression that
continual terror existed aboard our
ship. Such is not the case. There
never will come time when American