The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-21

n
array of familiar faces are passing befor
: me as | write these words
: My first thought was to sit down ant
? spend the night in writing personal let
e ter to each one; and it would take tn,
e whole night TO do il, But that woulc
! make me unfit for my work with tn,
; boys tomorrow, and am sure no one o.
Won would want me 20 do that Sc
upon second, and more sober thought
: have decided to ask The Times to be the
bearer of my message to all of you; and
assure YOU that it will not on that ac.
count lack any of the real personal touch
And first of all want to thank each
one for the thought of me and for gifts
you have sent-and these gifts are all SO
useful; do not see how you were able
SO well to read my mind and get just. the
things ! wanted. But you did somehow,
and ] thank you for it, and say God bless
you all.
But | know that you all want some
thing more than just q letter of thanks
! from me; you want 10 know something
of the work | am doing. and something
of the wonderful experiences | have had
since | left homeland. friends and loved
ones, and braved the dangers of the sea
dangers very greatly increased by the
sinister foe that turks beneath to strike
| you in the darkness and leave you at the
mercy of the waters hundreds of miles
| from shore--to do my little bit in Clear
ing the way ahead" for those who are to
come after us.
But where shall | begin to tell YOU of
these wonderful thingsy And how much
Of what ! may say win the ever watehful
censor allow to get by? But We will ven
tlne at least; though I win tell YOU ut
the outset that | can only give you the
merest outline of the vast things that
are doing in these wonderful days. Some
one has said. This is wonderful war;
and. believe me, he spoke the truth; it is
a truly wonderful war in what ii has
already accomplished and brought to
light And not the least OF the wonder
full things that it has produced is this
great organization which | fer the pres
ent have the honor TO represent; and the
people Of America evidently think well |
OF it, Judging from fne splendid way
they have responded TO the appeal for I
funds to support it during the recent /
campaign. Ii YOU could see only this |
Eagle hut" where, for the nearly three I
months that / have been here | have
been living and working. you would con
clude that the confidence Of the people
has not been misplaced About all can
tell Won from personal experience has to
do with this hut, which has the reputa
tion Of being tthe best in the whole war
zone"
/ need hardly tell you that ! escaped
the dangers Of the seal saw not even
L., I.I +I.1a aEattf
of old England. For long time ] had
dreams Of visiting this historic island at
some time, but never dreamed that it
should be under the present circum-
stances; but at any rate here ! am.
The hut itself and its activities beggar
ii is beehive of activity
LII sorts Of activities, in fact. 1t Is sit
lated in the very heart OF this great city,
md on that account, partly at least, its I
may be accounted for; but I
hat Is not the main reason; the main |
eason lies in the spirit that perrades the I
whole hut. While the hut is primarily s
or American soldiers and sailors, be c
ause there are not enough of them here /
i vet to fill it, it is open to all OF the a
lilies. 1t is indeed the meeting place of /
he nations; and after meeting and talk t
ng to these men from the ends of the i
arth. all of them thinking your $
houghts, and fighting the same battle d
With YOU il is not difficult to see the {
ignificance of Josiah Strong's phrase: :"
Our World in fact it is difficult not to
hink of it in the terms of that phrase. '
The hut is open seven days of the
eek, and "a hours OF the day. We have
t present only four regular Y. NJ, c, A. V
acretaries 1--WE shall have a couple of ;
lore soon. but we have several hundred Il
olunteer workers who are divided into Il
We shifts; some of these come every "a
ay, and some only day or two a week oi
hese volunteer workers include both ST
len and women. who for the most part al
re Americans who live in London, aud fiji
re busy with home and business cares, IS
ut who count their work here as the oI
ost important thing they are doing. W
monc the women are some wealthy and hS
,me titled ones, but yen would not W
less il. This reminds me of story st
,at is too good to keep till l get home, to
| will tell il now; An American sail tn
;. an unsophisticated lad, who had seen
at il was counted the proper thing over pr
re to tip everybody, in fact one is he
unted very rude not to do it. felt that te
ought to tip his waitress in the can th
en-. and he began to apologize because co
did not have very much to give her; yo
e assured him that they did not dc ho
at here But he was insistent, and be
gan again TO speak OF his lack Of mon so
but that he wanted to give her some /
ing; thereupon she told him that the m,
,men who were working here had plen- in
but they were doing this Just to help /
e boys Then the truth began TO dawn Ar
the lad. and he said: do YOU mean Nc
tell me that YOU are wealthy women. col
d YOU don't have 10 work this wav.I
[ are doing il Just for u.s. She re- on
ed. That Is exactly what / mean. da
ee. YOU don't look il. he replied. BY
The work here Of necessity includes Is
4 of all feeding and lodging these men. old
king after their physical wants: and mi
II Is done in splendid fashion and al ma
very reasonable rate-the lowest pos an
le. in fact Meals are served al al thi
rrs. dav and night. and comfortable wa
clean beds are prosided Then there -R
the socisl activities, an almost con
nous program of concerts and enter Ru
nments OF all sorts 20 keep the bows