The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-08-10
WAITSFIELD
Cushman Gray Writes of the Routine
Work of the Y. M. C. A. Secretary.

WoAh Va TIC 4 w. VI a. oClISL0Ays
Mrs. w. Il. Marshall has received the
following letter from Cushman Gray,
well known to many in this community;
Wednesday, July 10, 1918.
My dear Mrs. Marshall: Every day
seems to hold its full quota of things
to do and other things we do do. Yes
terday was full day. Our first regional
conference with Mr. Carter, chief Eu-
ropean secretary, and other representa-
tives from the Paris Office present, to-
gether with all the divisional secretaries
of the region, about 35 all told. Mr..
Carter is a most inspiring personality
and feel privileged in having met him.
Twas a good conference and we are in
hopes of accomplishing more work be-
cause of it. Am very busy nowadays.
This morning the secretary in charge
here went into Paris for conference
and left me in charge and to look after
things in general My chief job is to
keep the secretaries mess going, provide
the food and keep the French woman
going. As we can't purchase everything
from our American commissary and are
not allowed to buy Unfortunately from
the French, it takes tact and diplomacy
always to get by" and sometimes much
parleying and gesturing in French How
ever, we will do it if it takes leg, and
my English is forgotten during the proc
ess. My French woman does not speak
English and my French is sadly cryptic,
40 you can picture our calisthenics when
talking. It's riehl
Again the commissary won't sell in
large quantities. 1t requires constant
repetition to keep eight or ten people
fed. But we can do it and observe all
red tape. Last evening we had the form
al opening exercises for the hut here.
A very successful evening. DR.. Guy Ben
ton spoke. A young lad gave humorous
readings, quartet from one of the com
panies stationed here gave several mu-
steal selections. We served lemonade
and cigarettes gratis and ended with a
boxing and wrestling match The place
was crowded and everybody voted it q
most enjoyable affair
Tonight | must go up to the Y and
see that our new gas engine that gener-
ates electricity for movies and illumina-
ton is running properly. 1t has just
been installed and | received instrue-
ton on how to operate it this afternoon.
Here's hoping it operates as expected.
For my knowledge accumulated this aft
ernoon between | and o'clock of gaso-
line engines is not very large. When
one has served as a hut secretary in
European work for a few months he is
rounded out in a most marvellous man
ner. Can do most anything from run
ming country grocery store, conducting
Bible classes and leading the singing at
impromptu entertainments, to praying
at a funerall
Tuesday night went on an eight
kilometer hike to small town near by
to hear Elsie Janis sing. Eight kilo-
meters each way, making total hike
of something over ten miles She could
not come to all these small towns, so
the men congregated in central place,
some hiking and some going by truck.
One of the sergeants Of this company
invited me to go along, so | trekked
beside him at the head of the company.
NY first experience in marching with
troops, and | must say | thoroughly en-
ioyed every moment. We march under
'Ronti step with Cadence" orders, which
allowed us to visit, sing or whistle, and
the boys did all three. When we arrived
we found thousands of men assembled
in a natural amphitheatre and Elsie oc-
cupying an improyised stage, ready to
begin her performance. The sight of
these men was indeed inspiring to me
and no one ever spoke or performed be-
fore a more responsive audience. There
were two bands in attendance, so you
can perhaps imagine the volume of sound
when they played some popular air and
the BOYS sang. Elsie herself was good,
although not in particularly good voice.
She has been over here several months
and singing under all sorts Of conditions
soon has its effect on the human voice.
After the performance we fell in" and
marched back, arriving about midnight
The clock on the village church struck
IL Just as / rolled into bed. Tired ply
sically, tired but glad.
Our news from the trenches is about
the same from day to day. Am feeling
fine. Remember me to all.
Cushman Gray.
Mr.. Gray is secretary to Guy Potter
Benton, organizing secretary of the U. S,
army and navy Y. NJ. c. A. with the
A. E. T.
Alfred Stewart and wife from Rhode
Island were at Mrs. George Pierce's on
Wednesday
Frank Mathews and daughter of Provi-
dence, R. l., are guests at R. J. Gleason's.
Mr. and Mrs Clark and son of Plain
field are guests at John Graves.
The Bible students class of the Con-
Eregational Sunday school was enter
tanned at d. r. Bisbee's on Wednesday
evening, about 80 being present.
The Congregational parsonage is hav-
ing the old piazzss torn down and new
ones built, Marshall & Kew doing the
work
Miss Louise Folsom was in Montpelier
Wednesday.
Helen Mann has scarlet fever, this
making the fourth case in the Mann
family.
Miss Norma Cotton of Montpelier has
been guest of Miss Ruth Jones the
past week.
During the electrical storm of Tues
day night, lightning struck small
cherry tree on John Niel's farm, this
making the fifth consecutive year that
lightning has struck somewhere on his
farm.
The ladies Of the Home circle served
supper Wednesday and netted the treas
ury about $500 In two weeks supper
will be served at the pastors camp,
Rest Vue, at $50 p, m.
Mrs A. W. Bigelow is confined to her
bed with illness.
Mrs G. Fl. Thompson, well known to
all Congregational home missionary
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