The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-06
Don C.. Stiles Writes Home
of the Plans of the
Y. NJ. C.. A.
KING AND QUEEN
AT EAGLE HUT
Found a Real Steak at a
Restaurant and also
Met Shayne Leslie's
Mother
Dear Folks Back Home:

Dear Folks Back Home:
Well here it is within three days
of the 9TH and, believe me, it will be
some glorious Fourth for such
American soldiers and sailors as
are lucky enough to get leave that
day in London. The English people
are working with us in every way.
King George will start the ball game.
Practically every one of the best
theatres have given tickets to be dis
tributed thu Rough the Y. M. c. A, so
all are assured an evenings enter
tainment. Sight seeeing trips are
arranged free for all with expert
guides and in the evening the mayor
of Kensington and 300 ladies are en-
tortaining 500 of our "boys" at Ken
sington with real honest-to-good-
ness supper and an entertainment in
which some of England's foremost
artists have promised to appear.
am one of committee of three hav-
ing in charge the arrangements for
the day so far as the Y. M. C. A. is
concerned. Have been out all the
afternoon on this job making sure
regarding the sightseeing cars, mo-
tion pictures, photographers, guides
and decorations for cars, which con-
stitute some of my personal respon-
sibilities for the Fourth's program.
The big parade starts at $50 a. m.
with 500 men aboard the sightseeing
cars and continuous program is ar
ranged for this particular bunch un-
til 10 p. m. and will include free
sightseeing trips (2), dinner at vari-
GUS huts, baseball game, supper and
entertainment at Kensington. Aside
from these 500 every American sol
der and sailor coming to town that
day (3500 are expected) will receive
special attention and be given abso-
lutely free sightseeing trips, meals,
entertainment at English homes,
theatre tickets etc.
l met Mrs. Leslie, mother of Mr.
Shane Leslie, this afternoon at Ciros
(Should any traveller familiar with
London as it was read this and be
shocked please be advised that Ciros
now is Y M. C. A. and the only
one in the city where soldiers ane
sailors can take their lady friends).
Il have this day been asked to
speak at the West London Mission
on Kingsway, Aug. q. I hardly know
how l happened to be >honored in
this way as usually these particular
services are conducted by eminen
divines, well known laymen and
members of Parliament, as was the
case yesterday. Perhaps they think
their people will appreciate bette
real gold if for a change they are
given little brass so I am going to
accept the invitation.
am still on night duty attached
to the Strand Social Center of the
International Hospitality League
Branch of Y. M. C. Az. My ex-
periences are interesting and otter
exciting but / shall await telling
them until the war is over or [ am
back home. | have been offered
some very fattering positions else
where but really feel l must stay
sumo responsibility for same
happen to be the. only Y. M. C. A.
secretary on this particular work
By the way West London Mission is
right in the center of the territory
here at least until some one will as
tablished some 80 years ago by Mr.
Hughes, whose picture is very prom
inently exposed in one of the assem-
bly, rooms.
This evening l took dinner at Mo
linaris. This is "a famous Italian
restaurant known as the "Sports
man" and is the place l always &C
to when | have a ravenous appetite
and desire for a real steak like
back home. From here | went tC
Ciros for an ice and coffee and me-
Mrs. Leslie at the cash register sell
ing tickets, and Mrs. Leslie's daugh
ter served at my table.
The King and Queen spent nearly
an hour at Eagle Hut" one after.
noon last week mingling with the
"Boys" as informally as anyone else
They came and went "on their own
as the expression is over here or as
we would say with no military OF
civil escort. If you could have seer
the King visiting with the soldier,
and sailors as if they had alway,
known each other and nearly as off
hand you would have rejoiced, anc
many of these fellows will forever
remember the day they received
King George and Queen Mary a
their home in London, eagle Hut
Y. M. C. A.
must close and get to work, bu
first let me say the letters / have re
ceiyed from friends and relative
back home arc the real stimulus TO
service over here and / want then