The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-10

w d.
Fish, of Clarendon.
Dear Dad:
Well, / have found time to write
iycu something of what | have gone
/ through. Everything went fine on
| the way down for every time a new
car was put on we headed for that
and so had plenty of room. We ar
rived in Rcston on time and there
met Delos Buck who took Rudolph,
Earl and myself up to his suite.
There we enjoyed his hospitality for
a day and half. Wednesday morn
ling we mec the other boys at the
Quincy House and took car for
Revere Beach. l had a good time
there but didn't take in many of the
sports and musements. II the even
! ing we vert to the theatre and saw
Il very coed play with fine music.
Thursday m 'Ining after :. good sleep
and 4 little longer then | usually
take, we iou1neyed to the Recruiting
Station for examination Several
marines had told US to he on hand
Carly IN order to get examined be-
| fCIe the rush. It was 10 o'clock, one
hour after opening, when we arrived
and there were over two hundred
waiting and ahead of us all. We
called in the middle of the afternoon
/ and believe me it didn't take US long
| tC get in line. Several clerks look
iC1 over on" papers. Unfortunately
one noticed that my consent was not
sworn to SO I had to see the head
clerk to ge5 the blank that I sent
iycu. We'll he o. K'ed the consent
and sent me to get another call num-
ben which fortunately 10Y me was
smaller than those waitines and plac-
/ Cd me at the head of lie line. Of
course the other boys were going
/ through a~.d l was fast leaving
them. 1t v,as getting late and I be-
gan to wonder whether / could get
them that cay or not. I tried evry
way and the nearest | could get was
call humble" L for the nexC day.
That night I received my first
meal in service. 1t wasn't bad and
| had plenty. After supper I watch
ed several boxing matches, baseball
games, and also volly ball. At 7.30
a Y. M. c. r. speaker gave us a very
good talk which gave US good APP
petite to sleep. I passed a good
might in tn barracks in order to be
OH time. in the morning for my ex-
2ninations. 1t took the examining
officers, quite a while to get started
but when they were they surely did
rush thing. About $50 were put
through the day before. / had to
have my picture taken and my arm
pricked before I could get my
clothes. Il l am small I can fill my
uniform an I guess I don't look bad
for | haveH't seen myself in a mir
Tor. Ny outfit consisted of two
jumpers, one working cap, two pairs
overalls,e one pair trousers, one
sweater with cap, one towel with
soap, one sailor cap, and was offered
Is blouse that I didn't take for it had
nt stripes. will get one outside
when I get leave. | can get one
tonight if this ship isn't under quar-
al tine. There are runors confirm
ing this but I don't know whether
i, is true or not. There are sew
/ Ell al other things that | need and can
easily get here. All Of TIE boys that
cfme dowl with me passed and we
are all or the same ship, namely
T.. S. S. Meade. This ship was in
the Spanish American wa, was sunk
ard raised ir 1907. 1t is now being
fitted up for sea service. We get
off every third night from 7 p. m.
until IL; OF from 3 p. m. until 730
q. H., if you live near here. We
also have Saturday afternoons off to
have a shower and wash our clothes
for Sunday inspection. l didn't have
q very big washing today. | am
new waiting for o'clock to come to
see whether I get my leave or not
fol I nave several errands to do out
side, among these is to send home
the things I don't need. We have
good hunks and plenty of food but
rot enough work. This is my first
; day of work l cleaned two state
rooms and made the beds etc. The
worst trouble is that we have to be
moving I'LL the CIlIle anu ouI Wo1h IS
done in half the time we have to do
il. I'll bet I washed some places
fifteen times in. order to keep NOV
ing. We lad Chow at about Alb
ills Afternoon. We eat most any
time and have great rush to sec
who eats 1T the first taola
This will give you a little idea
what 1 am doing OF have done.
have write hurriedly as my time is
limited. ! even hated to stop and
sharpen my pencil. My address is
U. S. Shipping Board, U. S. S.
Meade, Ea5- Boston, Mass. Pass it
along and get me some letters.
Lovingly,
V177,.