The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-09-25

IA sail inst six weeks after We had
expected 10 90. We stood in line from
seven in the morning until nine-thirty.
and then were the first ones on the
ship. by courtesy Of the official at the
gate. with whom, by that time, we
had gotten 80 well acquainted that
ne said we were like old friends and
that he felt almost like calling us by
our first names! When we went
through the gate, he shook our hands
and said, "God bless YOU The last
person in the line came on the steam
er at one O'Clock, girls tainted from
fatigue. and il was all most uncom-
Portable. One charming woman, who
was next to us said that she was gong
MS n NURSES aid, tat she had the
most wonderful husband in the world
and everything at home to make her
happy, She said sic really didn't
know why she was going, she simply
couldn't stay at home when there was
so much suffering to be relieved.
Almost every passenger was IN
uniform OF some kind. There were
American, Belgian, French and ltal-
ian officers, and down in the steerage
were two hundred ho-Slovaks, re-
cruited mostly from Canada, Red
Cross. Knights Of Columbus, Saliva
ton Army and "Y. NJ. c. A. men and
women with few Friends Unit
completed the most interestingpicture'
We had all been told, most emphat-
ically. not to let it be known when our
steamer was to sail, not to receive
any baskets of fruit and no steamer
letters. that the departure might be
kent lust as secret as possible: but
as we were towed down the harbor'
y the noise which proceeded from every
: sound producing implement on the
steamer was deafening.
The heat on our first night was IN
i describable. Every port hole was
u tightly locked so that not giimmei
o of light could filter through, and We
n were almost suifccated. By the mex
IS evening all formality was lost, every
e one decided to sleep on deck and th'
e procession which came up, dragging
J. mattresses, life-preservers, pillows ant
y rugs was a fearful and wonderful
things, especially in its motley cos
/ tuning. Our party slept in our steam
- er chairs which grew harder and hard
r er as the night wore on and when en-
n hose was turned on to wash the dec'
u at four-thirty in the morning we go
& up not at all unwillingly. After tina
ID night. we as well as the others, turn
ed in" on mattresses spread along Tn
Or deck. and which the men would brln
re for us amid much laughter, which con
n tinued intermittingly all through tn
s. night The moonlight was SO brilllan
I'd that il was as though we were beln
st followed by an enormous searchigh
the heat was almost tropical, we wer
On taking such a southerly course.
x One wonders if the public realize
sh what wonderful people are those wf
ds have been travellers during the war
ed No one crosses the ocean aimless
to now-just to get ones passport r.
I'd, quires bravery and hardihood, ever!
one has gone fo- purpose, and II
as always lofty and fine one, with u
Nv aid of Humanity as its instigation.
re- The days flew, filled with absorbing
,es lly interesting talks and incidents, e
Of Iery one working to keep his nelghb'
,rs happy and free from the fear whit
he was naturally in all of our minds, o.
nd which we never heard mentione
of There were games TO play, setting
,an exercises to be done, and then u
cd concert to be given, at which we ma
.ho two thousand dollars and over for
- French charity. The religious SC
vices on Sunday were particular
hlo fine; mass for the Catholics IN !
.. early morning, and later one for I
no Protestants, at which DIR. Stires'
~. St Thomas and French clergym
,ev officiated.
,le A friend had given us a large pac
~.a age Of gum to distribute to the $
- diers when we got to France. but
-. - gave il all to the Czecho- Slovaks, IN
:. were so sweet and so eternally ehe'
- full way down in the steerage.
The trip up the beautiful river
Bordeaux took ali day and the cr'
custom-house officials were obliged
unbend at our enthusiasm over
~ charming scenery: they sat with us
the way, explaining things which
'" would otherwise never have know
" they were on the deck in chairs,
we were on the highest pile of trnn
r'oi where we wouldn't miss any OF
'ou' sights. An American soldier Ga
men nying up from the steerage, a
On climbing on the rail, balanced tn
A''s as he bugled and screamed with
ster 10 our boys waving on the shore.