d four miles and feel splendid. Such weather
you never dreamed of for December. Clear blue skies, a chipper breeze
off the starboard bow and waves just big enough to make us pitch
gently in a very unobjectionable way. This evening's clouds are piling
up round the horizon, so who knows but old Eolus may be getting ready
to send us a Christmas present.

There are four girls to each stateroom. My room-mates are very nice
girls, and we get along very well in spite of the congestion. There is
a Miss S., a very splendid, dark-haired, athletic-looking girl who
attracts me exceedingly. Then there is Miss A. from Baltimore, with a
strong Southern accent, kind-hearted and sensible. Also a quiet
little mouse of a girl, Miss C., who is very earnest and wants to
improve each moment, and was quite worried about herself because she
sat in her chair a whole afternoon and didn't do anything.

There is a sprinkling of Englishmen on board, a few American men, ten
Japanese, an Italian Colonel who apparently is very much of a
lady-killer, one Y.M.C.A. _man_ and about a hundred of us in our high
collars and greenish suits.

The "Caronia" has been an armored cruiser in the Pacific during the
first part of the war, and then was hastily fitted up to carry troops.
She is in rather bad condition, battered and dirty. Nevertheless ship
life seems just what it was before the war. The food is good, tea is
served, the attendants with their nice English voices are all so
remarkably courteous and--charming! That is the only word for it. And
now I must go and dress for dinner, which means, I shall put on a
clean high collar. Ugh!

Sunday, Dec. 29th.

I must tell you about our Christmas at sea. It is the custom on all
English ships for the stewards at midnight to go all through the ships
singing carols. As I lay in my berth I heard them begin, such a fine
men's chorus, singing in harmony. They came down our corridor, passed
us, the sound gradually dying away, then the "Y" girls began and also
went all over the ship, singing very well. Christmas was a wet, foggy
day. The old "Caronia" would put her nose down into a wave and send a
shower of spray over the decks. There were a few seasick people, yet
one would hardly have called it rough. In the morning there was a
short Christmas service, but the nicest part of the day came in the
afternoon and will always stand out in my memory. All the girls had a
tremendo