The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-18

rade was begun which wound through all
the streets of the town and all the people
rade so they should miss nothing.
The battery and the committee marched
PACK Pack to the trains which nad been com
pie shouted for Captain Curtis. and he spoke
few words to them from the platform.
The captain thanked the people for the roy
ally generous manner in which they had
treated the boys. He praised the TWO SOL
diers from Centerville and said the town
should give them a welcome equal to that
his men were receiving when they returned
to their home. Mayor Taggart also thanked
waved Ss the cheers went up the band played
and the train pulled out toward Indian
apolis. All diverting incidents having been
tently on indianapolis. The wheels of the
cars seemed to rumble out Home and
friendsl Home and friends!" The Indian
apolis friends of the artillery men were
anxious to hear stories about Porto Rico,
but the boys earnestly exclaimed, I'VE don :
God. we're out of it. We want to hear
about indianapolis. What's happened at
home?" Conversation and happy laughter
God knows Indiana's the finest land on
earth. said one of the boys. Don't let
anyone persude you ever to go to Porto
drizzling, and it's miserable. all the time.
I'd rather go down there to free the. Span
worst, people on earth. They're a mixture
of Indian, negro French and Spanish and
they are worse than any Spanlard ever
When we arrived we could trade anything
we had to the natives for food, but pretty
Ss5ar they got wise and nd p raised prices
phony' jewelry down there would be com
ing. home rich. One Of the boys made pile
selling American flags" Such conversations
as this were held in nearly every seat.
CROWDS AT EVERY STATION.
The train was rushing onward at a fifty
mile rate of speed toward Indianapolis. At
every railroad station crowds of people
gathered and cheered the battery. 1t had
been heralded through the country by the
newspapers as "the pride of Indianapolis
the battery which sprung from the Indian
apolis Light Artillery, that famous organ
ization that had won more drill prizes than
any other battery in the country. For this
fact and for the reason that the boys were
Indiana soldiers the ovations all along the
road were heartwarming. Women and
children were seen climbing over. back
fences without regard for the tearing or
clothing and rushing down to the track
waving their arms wildly. AS the train
hurried past stations the roar of voices
broke into the coaches and was lost again,
for the train stopped for nothing except a
switch here and there. On tops of school,
houses and churches and factories people
stood and waved flags at the soldiers
train. A wave of enthusiasm seemed to
sweep along the road with the train.
Before the train reached Irvington the
engine, dressed in flags, was seen and the
shrek of whistles began. Indianapolis has
heard the piercing sound of whistles APP
plauding the return of four regiments and
a battery, but the shullabaloo that broke
loose announcing the return of Battery A
outclassed anything in the screaming
shrieking line that has occurred in this city:
Everybody was worked up to that pitch of
excitement where all dignity is lost. The
sprinkling of people along the track side
became crowd, and as the train drew into
the city, the crowd almost became a mob.
Voices forced to their utmost roared with
the whistles and lunches of exploding f1re"
crackers were thrown from every platform
of the train. 1t was pandemOnium, but 1T
was heaven for the boys OF the battery.
Thousands of people were pushing on to
the track and the engineer had to run his
locomotive slowly to keep from running
them down. People were leaning out of
windows and standing on roofs, and all
were welcoming home the battery boys:
The boys bore their honors we'll. Many OF
them gulped back Jumps in their throats.
They were pleased and delighted with the
reception the people were giving them, and
they knew that in the Union Station were
waiting their dearest friends. When sit
last the train forced its way through the
crowds at the Pennsylvania and Merldian-
street crossings and rolled slowly into the
station the boys looked out over sea OF
faces strained for glimpses of the men IN
the cars. The train had not stopped be-
fore there was rush forward OF the crowd:
The battery boys burst out of the cars and
were clasped in the arms OF those most dear
tn them