The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-22
AMONG THE OLD SOL DlERS.
Grayhaired Veterans at Washington Eager to Follow the
Flag Again.
Only an old soldier"

only an old soldier"
But he, fought for his country's free
dom
Thomas Walls, late private company G,
First infantry. U. S. A. was buried at
the Soldiers Home, Washington, few
Sundays ago. The two sentences at the
head of this article were a remark and
re1oinder made at his grave
1t was the end of a soldier. The few
spectators who had been drawn to the
grave through curiosity turned away,
and resumed their Sunday ramble.
The entire burial had been extremely
! simple. The funeral cortege showed u
total lack OF any inspiring qualities
The Home had marched slowly along
playing funeral dirge; behind fol-
| lowed regulation cavalry wagon ear
! rying a plain black pine coffin, draped
with an American flag. Closely be-
| hind this walked u half dozen relatives
/ Of the deceased, then a score of Old
soldiers, led by the firing squad.
The service was read, the salute Jired,
taps" were sounded-and the cere-
monies were over. The band wheeled
| shortly, and marching gaily back to the
| inspiring strains of THE washington
Post" march. The old soldiers. speedily
disbanded. and the Sunday strollers
went their way IL the ever endless
paths of pleasure The incl
dent was doubtless soon forgotten ty
all.
\ simple white stone, with four
numerals. will mark the last resting
place of Thomas Walls.
This is scarcely an alluring picture
of soldiers end. Yet there are hun
dreds of thousands OF men at the pres
ent time who are willing and anxious
tc venture such a passing for pure love
OF country.
1 asked Major General Nelson A.
Miles few days ago if there had been
a hearty response to the presidents
call for volunteers to go to Cuba
II have on file letters and kilograms
representing 100000 persons Emporium
ing that they be enlisted for service at
cnce. And this is in addition to the
$4,000 specified in the presidents call,
and who are now enlisted, was his re-
sDonse.
When I asked the same question of
General AIger, the secretary of war, he
was even more enthusiastic over the
patriotism of the people
Should an emergency call go forth
tomorrow for a draft of the American
people, 12.000, 600 men would rally 10 the
flag before the sun sank TO rest" was
his reply.
And the first who have sprung to
civil war. There is no such patriotism
as theirs to be found elsewhere. They
have felt the thrill of conflict that per-
meates every nerve, and they have suf
fered for the flag they love. The /
MANNED. and even the wholly incapaci- |
tated are eagerly shifting the battle /
from afar," and longing to be in it.
The governor of the Soldiers Home
here can scarce restrain the veterans
in the institution, thirsting to go to
the front again. They rage against the
age limit which debars them. and rail /
oil the infirmities which disable them.
"The men seem frenzied at times"
says the sergeant major of the home.
In their fervent desire to take the field
again they forget, the infirmities which (
render them wholly unfit for service. !
To a man they have come forward and
begged to be taken back into active
service. A few have succeeded in their
endeavors and are even now well on
their way to the 'front.'
''WhO are the first to come for /
ward?"
Strange as it seems, it was the men
who had been the most badly MANNED
in the service. Those who had lost
their limbs and who had suffered
most"
If one doubts the enthusiasm of these /
men it is only necessary to see the .
avidity with which the daily papers are .
devoured, to dispel such an idea. Let
but the magic word extra" be shouted
on the lawn, and scores of veterans
pour from the buildings and hobble
eagerly TO invest their pennies for news .
from Uncle Sans boys on sea and land. (
1t is pathetic to see the blind, whose (
eyes have lost their brightness. The /
magic word brings them from their 7
hooks. and they rush eagerly forward !
till unfamiliar ground is encountered,
then pause irresOlute. and call peevish-
~ for comrades TO bring the news. And {
they are not left long in ignorance by
their fellows. Some kind comrade leads .
them carefully back and patiently reads
the dispatches to them.
How these men of passed activity
chafe at the administrations delayI
What is the matter" they ask of
the visitor. that something is not done
in Cuba? A quick stroke would do the
business for good and ALL