Evening star., 1898-05-21
The Two Sides of War at Camp
Alger.
OLD VETERANS ARE INTERESTED
Young Soldiers Bidding Farewell to
SWeethearts and Wives.
THE PAST AND THE PRESENT

She was old. but age had not impaired
her yigor, and her patriotism was of the
stalws TT sort. Soft waving bands OF snow
white hair curled naturally about her pref
ty pink and white cheeks, that were
scarcely Wrinkled at all. yet she must have
passed the three score and ten by at least
five years. She was talking to fair-haired
lad of less than twenty, and her hand was
laid as if in benediction upon his uncov-
cred head. "Iour grandfather was wound
ed in the battle of Buena Vista, your IA
ther's gallantry at Gettysburg won him a
medal of honor, and now a third time /
am called upon to bid dear one God-speed
into battle for the flag. My dear boy, you
would not be the son of your father if you
did not want TO go, but L could wish-oh l
could wish that you might have been
spared to me. for prop to my old age
ana then the Gear old lady broke down
ana sobbed her heartache out on the
ohou!der OF her grandson, who soothed her
with loving words and manly promises,
while his mother and two young sisters III
perfect abandon of grief, chung together
ana cried only as loving, tender-hearteJ
women can.
IL was only one of the hundreds of little
tragedies that are being enacted every day
al camp AlSer just now. This particular
soldier boy belonged to a PENNSYLVANIA
company, ard the aged grandmo:he who
hVes IN Washington, accompanied by her
had gone cut to welcome him as he came
In. tired, dirty and footsore from his
tramp over the muddy roads from Dunn
LorIn1 along with the other members of
Els -rSlment. One would think that one
parting like that would suffice for a life
time yet there are hundreds of women
Win sons IN Camp Alger who have gone
through with Just such heart-breaking
partings twice within thirty-fiye wears,
Hearts are pretty tough after all.
w ar is such = dreadful thing" sighed a
poor httle mother. as she ana her daugh-
terS stood by one of the headquarters tents
Wdtching preparations tor dress parade
ny. think it is great fun," responded
one OF the pretty daughters, she idly
twlried silk flag on its slender staff
watching a certain 0ark-haired youth as
ne brushed his coat and pulled at the lac
inss of his iegGings. Half an hour later
the mother and daughters left the camn in
Carriage, and the cider one her lips still
warm with a lovers goodbye kiss leaned
Lach IN the seat, her face whittier than the
handkerchief she pressed to her tcar-wet
eyes The goodbye the last one for
gees: e
1t may be for years. and it may ne for.
eyer,'' " A
Will 1t be wounded" killed" or only
missing that will meet ..sweetheart's',
eyes as she scans, through mist of tears.
the long lists of those engaged in the bat
lie who do not answer here" at roll caIIo
In the war of the rebellion it is estimated
mat out OF every % men one was killed in
Of
wounds received in action. OF every 13 one
died of disease and unknown causes Ont
OF every nine one died while in the SER
wee Out OF every 10 -Cne was reported.
missing or captured One man in every ID
vas wounded in action. One of every sev-
en- men captured died in captivity. Such is
tne ior>une of war, whether civilized or
"bdrbarous.'
Want to Go.
TO the young and ambitious Camp AIser
seems big play ground, and war with
Spain huse joke These Junior Logs in
Dlue IKE the adulation, the music the
nutter of the flags, the excitement and
the prospect of seeing some of Ibe
world In every state in the Union there
are SiHliIar Camps and, as in the dreadful
years between 6l and 10, the flower of the
Hdtcn young manhood fills these calaos
II mas been said many times both at home
and abroad. that the United States will
gather under the first call for volunteers
the most perfect army, physically consid-
cred, that ever rallied around a nation's
Standard Yet il is amusing and all brt
pLthetic, to hear the comments passed upon
these boys by the battIe-scarred veterans
the senior boys in blue" In the frs,
place, these old fellows are actually ieal-
ouS- They never felt the weight of wears
until now: They are not content to rest
upon the laurels SO richly won on a hun
dred Dattlefelds, more than a quarter of a
century ago, but want to go again crutch.s
and canes. wooden legs and all. and lick
the stuIllHS out OF the bull fighters What
can KIDS like those fellows do in a desper-
ate hght? they ask, almost contemptu-
ously.
A grand old veteran, whose empty sleeve
Speaks mutely but eloquently of personal
courage was giving utterance 10 som etiling
Ike this Wednesday, out at Camp AIser
WREN his cadet son leaned lovingly nm
against the old fellows shoulder. express
ing lar hetter than words could the COM
radeshp between them, and said a Ii1tie
reprovingly. Now, look here. governor
amt You Just little hard On Us boys?
You were no Methuselah yourself when
you enlisted for First Bull Run. Come
enlisted?''
How the veteran did laugh, You young
rascal" he roared. by jove 1 had to lie
like the mischief to get In at all on that
hrst call L lacked three days of being
fifteen. but l was larger than 1 was old
and / got there In good shape" Then the
veteran grew loquacious- DO you see
Winona over there" he asked. much to the
confusion OF his son, who had seen little
but Wtnona since size arrived in camp with
douShnutS of her own frying pies of her
own baking. taffy of her own pulling all
for him. and pair Of poor punished hands
So biistered and sore that she all but cried
out when he grasped tnem- Well. now"
he continued, as an interested group gath
cred around him, "Milly, that was your
mother. boy. she died before you could
know her. was just like Winona as sweet
girl as ever drove a boy to desperation
school. but never until the day when we
Were to march to the front did the old
people give In to our desire for an engage
ment- Milly saved me. my boy! When
felt disposition to do dishonorable things
TO drink or gamble, or to mix in low com
pany, Millys tear stained face came be.
tween me and dagger. and / came out a
much better man than l would have been
but for her-whats that?'-to the boy. who
had asked him some question Can. YOU
ana Winona-w-h-a-t! Exchange rings ,
al a her hold
limb! IL you turn the tables on the Span
fSh erandees as neatly as you turn them
on your poor old father. who has to be two
parents In one to you. you will come out
all right So the wind lies in that direc-
tion. he added musingly. as the boy
moved quickly TO Winona's side We'll
well" and he walked away, still musing
Not All Tragedy.
There are many comedies at Camp Alger,
life couldn't be all tragedy, you know The
efforts that the girls make to understand
all about everything are commendabIe
though alWayS cOmpyebspci,a IT,