The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-30
NO FAST AND FURIOUS FUN.
Departure of the Troops Was a Sol
emn Occasion.

emn Occasion.
1t was hardly happy gathering Most
of the fun INDUCED in before the COM
panles began to arrive, when the res !; s,
crowd was swaying backward and forward
from one corner to another, doubtful as to
the best vantage, and rowdyish looking loaf
ers, perched themselves, like monkeys, on the
iron rails of the fence about the capitol
grounds and passed light, and not always
funny jokes, over each others heads, or
stared with impish boldness into the faces of
any particularly attractive young woman who
pushed her way by. The excited giggle OF
school girls was to be heard on one side and
the audible criticism of one or another's
gown or hat by groups of women, on the
other.
Parts of the crowd crushed up the capitol
steps only to be turned back again by the
ali-important blue coats who were keeping
this point clear for the descent of the gov
ernor nor. a and his gaily uniformed staff:
small boys hung themselves in uneven
festoons from the highest windows OF the
capitol building, and sized up the scene cor
rectly.
had enlisted, nervously twisted Their hand
kerchiefs, and listened, with quivering fps.
while mammas tod simple little tales of the
leave takings they remembered when their
friends and school mates had enlisted years
ago, many OF whom never returned.
MewsbSys with war extras lodged skllfu,ly
fastened on promising lamp posts.
AT lO O'Clock the strains of the approaching
band were detected, first by the. animated
festoons of boys at the top of the capitol
and the coming of the companies was duly
announced by prolonged shouts and shr.l
whistles.
The crowd ceased its restless surging and
formed itself into compact masses on either
side of the streets surrounding the state
cheers for the bands of men who were an
preaching with even tread and unsmiling
faces.
The newsies had found the desired Iamp
posts, and, having ''shinned up, were
watching de army with dancing eyes.
meantime hugging their particular lamp
posts with arms and legs
Round the corner swept the troops, cheer
after cheer greeting the N.eh in their field
uniforms and broad hats.
They were very serious. Few had realized
before just what it all meant, but as they
filed by, sighting here and there familiar
face, or perhaps a wife, mother or sweet
heart, the young faces paled and on many a
cheek dash of carmine told only too plain
ly the struggle which was going on within
There was little joking as the lines passed.
seemingly without end.
The loafers forgot to rellght their cigarettes
and the sombrero-topped cycle girls forgot
to chew gum. Thousands of men, women and
children stood dumb before the stunning reaIiz
before them. INC eoene
Behind many of the pillars of the old state
capitol gray haired mothers, and, it NAV have
been grandmothers, softly went a'
They to we're all SO And when they
brought the fact home for the first time ~ ~
many in the crowd that the Civil war was az
Mai Ed s. Bean gave the first toucb 90
local color to the scene and waved his sor 81
gaily to the crowd from the Colonnade s os ~
rode by horse back DIS ne
Like huge snake the line wound round
the capitol grounds, the gilt of the ofi1cerS v
braid glittering in the sun, pretty contrast
to the dull blue and brown of the uniform nS'
1t seemed to many of the spectators that th.
burdnes the men carried were much too large
and needlessly heavy. and a subdued laueb
went uD when very raw recruit passed bv
carrying a fur coat p's'eu NY
=. M. Mus y, nave been switched off from a trip
20 sae hiondlke some one remarked
me SOFT young grass covering the canitol
grounds afforded cool resting place and If