Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-20
TENDER FAREWELLS
Sad Scenes at Old Point
Comfort Yesterday.
THE FAREWELL MEETING
8aynots Everywhere. Meeting of the
klnE's Daughters. Why MT. Cum
ming Reaisns. RobblnE .
the Dead.

More than one weary, sorrow-strick-
en- woman at Old Point and Phoebus.
last night vainly importuned tired ma
lures sweet restorer for her tender
caress. The goddess, forgetful OF their
woe, kindly kissed their little ones,
however. into peaceful rest, and thus
made the long hours that lay between
the darkness and the dawn seem easier
to bear. The parting which they knew
must come had been approaching for
more than week. during which time
| the sweet memory of early days, when
love made life seem brighter than the
sunlight that fell upon their sorrow at
noontide, returned to touch their hearts
as it had never done before and open
the fountain of tears.
But why such sadness? Amy OF the
two or three hundred people who stood
on the pier at Old Point at high noon
| yesterday and saw the members OF
Battery H. Fourth Artillery, marching
| to the music OF the garrison band to
| the steamer which lay alongside the
Scores OF the men told the story as they
glanced now and then toward a woman
and brtght-faced child in the throng.
They were men going to war, but in
going they were leaving homes in
| which they had spent happy days;
homes for which they had worked and
| in which they had hoped to pass the
coming years in peace with those TO
whose hearts their hearts are bound
in a strong covenant Of love, and with
this thought came the still more pain
full reaecfan tas9tro on that bright saa m4fn
ing which marked the cruhha but t. lhappy :.
they had perhaps taken a final farce
we'll Of both home and loved Ones
Battery H. commanded by Captain
Story, has within its ranks many
popular men. The number OF those
that are married is said to be consid-
erably larger than that in other bat
teries at the garrison. Trey enlisted,
some of them from this State, 1t is said.
while others are from the Carolinas.
and it is probably safe to say that not
one Of them. when they gave their
names to the government. thought for
a moment that the time would ever
come when the battery would be
called into active service. At all events
they did not expect that the United
States would be engaged in a foreign
war. AS all young men Will do, many
OF them fell in love, which ended sooner
than they thought in q marriage cere-
mony and a home.
Yesterday as they stood In line on the
dock the eyes OF more than one filed
with tears as he looked into those of his
wife or quietly smothered the hair Of a
little child at the weeping woman's
side. Would their eyes ever meet
again in this world? Would the time
again come when the little one, smiling
and chattering there while the parents
were overwhelmed with grief, would
once more nestle on his bosom and tell
of the daily disappontments and then
grow happy in relating it's Joys? Well,
only Heaven knows.
At noon, with the ripping waters Of
the bay and the Roads flashing back
the light of splendid day. with the
sounds of cheerful music floating on
the breeze that swept in from the faint
ly murmuring sea, with handkerchiefs
and banners waving them a sad but
proud farewell and with fervent pray
ers for their safety and their speedy
return rising to Heaven from aching
hearts. they sailed away.
At Norfolk the battery took the Sea-
board Air Line for Tampa. from which
city it will be transferred to Cuba. If
all goes well the men may soon return.
If not. 1t may be many a day before
they again see their homes.