The age-herald., 1898-09-15
The Welcome Home of the First


 The ladies who have the arran ngements in charge for the reception of the First Ala bama regiment are meeting with the most generous response from the citizens. The sTs:ls e?.s!tises TssEs Ts sssy B, ssnyassis sg all oay yesterday, and they will continue their work until the list of contributions Is complete. The ladies were hoping that the arrival of the regiment could have been ar ranged if possible for an hour that would have admitted all arrangements for the reception to have been carried out. They have the welfare of the soldiers so at heart that they did not urge this from any in- convenience that would devolve on them by late hours, but they felt that the recep- tion and all the details of the welcome would have been more suspicious if the regiment reached Birmingham in the day They realized of course, that it would re- quire several hours for each section to ar rive, and owing to this schedule, which it is impossible to avoid there are some de- tails of the homecoming that have been abandoned. This, however, as well as the news that came yesterday stating the sad facts that there would be end for the present of mastering out the troops did not prevent the ladies in perfecting plans for the homecoming of the First Alabama.
 The chairman of one of the committees in speaking of the probable short time in which the ladies have In making prepara- tions, if the regiment is really coming Sat urday, said number of people from whom she had solicited contributions we're not only generous in responding, but showed positive anxiety in regard to the chickens and hams being properly cooked. They pictured the possibility in the hurry and furry of not knowing the exact hour of hat "a r11aD in ha onlx nf no First Alabama might be called upon to pay their respects to chickens that were not brown to a turn by any means Such a condition will, however, be happily avoided as the hour of arrival will be announced the moment the regiment begins it's home ward journey.
 There will be several meetings of the committees at the homes of the chairmen to perfect all arrangements
 Mrs John W. Sibley, the chairman of the South Highlands committee, calls a meet ing at her residence tomorrow morning at 10:30 o'clock. Mrs. M V. Joseph, chairman of committee decorations, calls a meet ing at her residence this afternoon at o'clock. In view of the reception at the Auditorium having been practically aban- doned, Mrs. Joseph is particularly anxious to confer with her committee this after noon.
 The work of the other committees will continue until the arrival of the regiment. Any of the ladies who wish to confer with the reunion committees are requested to do so at once A prominent member of the arrangement committee said last night in referring to the reception at the Auditorium having been abandoned:
 ''The sections of the troop train bearing the First homeward may arrive at a late hour on Saturday evening; but if the men find in the pavilion a handsome spread they will not think the loved ones at home have altogether forgotten them. Surely an arrangement can be made by which the men will have a good spread as they ar rive after their long journey. The spread can be prepared on Saturday, and there Will be volunteers enough to stay with it and give the boys a welcome. If it were possi- ble cup of hot coffee should await every one of them Think of the four hot months the bows spent in the sand, and let us not ' eIsila. to put ourselves out little to give them some comfort here at home l hope that such an arrangement will be consio- cred by the ladies. MT. McClary will cer- tainIy cooperate with the ladies in every possible way"