The San Francisco call., 1898-05-24
FLOWERS, CHEERS AND TEARS FOR
 DEPARTING TROOPS
Blossoms StreW the Way of the Gallant First as 1t Starts off
 to the War.

which permits a stranger to clasp the hand of a man in the ranks. It is even outside of rules for a gray -haired mother to rush forward to kiss the bonny son her country is taking from her, and for her to kiss the other boys near him must be reckoned a further transgression. There is no official pro- vision for adding flowers to the equip ment of a soldier in heavy marching order Yet all these things were done and none tried to prevent
 Boom! The cannon from its dizzy height had sent it's salute again and wreath of smoke f1oated hazily off into the sky.
 A woman marched by the side of her husband. She bore his rife, he carried their child in his strong arms and ever and again he stopped over so that their lips met It was picture to touch all, and it was one of many pictures. The people seemed swayed by a strange dual impulse of mingled sadness and joy. They were sorry to see the boys go yet gloried In their going. They were conscious of a desire to call them back, but a greater desire to cheer them on. Even the women, sobbing in the arms of brother, sweetheart or hus- band, had no word of reproach, nor tried to make harder the last hours ashore. Through all their tears there shone a pride that theirs had been the men so quick to answer when the sum- mons reached them.
 Coming down Market street the soldiers had marched in fours and with the precision of veterans, but they could do it no longer. The press be- came so great that it was with diff culty two kept abreast and progress was made in single file. When at any moment a girl is likely to break into the ranks, when countless thousands are anxious to get so near as to deliver a message face to face. when the tender of a bouquet is an incident marking almost every drum beat, confusion arises. The drum of one company was actually silenced for space. The drummer was captured by an army of l young women who kissed him till he blushed rosy red and went on his way i embarrassed but blissful. timing his
 taps to his heart beats and giving a l sample of double quick time. And thus | they went by, showered with good wishes, laden with gifts, knowing they
 went from a city which loved them
 well.
 There was one thought not given
 words, but it must have been in every mind. It must have been this thought
 which cast a somber tinge over all the glitter and made the sunshine less bril- liant, the shadow more pronounced. Some in the companies going past so blithely would never come back. They knew the chance of battle when they accepted it. They were going forward without fear and without regret, but those who witnessed their going won dered if the city, so proudly sending | them forth, confident in their valor,
 was in after time to have the chance l to extend a greeting. When I mo- ticed men ordinarily stern and perhaps selfish, looking on, while tears of which | they were not ashamed rolled down their cheeks, when ladies whom society | knows, waved all the flags they could | grasp, I realized that all stood on a plane of equality. No lines were drawn, 1 Some soldiers perhaps had none near of kin nor bound by personal tie to bid
 them adieu, but the adieus were for 1 them. Patriotism is a heritage all may share and it creates blood bond
 The pageant was magnificent, not as an array of military splendor. but as
 an exhibition of the spirit animating l the public. It is not mine to explain i the detail, but rather as one of thou sands, express some measure of the inn pression the boys of the First made upon those who arose early that they