The San Francisco call., 1898-05-24

and the man scanned the throngs uzs4 til his eye fell on the little group.
 Papa, come down here. jus wan to say good-by again.
 Papa can't come," answered tho bearded officer, followed by a sharp command to one of his men standing close by, sharper than the occasion called for, or the officer usually speaks to his subordinates. There was a set
 stern expression on his face, far diff ferent from his ordinarily kindly gaze
 while his eyes were turned resolutely from the child who begged for one mora good-by.
 Please, papa, come down here jus a little minute; only long enough for me to kiss you once. Won't you come, papa?"
 Hush, darling; papa is busy and cant come to us now" The mothers hand nervously patted the little form, while papa gave one wistful glance at the trio on the dock, then turned sharp- ly on his heel and vanished.
 Less go home, mamma; papa ain't going to say good-by to us again." The great blue eyes were blinking furious l ly, but the tears would not be held en- tirely in check, and the tiny frame | qutvered as the leaden-hearted mother helped him down from his perch, but the sobs were choked down. | "Oh, dear, 1t does seem hard not to kiss papa again, doesn't it, mamma?" This time the girl spoke and as she did her eyes wandered lovingly to the spot where last the soldier stood. There was no answer-none was ne- cessary-and those of the little family who were left behind pushed through the crowd and disappeared.
 The bands had hushed their martial strains, the cheering multitudes wero left far behind and instead of the blars and the hustle and the roar, there was naught but the immense cavernous shed and the seemingly endless line of blue bloused men marching over the side oR the ship and vanishing into her grea1 hold. Buoyed by the acclaims of the patriots who were left behind, the troops bore themselves proudly as do all men who march beneath the stars and stripes, but now that it was all over, the tension was relaxed, fatigue weighted their footsteps and they longed for the seclusion of their cramp- ed and comfortless quarters on the, ship.
 And while they waited on the deck- 1t was hours before the last of them dragged himself up the gangplank- their greatest trial was undergone, the final words of parting to those they held most dear, were spoken. Along
 
 of acquaintances and friends Now mothers, wives, sisters and even dearer ones crowded upon them, not with flushed and excited faces, but with heavy eyes and trembling voices that broke to the fainteSt whisper at the last.
 It was 9:30 o'clock when the regf- ment marched onto the dock; it was nearly four hours later when the guards at the entrance were withdrawn and joined their comrades. It was tho intention to keep the wharf absolutely clear of people, but long before the sol- diers arrived relatives and friends stormed the entrance so pers1stently that the guard, the police and the gatekeepers had not the heart to hold them longer at bay and so the whole length of the dock was quickly filled.
 The band was still playing when the regiment marched down. but as fam1i- far voices called the musicians by name false notes marred the melody and t1n- ally the drums alone tapped the ca- dence When the men halted with the first company almost at the foot or the gangplank onlookers and soldiers cast aside all care for discipline and align. ment and all that, thinking only or those about to invade a hostile coun- try and those who remained at home
 Partly hidden behind pile of flour, a sweet faced girl chung to strapping corporal, with one breath begging him not to go, and with the next whispering to him how proud she was Of her sol- dier husband.
 Down the line a short distance 2 stately snoWy-haired woman folded her dust-covered and begrimed boy to her breast and crooned the mother talk just as she did when first she held him | in her arms.
 Close beside her stood another moth- CT whose son marched with the otner Her dress was in violent contrast to that of her neighbor, and her form was bent with age and sorrow, but her Wrinkled face glowed with the noly mother-love. She essayed to speak words of endearment, but her voice failed, and burying her face Tn the l army blue she gave way to her grief. i But not for long. With a great effort l she regained her composure. and noting 1 the distress on the young giants face, sought to cheer him.
 The men began to march on board, dear ones clinging to them as they 1 passed down the narrow lane. only | loosing their grasp when the sentry at the gang plank forcibly prevented them | from continuing onto the deck or the l ship If the last farewell that greeted | the women was harshly spoken they i did not mind, for the loved ones were ] soldiers and could not be expected to l show any emotion before so many. f Now and then a knot of soldiers | young dare-devils with fine contempt 1 for all things bordering on the senti- mental. burst into song, but somehow even their voices failed to have the ring | they did the day before in camp l Company K neared the gang plank and halted. A ~fashionably dressed young fellow called out to a squad of i the soldiers: "Good-b by. fellows; don't forget the gang at Palo Alto" The l fellows" replied with the short, sharp bark that has rung out so often on the gridiron when the crimson of Stanford scored a touchdown. and everybody