Daily camera., 1899-12-01
CHAPTER VI.

The great thoroughfare of that won
derful city, seated on more than her
seven hills, and ruling the western
world. was ,hronged from curb TO curb.
Gay with bunting and streamers, the
tall buildings of the rival newspapers
and the long facndes of hotels and bust
neks blocks were gayer still with the
life and color and enthusiasm that
crowded every window. Street traffic
was blocked. Cable cars changed vain
ly and the police strove vnlianily. 1t
was Il day given up 10 but one duty and
one purpose, that of giving Codspeed
TO the soldiery ordered for service in
the distant Philippines. and. though
they hailed from almost every section
of the union. except the Pacific slope,
rs though they were her own children.
with all ,fNe hope and faith and pride
and patriotism, with all the blessings
and comforts with which she had load
ed the foremos, ships that sailed, ye,
happily without the tears that flowed
when her own gallant regiment was
first 10 lead the way, San Francisco
turned out en- masse TO cheer the men
from far beyond the Sierras and the
Rockies, and to see them proudly
through the Golden Gate. Early In the
day the guns of famous light battery
had been trundled, deckod like some
rose-coyered chariot at he summer fes-
tival of flowers, through the winding
lanes of eager forms and faces, the can
noneers almost dragged from the ranks
Inv ha .f IuH ~
women who seemed powerless 10 let
go. With their little brown carbines
tossed jnuntily over the broad blue
shoulders, half a regiment of regular
cavalry dismoun,ed. had gone ,rudg-
ing down TO the docks. cheered to the
gateway OF the pier by thousands of
citizens who seemed to envy the very
recruits who. only hnlf-uniformed and
drilled, brought up the rear of the col
umn. Once within the massive wooden
portals, the guards and sentries holding
bnck the importunnte crowd, the sol
diers flung aside their heavy packs, and
We're marshalled before an array OF
tempting tables and there fcas,ed. com.
forted and rejoiccd under the minixtru-
tons OF thnt marvellous successor OF the
sanitary commission of the great civil
war OF the siNties-the order OF the Red
Cross. There at those tnblcs In the dust
and din OF the bustling piers, In the
SCOT and heat OF the railway station, in
the jam and turmoil at the ferry
houses. in the fog and chill of the sen
ward camps, in the fever-haunted wards
of crowded field hospitals. from dawn
till dark, from dark till dawn. toiled
week after week devoted women in
every grade nf life, the wife OF the
millionaire. the daughter OF the day
laborcr. the gentle born. the dclicately
reared. the social pets and darlings. the
humble seams,ress, no one too high to
s,oop TO aid the departing soldier, none
too poor or low to deny him cheer and
sympathy. The war WINS still Young
then. Spain had not lowered her riddled
standard md sued for peace. Two
grent fleets had been swept from the
seas. the guns of Santiago were al
fenced, and the stronghold OF the orr
ent was sulking in the shadow OF the
flag, but there was still soldier work TO
be done, md so long ms the nn tion sent
Its fighting men through her broad
and beautiful gates Snn Francisco and
the Red Cross stood by with eager,
lavish hands to hemp upon the warrior
sons Of score of other states, even ms
upon their own, every cheer and com
fort that wealth could purchase, or hu-
man sympathy devise. 1t was the one
feature OF the wnr days Of '0s that will
never be forgotten.
At one Of the flower-decked tables
near the great stage" that led to the
main deck of the transport, group
or blithe young matrons and pretty
girls had been busily serving fruit, cof-
Zee and bouillon and subsfantials to
the troopers, man after man. for over
two hours. There WINS lively chat and
merry war OF words going on at the
moment between half dozen young
officers who had hnd their eyes on that
particular table ever since the coming of
the command. and were now making
the most Of their opportunities be-
fore the trumpets should sound the