Omaha daily bee., 1899-08-31
RECEPTION TO COMPANY
scenes Tender and Pnthetic-Deep
Sorrow for n Few and Great
Rejoicing for Many.

htiutNthB "
There are events-they come only once
in a lifetime-when great joy and sorrow
speak in common tongues. There are mo-
ments when gladness and despair look upon
the world through tear-moist eyes and
project their regard far beyond the preten-
tious accoutrements of popular demonstra-
tions.
Both emotions we're strung to the highest
pitch when the stalwart soldiers Of Com
pany l. filed into the armory Wednesday
morning after an absence of just a year. The
memory of waving flags, shouts of welcome
and thousands of people struggling for a
grasp of the hand or a nod OF recognition
along a mile march will fade away in the
succession of years, but the visions of weep
ing mothers, the glad smiles of sisters and
sweethearts and the hearty embrace OF COM
rades and friends will linger for n genera
ton.
To the impatient mother who pressed to
her bosom the trembling object Of her love.
the greeting at the armory was an hour Of
resurrection and measureless Joy. To her
whose only boy was mustered out of service
under Philippines skies and left his body In
the trenches of the dead at Malolos or San
Francisco del Monte 1t was an hour of
CO mfortlees sorrow.
niltBltNNo Va Lpa hieoh
dried a tear nor quickened a heartbeat.
Pressing throngs only aggravated her grief
and the wild acclaim of welcome in the con-
gested hall contained no note Of encourage
ment, for her absent hero slumbered through
it all.
Sentiment of this glad day of welcome
had it's apotheosis when the armory was
changed into a maelstrom at the entrance
OF the well known soldiers of Company L.
For hours a throng of impatient relatives
and friends had waited and the greeting was
q sight to make the nerves of spectators
tingle with smothered excitement. The
emotions had full sway. 1t was proper to
kiss and hug returning kinsmen whenever
and wherever opportunity offered.
There was neither time nor opportunity
for discrimination. The soldiers whose
loved ones had waited to welcome them at
the armory tried to fight a way past the
host of friends who barred the path with
embraces and hand clasps. One broad
shouldered, su~n-browned youth paused in
the midst of the crush and glanced eagerly
over the sea of faces in search Of those he
knew. There was a quiet scream Of delight
from a girl standing on a chair: ooh Billy,
here, hree!" and in another second Billy
had both arms around the girl and a gray
haired mother and the tears trickled DOWN
his cheeks, try as hard as he would to
check them.
Happfest Moment of Their Lives.
The fighters were too full Of Joy to do
much talking. 1t was the happiest moment
of their lives and silence was more express
sive than words. Glad to get back, Hal"
queried one man as a soldier whisked past
in response to a comrades nod. Glad to
get back!' came the reply, glad amt no
name for it; get a new adjective"
On a chair In one corner of the hall where
a good view could be had stood a small,
elderly woman with pride written on every
line of her countenance as she followed with
her eyes a robust, bronzed youth approach
Ing with a comrade through the throng.
Grandma, this Is Amos WHITAKER, who
slept with me, marched with me and fought
by my side in every battle. I've written
about him often And Amos welcome was
as cordial as that of the grandson.
1t was long after II o'clock when the
soldiers reached the armory. Relatives and
friends had assembled there hours before
and grew more impatient as the minute
passed and the boys were delayed. The
drill hall held a throng numbering several
hundred and the drawing room was packed
in every available space.
The decorations were all In the nations
colors save on one of the side walls where
Tile lltLlOIldl SultluS VI III utdu WIG EtiN-
lily draped with the mourning crepe. In
others parts of the armory was a riot of
color-a blaze Of red. white and blue.
Streamers and ~festoons fell from every con-
ceivable corner and tiny flags studded the
ceilings and walls. In the hall was a huge
canopy of flags from the middle of which
hung a great ball Of miniature shields bear
ing the national emblem.
"Home, Sweet Home!"
1t was nearly half past II when the
strains of music were heard on the street
and those in the windows caught sigh. of
the company members as they swung into
view on Douglas street. Immediately there
was a wild rush for the drill room 10 sac the
soldiers as they marched with barred heads
up the stairs to the hall. The familiar
strains of Home, Sweet Home" were almost
drowned by the cheers that swept the street
and reverberated in the arm1ry till the walls
fairly rang.
Once inside the doors the boys were en-
quilted by a throng of people. For fully haIf
an hour the reception vas a pandeGIonium
where one was lucky if he even raught a
glimpse OF the friend ne sought among the
youth who wore Uncle SANS blue uniforms.
There was no attempt at gala day dress.
The soldier wore the everyday camp
blouse with perhaps a handkerchief around
his neck. All the girls in the vast crowd
contrived to display as much OF the colors
as possible by way OF manifesting their
loyalty and were satisfied that their ap-
pearance would find favor in the eyes of the
volunteers. In the corners away from the
crush one could hear such stray bits Of
gossip as this: Have you shaken hands
with Charlie? l did" UNI! shake hands,
why Charlie kissed me-" And the graded
tones ran the scale from scorn to pride.
The ShelI-Torn Flag.
Excitement reached the highest pitch
when Captain Hayward brought into the
room the shell-tOrn flag the boys carried
in all their battles. Above the cheering
sounded the strains of my Country till
Captain Hayward unfurled the old flag and
waved its tatters above the heads OF the
crowd. Then a storm of cheers went up
that shook the pillars and deafened every
one within hearing,
Several minutes later the chaplain OF the
company, Rev. s, Wright Butler, mounted
the platform and called for Major Taylor.
The major was hustled to the rostrum on
the shoulders of his comrades, DR.. Butler
said he wished to present Major Taylor with
a memento of the affection and regard of the
mothers and sisters of members OF Company
L. He then slipped on the majors finger
a handsome diamond ring. Preceding the
nrAsantatinn nr nltlnr EnOka of Mainr pray-