The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-20
ADEU BY
n PROXY.
o4n Incident
Of tie Late War.

-. HE tension IN the crowd OF SOL
dfeFy and their friends gathereo
in and around the armory was
- becoming 50 great that even oy-
ISLANDERS who had no acquaintance Ia
the regiment were frresistioIy Drawn
into II. The time was growing Short TOT
In ten minutes the bugie would SOUND 10
fall In and the regiment march away 70
the depot TO embark FOR Tampa
Among those on the outside of the ar
mory were a mother and her soldier son;
she a pale. slight body, with the hands
OF a working woman and the face OF q
lady; he a big. awkward boy. still In MS
teens. but with his mothers heritage OF
refinement. Most OF the other family
groups contained at least three or -FOUR
beside the boy In blue" and in partings.
as in other things. there is safety In
numbers. But these TWO were alone
There were none to take any interest IN
their sorrow except such Of the bystand-
ers as noticed them and felt natural
sympathy for them
One however, took . more than pass
ing interest In the couple. A cookbook
ing girl OF 20. gracefully poised and daint-
lily dressed, had watched them ever since
she first caught sight OF them. She was
a typical. thoroughbred American girl.
fair of face and form. and thoroughly
healthy In body and mind. She did not
know the pair from Adam. but she was
attracted by the woman's pale. reaned
face. and by a certain evidence Of good
stock" about the boy, despite his unga'n-
Illness. which doubtless responded to the
same quality In herself. Mother and son
did not converse much: they held each
others hand and fed on each others
eyes. as though the time were too pre-
cious to waste in words
Suddenly. as she watched them. the
girl became aware that the woman's
eyes lost their expression and stared va
cantly into space. and almost before she
could tell herself the reason she saw the
poor. frail body totter and fall into the
soldiers arms. At that instant the bugle
sounded to form companies. The boy
looked helplessly around. and catching
the girls sympathetic glance his eyes
appealed to her. She nodded quietly,
and beckoned him to bring his mother
into a nearby store, whose owner stood
on the steps watching the formation OF
the troops.
81 will take care Of her" she said.
quietly. You are wanted over yonder."
He looked his thanks. for he dared not
trust himself to speak. and was gone.
To the tune of ''Star-Spangled Banner
the regiment marched away toward the
depot 1t was to halt at the Chamber OF
Commerce and receive a stand of colors.
For more than half an hour the poor
woman remained in a deep swoon, while
the girl and the storekeeper worked
faithfully and patiently with her. At
length she opened her eyes.
MY boy" were her first words.
Hush said the girl. gently. "Ee had
to go with his regiment. you know. You
would not have had him stay behind?"
''Oh. no. no. sighed the poor woman.
But did not even say God bless you
TO him when he went
''He understood said the girl sooth-
ingiy. II am sure he understood He
went away so bravely Now rest. and
presently you shall tell me your name
and address and l will take you home
A burst of cheering and the simultane-
Gus music OF the band came from the
direction of town. and the woman start
ed up. but the girl gently laid her back
again.
''They had received their colors at the
Chamber OF Commerce" she said. land
are starting for the depot.
For the depot echoed the poor
mother despairfngly. He will go away
and I shall have no chance to say Good
by to him. He has no one to see him of
but me-
The girl took sudden resolution.
Listen she said taking the foil-worn
hand In hers and stroking 1t softly. You
cannot possibly go down to the depot.