The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-03-14
THE TALE OF A SHIRT,
A Relic of the Johnstown Flood That
Turned Up In Cuba.

1.-THE tale of shirt Is an old one and
has often been told, but I have a new
chapter to add to it-a chapter OF my own
experience in Cuba last summer" volun-
teered member Of an Ohio regiment to a
Star reporter. Some years ago, follow
ing closely upon the Johnstown flood,
there was an appeal made for clothing for
those made destitute by the flood by sew
eral charitable associations, among them
branches of the Red Cross society. was
In Cincinnati at the time and had Just
purchased half dozen undershirts. Upon
opening the bundle on arriving ut my
house my mother made remark that l
should share the shirts with some Johns
town sufferer The idea seemed good
one to me, and put three of them In q
box and left 1t at drug store where col
Lotions were being received for the Johns.
town sufferers. wrote my name on a
card and pinned it on the inside OF this
sleeve Of each shirt. The card used was
tho business card Of tho drug store That
was the last heard of the shirts, and
had no reason to think would ever hear
from them again.
well, time went on with its whirligig,
and soon the Johnstown food became q
thing Of the past and was forgotten. In
the same whirligig Of time war was de.
clared against Spain, and last spring found
me soldier in an Ohio regiment. In the
summer was one Of the many volunteers
In Cuba, Ill and about destitute Of cloth.
Ing, having lost my knapsaok and the
stock Of underclothing 1t contained. An
agent Of the Red Cross society visited our
camp hospital and distributed quantity
Of underolorhing that had been sent him
for distribution.
ut was my fortune to receive full suit
Of undertaking, which assure you was
very highly appreciated, for, like the 9th.
ers who received similar gifts, was very
badly In need of 1t. In trying to put on
the shirt l had difficulty in getting my
arm into the sleeve. On investigating the
reason for it found that it had been pin
ned up. Judge of my wonderment when
pulled out tho card from the sleeve, the
very card had myself written and pinned
there at the time of the Johnstown flood,
nine years ago, in June, 1889 Never be-
fore was there more striking exemplif-
cation Of casting bread upon the waters
and its return hIndrodfold. As read
the card thought Of my sainted mothers
advice to share my shirts and how felt
Oh doing SO. Little did evor think that
the shirt would ever come back to me or
that would ever welcome 1t as gladly as
l did. But it came just the same and,
from all appearances, had never been
opened.
1.-The Red Cross agent could not explain
1t then, but later on, on his return from
Cuba and to this CITY, he ascertained that
the Red Cross received a great quantity Of
clothing after they had made all the dis
tribution necessary at Johnstown and had
slowed some of the surplus in this city.
1t was from this surplus that some of the
clothing that was sent to our regiment
came-that is, a few of tho pieces-and
among the lot was my shirt returned to
me, and at time, too when needed it
as badly as any Of tho Johnstown sufferers
ever did. What became Of the shirt2 Well,
l wore it for several weeks and on my no.
turn to Ohio on furlough put 1t away. I
came on to this city to attend my sons
wedding, and part Of the clothing he
will wear on that occasion will be that
identical shirt And he will be as proud
OF 1t as am. Washington Star