Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-16

the men from far beyond the Sierras and
Rockies. and to see them proudly through
the Golden Gate. Early in the day the
guns of a famous light battery had been
trundled. decked like some rose-covered
chariot at the summer festival of flowers,
through the winding lanes of eager forms
and faces. the cannoneerS almost dragged
from the ranks by the caSping hands of
men and women who seemed powerless to
let go. With their little brown carbines
tossed jauntily over the broad blue Shout
ders half regiment of regular cavalry.
diSmounted, had gone trudging down to the
docks, cheered to the gateway of the pier
by thousands Of citizens, who seemed to
envy the very recruits who. only half uni
formed and drilled. brought up the rear of
the column. Once within the massive
wooden portals, the guards and sentries
holding back the importunate crowd the
soldiers flung aside their heavy packs and
were marshaled before an array Of tempt
ing tables, and there Toasted. comforted
and rejoiced under the ministrations of
that marvellous successor Of the sanitary
commission of the great civil war of the
sixties-the noble order of the Red Cross
There at those tables, in the dust and din
of the busting piers, in the SCOT and heat
Of the railway station. in the jam and tur-
MOL at the ferry houses. in the fog and
chill of the seward 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 of life the wife of the mil
the gently born the delicately reared the
social pets and darlings, the humble seam
stress. no one too high to stoop to aid the
departing soldier, none too poor or low to
deny him cheer and sympathy The war
was still young then. Spain had not low
cred her riddled standard and sued for
peace. Two great fleets had been swept
from the seas, the guns of Santiago were
silenced, and the stronghold of the orient
was sulking in the shadow of the flag. but
there was still soldier work to be done
ana SO long as the nation sent its fighting
men through her broad and beautiful gates
san Francisco and the Red Cross stood by
with eager, lavish hands to heap upon the
warrior sons of a score of other states,
Even as upon their own. every cheer and
comfort that wealth could purchase. or
human sympathy devise. 1t was the one
feature of the war days of '9S that will
never be forgotten.
AT one of the fower-decked tables near
the great stage that led to the main deck
or the transport, group of blthe Young
matrons and pretty girls had been busIy
serving fruit. coffee, bouillon and substan-
tlais TO the troopers, man after man. for
over two hours. There was lively chat
ana merry war of words going on at the
moment between half dozen young off,
GERS who had had their eyes on that par
ticular table ever since the coming of the
command. and were now making the most
OF their opportunities before the trumnets
should sound the assembly and the word
be passed to move aboard All the heavy
reS"So oi.. dLiiiApIAtiSsA 'Idu at last
been swung into the, holda the guns of the
battery had been lowered and securely
checked; the fOrecastae head was thronged
with the red-trimmed uniforms of the ar
tlllerymen, who had already been embark
ed and were now jeaaousfY camoring that
the troopers should be ''shalt Off from The
further ministrations Of the Red Cross, and
broadly intimatng that lit wasn't a fair
deal that their rivals Oh 1uld be allowed a
whole additional hour Of lingering fare
wells. st
Lingering farewells there certainly wera
Many young soldier aud many a lass ]
paired OFF, in little hooks and corners
among the stacks offs bales AMI boxe. hut
at the table nearest the staging all seemed
gay good humor. merry little woman
nose and much vivaci.y, and counleyio,
had apparently taken The lead in the war.
fare of chaff and fun. Evidently she was
no stranger to most of the officers Almost
as evidently, to a very close observer who
stood few PAGES eway.. she was no In
innate Of the group of women who with
good right regarded that table as their es
pecial and personal charge. Fer Red
Cross badge was very new; her garb and
gloves were just as fresh and spotIess Sho
had not been ladling out milk and cream
or buttering sandwiches, or pin1inr- soI,
venirs on dusty blue bloases ever sinca
early morning. Other faces ther.- showed
through all their smiles anc sweetness the
traces Of long days Of unaccustomed VOL
and short nights Of troubled sleen. Ma
Vicious were Mrs. Frank Garrison'e renm--
erative powers. thought they who saw ~,
brought home In the Primes stvli7h Co.,
rage. weak and helpless and shaker ar,a,
her adventure OF the previous dav. She