The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-14

spectfully and string of small boys
followed in his wake. His triumphant
march was attended on his own part
by an impassive, expression, as il he
were obliviouS to the fact that he was
d hero. "Oh dearl" exclaimed a sym
pathetic woman 10 her companion,
doesn't ne look tired out and white,
the poor fellow" and the other woman
thought he did. Neither Of them no
tiCed the War Cry" protruding from
his pocket or realized that he was a
section of the Salvation Army.
The station panorama would have in
terested any one who likes to study
human nature or cares to gain inn
prcssions from his fellows in the mass.
There were those who had soldiers in
the expected trains and those who had
not. Longing for a sight Of the dear,
IA .miliar face brought many to the
spot but by far the greater number
of spectators went out of curiosity and
for the sake Of the excitement rather
than from motives of affection or pa
triotism.
THERE WAS A CONTRAST
There were pale, thin women who
shivcred in the raw March air as the
wind tluttered their shabby attire, in
sufficient for the chilly day. When
they greeted their own soldier boys,
the bronzed faced men, despite the
privations Of camp life, looked as II
they had been better fed and had suf-
fered less frcm the cold than their
wives at home, with their pallid lips
that smiled and their eager eyes dim
with tears.
one of the most pathetic scenes was
where a mamie looked but a boy
clasped a frail. little woman in his
arms and tried also to gather up a
little child that she held, but the baby
screamed and turned away it's small
face and would have nothing to do
with the young father whom he had
forgotten, and whose lips quivered as
he kissed the unwilling little fellow
II did want to hear him say papa ="
said the soldier.
Among the onlookers was n woman
in deep mourning. Everybody about
her was looking eagerly up the track
to catch a glimpse of the incoming
train. She stood with eyes which
seemed tc see nothing and While there
were no tears of either joy or grief
of sadness \ jolly group of girls near
her hushed their laughter as one of
them whispered: "L don't see how she
could come here today. Her son died
| at the camp two months ago
But the girls that swarmed over the
platform and far up the road and over
| trucks and everywhere. it seemed i'm
possible to believe that so many young
girls in short frocks could be gathered
| from the entire city as were all over
| the place about the station yesterday.
| The average soldier boy of tender
years was surrounded by at least four
| of these little maids as soon as he
| landed and the proud manner in which
| they escorted him up the street was
| interesting to witness.
A SAD ACCIDENT.
When the throng was sursing at its
utmost, when the cagerness to greet
| the boys had come To a point Of half
| frenzy, suddenly through the mass
| came a truck and the crGwd parted as
| if an armed guard had thrust it back
| from right and left. The burden was
slowly rolled past and the awed onlOok-
ers caught a glimpse of a dead face.
| The swift contrast between the glad
| homecoming of the troops ana the
| man who had been stricken down by
| the train caused a feeling of realism
| that struck many spectator with hor-
rOI.
Daddy" Conway. The Tribune agent,
| who was the only civilian to follow
| the regiment from start to finish, did
not come home with the main body
yesterday. He is leisurely making his
way north, stopping at the principal
| points of interest and also wherever
| any of the trainmen discover him.
Mrs. Mcbride, who established sut-
| ler's stand within the Thirteenth's lines
| at Dunn Loring, Va, followed the reg
| iment to Camp Meade and then to
Camp Mackenzie. She returned in the
| first section to Washington, which is
| her home.
Every conceivable kind OF a thing
| that the Sunny South produces in the
way of an interesting souvenir was
| brought here by the boys. Sugar cane,
| cotton and palm we're the most com
mon. Captain Decker and Musician
| Clark each brought home a full -blooded
| bull dog. which had gone through the
greater part of the campaign with
| them.
The school board last night ordered
| the schools closed during the after
noon of March %, when the public re-
ception is to occur. The Ninth regi-
ment will very likely participate in the
parade. The Scranton contingent OF
the First Volunteer Engineers win also
participate ana will meet tonight az
| ,1r.,t IL.
! raugcments.
| A reception will be rendered by CamI
S, Sons of Veterans, tonight to then
comrades who returned with the Thir-
tcenth.