The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-10-20

At last the wingless minutes crept
past, and we were allowed to go on
board; the tug backed away from the
dock. swung around, and steamed
down the harbOr, past the Iowa and
Sherman, bristling with guns. We
honored them with but single
glance. 1t wBs the Tartar we were
looking for, and every boat we passed
was an object of closest scrutiny.
There was n stiff bretz5 blowing, the
after the morning shower. All of the
Governors patty aud some of the
rest of us carried flags which we
moved at everything in sight in the
exu berauce of our joy. Presently we
sighted a great black boat. flying the
stars and Stripes and the Union
Jack; it was the Tartar. We looked
and looked, and somehow we hadn't
much to say, juet then. AS we APP
preached nearer we could dimly
descry human figures on the boat;
they appeared very small at first, but
presently we could discern outlines,
and each one began looking for some
one familiar face and figure. Before
we were near enough to recognize
any one or be recognized, "a cheer
went up from the Tartar, and we an
swered with right good will, every
one of lie. and waved frantic salute
with our flags. We were getting
distinctly, but there was such be-
wildering number Of them look ing
down upon us, that at first we could
only gaze perplexedly at that mass of
brown uniforms, on the lower deck,
the upper deck and every availabl
rope and spar. We were transferred
from our boat to a tug made fast to
the side of the Tartar; and then we
were close enough 10 see distinctly.
although the soldiers were far above
us. Mothers began to recogn izs SONS,
and sons called out eager inquiries
about the folks at home.
There was one sunny-haired baby
there. held high in its mothers arms,
and above the noise and the tumult
arose the sound OF "A tender baby voice
pleading for attention, "Papa! Papa"
/ was not very long before each one
had found his own. Conversation
was necessarily iragmentary, be-
cause of the distance aud the noise o
the band i'm another tug that was
playing Georgia Camp IN citing" to
cheer us up.
THAT amt you Bert Miller!" wac
the half-horrlfied, wholly ecstatic ex-
clamation from below, when face
bristliug all over with black whiskers,
appeared suddenly over the railing.
After the first greeting had been
exchanged we began pelting the boys
with apples, and in moment fruit
was flying through the air az thick rs
Mauser bullets in the Philippines. |
saw an officer dodge several times
and he certainly looked scared. But
then, the women were doing most OF
the throwing. Baskets of grapes
were handed on board, the boys had
the covers ripped Off IN short order,
and were disposing of the fruit with
evident sat sfacton. "FOr Gods
sake pass US something to eat,n came
!, plaintive cry from the end Ofthe
boat. Packages and letters were
, passed along from hand to hand until
they reached the lucky owner, and
more than one handsome bouquet for
= General Function travelled up the side
of the boat at the end Of string. The
: first one was handed up bya soldier
from the lower deck, who tried ia
! pass it up to the General on the deck
above. The soldier stood on tip toe
/ and held the bouquet high above his
/ head, while the General leaned over
} the railing and stretched out his hand
' to reach the flowers, but alas! foot
3 of space entervened bet ween the
1 vlolets and the eager fingers. The
3 colder stretched hlmsel1 little mo
! and the General leaned a little farther
l over the railing. Still the flowersC
eludod Funston's grasp, hut he was
hound to have them. The soldier
, stretched his arm still moro, and in q
+ few moments Mrs. Funston buried
her face In the fragrant flowers.
Still the band plays merrlly. \
q boat flying the Red Cross flag wal
/, cheered enthusiastically by the sol
diers. Those Of us on the tug con
D.. tlpued to throw fruit and messages a
the boys. The lola boys were a.
4 right, they report ed, but Earl Chas
tain had stayed in Manila, A few
a moments later cries of "you villianp
o aud other afTec;ionate eXecration
=, were hurled at some one on the Othe