The San Francisco call., 1899-08-25

~HE California Volunteers had left
Yokohama Day by day the course
Of the vessel bearing them home to
the fond hearts waiting to receive
them was pricked off on thousand charts
and the city had figured almost to GER
tainty the time they would arrive. 1t was
to be. Thursday forenoon.
But if San Franciscos populace had pro-
posed, it lay with the winds and the waves
to dispose, and the elements willed it 9th
erwise. The boys had come in from their
different afternoon details and were sit
ting at their various desks in the local
room engaged on the composition Of their
stories, when telephone in the editors
sanctum rang. He bent down to catch
the message it had. to deliver, and the
next minute, jumping from his seat, gave
the signal and The Calls cannon doomed
out the joyful news that the Sherman had
been sighted and had upset all calcula-
tions by appearing on the evening horizon
just as it was growing dim to mark the
close of Wednesday, August %, 1899.
In a minute all was Commotion. Report
ers were thrown out of the Office as
though shot from a catapult and thread
ing their way through the dense crowds
that were already beginning to gather,
hurried off to the different posts to
which they had been assigned. AS mad
once been a member of the California
Regiment myself and had many friends
in the ranks, was detailed to the tug
Alert. with orders to get on board the
Sherman at all hazard.
Just as we arrived on the tug we saw
launches bearing the representatives of
other papers heading down the bay, bound
full tilt for the Golden Gate. In a minute
the tugs moorings were cast off and
away we went after them The engineer
had orders to feed the furnaces with sides
OF bacon, put a Filipino on the safety
valve and open her up. He did, Grad
ually gaining headway, the tugs speed
increased until she seemed to fairly skip
over the waters, touching only the tops of
the white-capped waves as she flew on her
way Wharf after wharf flew past with
a rapidity that made the piles look like
telegraph poles as seen from the windows
of a passing express train. Black Point
was reached, and there we caught up with
the launches that had preceded us just
as they were turning around to go back
over their course. They had discovered
that the waters outside were too rough
for them.
Not so with the Alert. Continuing boldly
on her course she met the first big roller
that came tumbling in through the Gate,
and with a mighty plunge that sent the
white spray in sheets over her deck ana
house broke her way through it. Sea after
sea was met and conquered as the boat
surged onward, looking for the boys 20
whom she was bringing the first message
of greeting they were to receive from that
country on which they have cast such
luster by the glory of their achievements.
AT last some few lights were seen
twinkling in the darkness that had now
settled upon the ocean, and the tug
course was headed toward them. flnaily
the outlines of a huge vessel were dis
cerned, and there, in the mists that wrap
themselves about the lightship, Dig
transport lay. gently rolling. AdlnS at
the blue ocean billows that threw their
greetings to her as they surged past to-
ward the Golden Gate. Aboard OF hT
thousand men were lining the rails and
darkening the portfolios with eager faces
that peered anxiously out into the night
trying to discern the coast outlines,
somber heavens with a ruddy promise or
the bright homes that were waiting to
enfold them just behind those dark Jumps
of sandhills that, raising from the waters
edge. were dimiy outlined in the pale
light of the rising moon.
The men aboard the vessel were not
clothed in the swell apparel of artsto-
and frayed, soiled and spotted; but Solo
mon in all his glory never made as beau
tiful an appearance as did these boys in
their old army clothes to the few who had
gone to greet them. Every rent in their
garments told of privation borne uncom-
plainfngly, every spot was a decoration
that told more eloQuently Of the glory
that was theirs than could the most costly
fabrications of the jewelers. art. The
men were Californias own heroic sons re-
turned from a glorious and victorious
war, waiting to receive the tribute of
honor and affection that their native
country was waiting to proffer them. At
last after months Of weary waiting the
boys had come back to their own.
I don't know what the people in the city
were doing, but 1 con imagine. Great as
their satisfaction was it was fully equaled
by the delight of the lads themselves. AS
soon as the tug approached within hall
ing distance the firing line along the rails
opened on it with volley after volley of
questions and happy messages The babie |
of voices became so great that it was
impossible to distinguish anything save
the one word Home in the great
symphony of joyous salutation A boat
was lowered from the tug and three of