The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-24

months prayed and hoped for the safe
return of her boy. created a pathetic
scene as she embraced him again ana
| again and wept tears of JOY. Men,
| gray-bearded veterans, embraced and
| kissed young, bronzed heroes from the
Philippines; men who could find no suf-
J ficiently strong and emphatic words 70
| express their pleasure at greeting old
| friends emphasized their welcome with
strange oaths; girls became lavish with
their kisses and If they had no broth
ers or sweethearts OF their own among
the soldiers, they kissed some other
girls brother or sweetheart, and pro-
tests against such welcomes were rare.
Hats worn by the volunteers and hand
kerchiefs that CHANGED to be in sight
were audaciously appropriated by the
same girls as souvenirs. Others with
out as much as please" clipped the
brass buttons off the soldiers coats
II fought at Gettysburg" said an old
Grand Army man, introducing himself
to a Philippine warrior, land l would
like to have a button off your coat as
souvenir of as brave lot Of fighters
as have ever SEEN"
The Gettysburg veteran was given
the souvenir with pleasure. The men
who went from home with light and
brave hearts to war in the Philippines,
and gave up their lives for the cause
in which they enlisted, were missed
at the homecoming.
You left Tom behind" said a man
after greeting a returned soldier.
Yes: poor Tom was killed, and he
never knew what hit him. said the
rough soldier
"He was a good fellow said the
friend.
"And as brave a soldier as we had
in the regiment" added the other.
How the Boys Looked.
Many Of the soldiers brought with
them honorable wounds as evidence Of
the war in which they engaged. A few
Of the men walked with the aid of
crutches, and one had to be carried
from the train. Generally the health
Of the regiment is good and the soldiers
appear in good condition.
1--WE feel pretty we'll now and look
pretty good,' said one soldier, but
you should have seen US when we
came from the line back to Manila.
weighed 125 pounds; my ordinary
weight is IT'S pounds. The other boys
were in about the same condition"
For an hour or more after the SOL
diers had disembarked they were kept
busy handshaking and returning the
greetings showered upon them. All ef-
forts to get the men to form into line
again for the purpose of marching TO
the race track were fruitless Arrange
IileLlS IOI ttStl, WHICH sl1OulQ nave Deen
made In advance with the command
ers. were either overlooked or lisre-
garded or forgotten by the men. Many
of them. as soon as they left the train,
We're taken in charge by friends and
went up town. while the others wan
dered In groups of twos, threes and
fours to the race track.
The March to the Track.
Colonel G. F. Lloyd and his staff tried
was useless, and the officers finally
headed the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie, which had braved the weather and
marched early in the morning from the
city to the railroad for the purpose of
doing honor to the returning soldiers,
and they led the march to the race
track. The rough riders under com
mand of Captain Higgins took a posi-
tion following the G. A. r. and behind
them came the volunteers who had not
already marched away. With each SOL
dier were two or three or four civilians,
friends or relatives. and thus they
marched to the track. where lunch ana
speeches awaited them.
The Uniform Rank, Knights Of Py-
this, turned out and formed an open
rank at the entrance to the track and
saluted the soldiers as they passed,
and as they entered the track Battery
A fired salute of II guns. The con
solidated bands which were to receive
the soldiers had also grown tired of
waiting, at least some of them did. SO
there was not as much music when the
trains arrived as had been expected.