Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-17

dragged from the ranks by the clasping
hands OF men and women who seemed pow
erlees to let 20. With their little brown
carbines tossed jauntily over the broad blue
shoulders, half a regiment OF regular cav
airy, dlsmounted, 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 s~entries
holding back the importunate crowd, the
soldiers flung aside their heavy packs and
were marshalled before an array OF temptins
tables and there Toasted, comforted and re-
joiced under the ministrations OF that mar
velous successor of the sanitary commission
of the great civil war of tho '60s-the noble
order OF the Red Cross. There at those Ia
bles in the dust and din OF the bustllng piers,
In the SCOT and heat OF the railway station,
In the jam and turmoil 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
I'LL dawn, toiled week after week devoted
women In every grade OF life, the wife Of
the millionaire, the daughter OF the day la
borer, the gently born, the delicately reared.
the social pets and darlings, the humble
seamstress, 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 Its riddled standard and sued for peace.
Two great fleets had been swept from the
seas, the guns of Santiago were sllenced and
the stronghold Of the Orient was eulking in
the shadow OF the flag, but there was still
soldier work TO be done. and so long as the
nation sent Its fighting men through It's
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
Of the transport, a group Of blithe young
matrons and pretty girls had been busily
serving fruit, coffee. bouillon and substan-
ttals to the troopers, man after man, for over
two hours. There was lively chat and merry
war of words going on at the moment be-
tween half a dozen young officers who had
had their eyes on that particular table ever
since the coming of the and were
now making the most Of their opportunities
before the trumpets should sound the as-
sembly and the word be passed to move
aboard. All the heavy baggage and ammu-
milton had, at last, been swung into the hold;
the guns of the battery had been lowered and
securely checked; the forecastle head was
thronged with the red-trimmed uniforms Of
the arinerymen, who had already been en-
barked and were now jealously clamoring
that the troopers should be shut on from
the furthar authorizations of tha pad Crose
and broadly intimating that it wasn't a fair
deal that their rivals should be allowed a
whole additional hour of lingering farewells.
Lingering farewells there certainly were
Many a young soldier and many a lass
paired off, In little hooks and corners
among the stacks of bales and boxes, but at
the table nearest the staging all seemed gay
and in good humor. A merry little woman
with straw-colored hair and pert, tip-dlted
nose and much vivacdty and complexion had
apparently taken the lead in the warfare of
chaff and fun. Evidently she was no stranger
to most Of the officers. Almost as evidently,
to a very close observer who stood a few
. PAGES away. she was no intimate Of the group
OF women who with good right regarded that
table as their especial and personal charge.
Her Red Cross badge was very new; her
garb and gloves were Just as fresh and spot
less. She had not been ladling out milk and
cream, or buttering sandwiches, or pinning
/ souvenirs on dusty blue blouses ever since
early morning. Other faces there showed
Through all their smiles and sweetness the
traces OF long days OF accustomed work and
short nights Of troubled sleep. Marvellous
were Mrs. Frank Garrison's recuperatiye
powers. thought they who saw her brought
home In the Primes stylish carriage, weak
and helpless and shaken after her adventure,
OF the previous day. She had not been
at the Preside a week, and yet she
pervaded 1T. She had never thought of
such a thing as the Red Gross until she
found 1t the center OF the social hrma-
ment after her arrival at San Francisco.
and here she was, the last conner, the fore
most ("most forward" I think some one de-
scribed it, in their circle at one of the most
prominent tables, absorbing much of the at
%tention, most Of the glory, and most Of the
fatigue that should have been equally
shared by all.
"Adiosl" she gayly cried as the "assem-
bly," rang out, loud and clear, and waving
their hands and raising their caps, the off,
GERS fastened to join their commands.
"Adios, till we meet at Manila"
'Do you really think OF going to the
Philippines, Mrs. Carlson" lueried a
much oldeG-looking, yet younger woman.
"Why, We were told that the general said
that none of his staff would be allowed to
take their wives"
yet there are others!" laughed Mrs. Gar
rison, waving a dainty handkerchief toward