Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-01-18
AN INTERLUDE
BY Virna Woods.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


mento depot, the ever increasing
crowd swayed to and fro, sureing over
the very track on which the overland
frnin would come with it's burden of
troops from the east. The air was
heavy with the scent Of flowers.
The long balcony in front of the SUI
perintendent's Office was filled with
line Of gayly dressed people, who stood
patiently looking at the moving mass
below them. There workmen from the
great railroad shops jostled ladies in
dainty attire; and schoolboys and
street urchins lodged under the arms
of their elders. making for themselves
swift serpentine paths through the
crowd.
Almost in the center of the station
a fat Mexican woman stood guard over
a baby buggy, in which sat black
eyed infant clutching a tiny American
flag in it's dirty little hand.
There was a sudden pressure from
the crowd Mt the end of the depot, and
the band marched in.
In the forward movement of the
crowd Gertrude SERVER found herself
forced to the verge Of the platform, and
not far from the nearest track. She
stood there with her sister, piquant
figure In lavender. One year of mar
riage and two of widowhood had taken
little from her youth, and she thought
with q smile that any possible acquaint
ance among the troops from her old
home could not fail to recognize her.
A vague excitement stirred her; an
underlined recognition of the potential
tiles Of the incidents of life. AS she
left her home, she had pluclied single
magnolia ms an offering to some one
she might chance to know. Now she
held the blossom carefully, that il
might not be crushed in the crowd.
The scream of whistle was followed
by the rush of the train into the
crowded station. Soldiers leaned from
the windows with wreaths OF roses on
their heads. or stood on the platforms,
their hands full of flowers. In the
midst of the music and cheers women
pressed forward with baskets of flow
ers. holding them up to the windows.
In their wake followed train of young
girls, some of them demanding hard
tack and brass buttons, and others ask
ing for the soldiers autographs in
their albums.
Mrs. SERVER stood still. eagerly scan
ming the ears as they passed. for the
glimpse of familiar face. Now. as
she tried to move along the line, she
found herself hemmed in by the crowd.
Her sister Ind fallen behind. and was
talking to an acquaintance behind her.
The train had stopped. Under the
command of an officer, a detail of SOL
diers, two from each car, marched
through the waiting-room into n large
room beyond, where committee of la
dies handed them baskets OF provisions
and boxes of fruit. The baskets con-
tanned sandwiches and radishes and
onions. with envelopes of salt, and po-
tsto salad done up in candy boxes. The
fruit consisted of oranges and cherries,
with lemons for the sick. The march
ing of the soldiers increased the noise
and the movement of The crowd
The music of the band had changed
to Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean"
boy of is or 10 leaned out of win
dow and received bunch of carnation
pinks with smile. Mrs. SERVER
watched him with momentary amuse-
ment. On his head and about his neck
were garlands of flowers, and the but
tonholes of his jacket were decorated
with blossoms.
She passed on. pausing moment to
listen TO the loquacious chatter of a
blue-coat in the next car. He leaned
far out the window, detailing his ex-
periences with more fiuency than gram
mar. 10 group of interested listeners.
AT the next window sat great, stolid
fellow, surveying the scene about him
In grave silence. She wondered idly
what rustic region had been his home,
and what thoughts moved sluggishly
in his brain. Then she upbraided her
self for her instructive classification of
him. Had he not volunteered to fight
and to die, II need be, for his country?
And had not that d""H rloge ,''o-"d