Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-06-01
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOMr INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies whi1ed
Away Life In Camp-Foraging Ex-
periences. TirssOme Marches-ThriI-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.


The heroine Of this true tale of war
days was little. red haired, chubby
girl of years, and we will call her
Eva, because that was the name of her
best friend, and both OF the girls are
yet alive.
Eva was born in clearing of the
wisconsin woods and she had never
seen any sky that was not held up, all
round, by the great arms of tall trees.
Even the village, where there was
courthouse, three stores and mill.
had rib of trees around It.
War had come, and the men of the
settlement and the village were muster
ing TO march away. The county had
furnished whole company, and the
women had made flag for the depart
ing soldiers.
Eva had been chosen, being the
daughter of the major of the regiment,
to present the colors to the company
on the day of its march forth from the
village. The speech. written by the
combined aid of the majors wife, two
school teachers, and ministec was
safely stored in the small brain of the
heroine Of the day. She could say that
speech forward or backward. or begin
in the middle and go both ways. She
was letter perfect
But something happened on the mo-
mentous morning of the going away of
the troops and the giving Of the flag.
Eva's aunt brought, from the nearest
city, pair of blue shoes for the gar
nishment of the small maiden. Already
white dress, and red, white and
blue sash had aroused the vanity and
pride of the little girl, and when the
blue shoes came her head was turned
entirely. No one in the clearing or the
town had ever heard Of blue shoes up
to this time.
1t was hard To submit to the hair
curling and the general prlmping up
that was necessary for ar appearance
in public, but with fortitude the child
stood the supreme test OF being dress
ed up and came out with flying col
ors.
IT was stormy day in early May In
the first year of the war, and the part
ing exercises were held In the great
hall of the courthouse. Here the ms
tic company was drawn up, undrillcd,
almost, and as yet ununiformed. But
martial fire glowed in every eye,
and every man looked mt least foot
taller than he actually measured
There was singing and praying and
| there were speeches by dignitares, and
| at last came the presentation OF colors
The sllken hammer. surely the mos
beautiful thing that had ever been seer
by this small girl-was unfurled. and
its staff was placed In her hand AS she
stood on table to be seen by all in the
hail.
or ali the things there present,
! though the small girl had in mind
only the lovely blue shoes 1t was Ger
| tain that the position on the table
showed them on to the best advantage.
| and she wondered what her envlous
schoomates were thinking as they
looked upon her In all her glory
The major, in the first uniform ever
seen in the county-it had come with
him from Madison the day before
stood behind his daughter with the
written speech in his hand ready to
prompt in case the child's memory
should fall. None Of the women could
see, for tears. that day
The speech was to the effect that the
wives and mothers of the soldiers had
made the flag, and that every stitch
stood for n prayer for the safety OF the
brave boys who were TO carry that ban
ner through the storms OF war.
II was impressed upon the men that
they were expected to bring home the
flag with every star, and every stripe
unsulled by dishonor and made Clio
rious by victory. 1t must be brought
back without fail, and In honor this
glorious flag Of the nation.
The major murmurcd the opening
line In the ear Of his daughter But
she was silent for the first time prob
ably in her life when there was \
chance for her to speak. Rigdly she
stood, and from her face all expression
had fed. Her mind was as blank as
her face, and the major. In pity. was
about 20 ask his accomplished and gen
tie wife to present the flag, when with
a supreme effort. the little maid spoke.
Soldiers" She said. In high,
strained voice, Soldiers, here Is your
flag. We have made IL for you. and
we have prayed and cried while we
were making it, Take It and he care
ful Of il. Don't tear II, don't get il
soiled, and be sure and bring It back :"
Then the small speechmaker cover
ed her face, jumped down from the ia.
ble and fed out Of the hall
The audience went Wild Salvoes Of
cheers greeted the flag, but Eva knew
that all her school friends. and all OF
her cousins were laughing over her
failure She was urOus0Iablp AMI