Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-26
WIVES AND sWEETHEARTs
WELCOME BLUES HOME
Battalion Returns in Good Order
After Journey of 5000
Miles.
BowLEs COMPLIMENTS
Great Throng Gathers at Main Street
Station to Greet Soldier Boys Back
From Wonderful Trip to Pacific
Coast.

AS conquering heroes return home
for rest and fair division of their
spoils, so the Richmond Light Infantry
Blues Battalion came back to their own
in the early hours OF yesterday morn
ing. 1t was an hour before the light Of
day when their long train Of ten cars
drew slowly into Main Street Station,
but many travel-worn soldier peeped
from his bunk to try to glimpse n
I sight of some familiar landmark as
| surety that he was homo at last, and
then turned him on his side for another
nap before the reveille should sound.
At the ends of the cars sentinels
watched silently, and if one of them
dozed occaslonally-as who would not
after SO long a trip?-there was no
one to see.
Shortly before o'clock the bugles
blew. the soldiers shunlcd from their
berths, hurriedly strapped on their uni
forms. and stepped to the platform in
regular order. Details looked to the
removal of the baggage. The gates
were flung wide, and Captain James
McGraw, Jr.. of Company c, who had
been unable to take the trip. salutcd
his commanding officer. with him was
detail of others who had been left
behind by sorry circumstances, and the
Blues Band was drawn up beside
MOTHERS. WIVES AND
SWEETHEARTS CROWD PLATFORM
The outer waiting place was crowded
with fathers, mothers, brothers and
sisters. wives and sweethearts and Just
plain. ordinary. everyday friends. come
down in the cool of the morning to bid
the boys welcome homo again. The
rln ,;,
that wiped the last traces of sleep from
the eyes of the soldier boys and brought
10 them the lightness Of spirit which
springs only from ones native heath
ABOVE the stentorian tones of the COM
mandinS officers shouting their orders
could be heard the handclapping Of the
civilian men and the soft notes Of the
girls and women huzzaing their
sweeter welcome.
WEAKNESS was forgotten by the
homecomers. For all the richness OF
pleasure they had received on their
continental tour. they were glad to be
home once more, and there was JOY
beyond measure among those who had
come down from every street and av-
enue TO see that their khaki-clad sons
and brothers were sound in heart and
body.
MANY BUTTONS GONE. BUT
NO HEARTS STOLEN
There was secret satisfaction among
many that those who were weethearts
before they went away t. the land of
tf Golden West were swecthearts
still. II may be remembered that
warning had been given that the
daughters OF the newer land had sworn
that they would not confine themselves
to stealing silver buttons from the Vir-
ginia boys. but that they would go fur
ther and steal rom some Richmond
girl her soldiers heart.
But 1t was not so. There was ONLY
faint remembrance of the fair ones
who live about the Golden Gate and in
sunny San Diego. So 1t came about
that the morning sunshine was made
moro radiant by the happy smiles of
the women who had done their part in
waiting. and the girls felt safer in the
dear knowledge that all their trysts
had not been in vain.
OF course, all this is aside from tba
main subject in hand. so far as dry
columns of a daily are concerned, but
for many 1t was the matter in chief.
When the first excess OF excitement had
substded to some degree Of control and
messages of the eye and whispered
words had given way to the sterner
duties of the moment. Major Bowles,
proudest man of them all, because he
was so proud of his men, gave the
order. and the battalion marched from
the station to the street.
STREETS LINED WITH
ADMIRING THHONGS
Both sides were lined with admiring
throngs, and from station to armory
lCautiiauad Sauenti. n