The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-07
VETERANS WELL
TREATED THOUGH
GROWERS were
ON HAND

Editor Telegram:
AS one of the least who was in
the move ION to Richmond" l seek
space to greet my friends and to
report" safe, pleasant and l hope
profitable trip and return. ! reach
ed home at Sis yesterday after
noon.
We went by A. C. l.. by Jackson
Vile, Charleston, Rocky Mount, Dill
lon and Petersburg. Arrived in
Richmond one hour late, 5 p. m,
Monday. No blame attaches for this
delay-A. C. L. R. R. is all right.
Had a hot box, stopped three times
to cool it and at Florence the car
was exchanged and we then went
flying Before go any further let
me say l was measurably tender
foot at reunions, especially so as to
going into barracks. Two good
reasons enforced me to do SO at
Richmond. Pocketbook had the
Swing and a desire to touch back on
old camp life." 4 did touch back
only. There was such contrast in
our sleeping, eating and camping to
actual old time corn bread and
home made sorgham days as to
leave only dim picture for memory
to view behind, beneath, Richmonds
royal outlay, so l only touched back
on old camp life in it's barcelona
skeleton reality-yet a touch the
slightest memory can exert, some
thing light as air, "A word, look,
| is always able to arouse troops OF
sleeping memories in an old Con-
feds bosom-at least with me per-
sonally this is always SO. We were
uuartered at the fair ground anc
Richmond did her royal best, be-
jlieve, and | am sure succeeded IN
the sleeping, eating and all-rount
provisions for our comfort as tt
leave no room for normal health!
lConfeds to kick or grumble. "
course thekicker. like all the fools
is not dead yet. There were feV
at Richmond squeaking like small
frogs, sit ought to have been SO ant
so" was there tiresome squeak. Pres
ent and prominent was one from OK
lahoma. We were standing in tn
rain and mud shoe mouth deep
waiting for the door to open at tn
mess hall. At 9 O'Clock in tn
morning Tuesday, of course, Tx
mules and men which measurabl
we both were, we were hungry an
uncomfortable. Who was to blame
None unless we unjustly condemn
merciful God for allowing it to raj
except when we give permission
Well, Oklahoma was nineteenth
drunk-his fault again, I presume
, no one else to blame. He yelled on
time after time before being notices
'No one but old vet soldiers can es
here" taking for his text anu e1
, object a boy scout and alternatel
y eyinp a chaplain who was from |
linois, believe, who was visitin
camp, hunting comrades and his vii
. with him. When patience ceased
q be a virtue, " standing about tv
deep in rank behind, said, "Sa
i. brother, who pays for these ration
Richmond city or you; moreove
: where is your coat with authorati'
: stars and bars authorizing you
i deliver law and gospel here? TIL
n with a volume of derisive question
4 partially cooled him off. But
started again, and the preache
$ started up Nearer, my God,
# Thee" and we sung him to silenc
/ presume when the mule arous'
within by Red Eye died the humi
# was reinstated For, If you remel
: Der Bobbie Burns, than whom
v one had a more analytical mind,
g one of his poems speaks of gettil
n drunk again as "exalting beast al
10 degrading the man." But, pard
&c me. this is only one among hu
t. dreds, perhaps thousands OF seen
A. there occurring where the beast W
IN raised and manhood lowered, VINE
Y the mirthful and mournful m
y when the tragic and terrific kim
70 each. Another rain scene only:
20 number of us were again standl
of an hour later waiting in rain
D. mud to take street car, Wheh
# the crowd an old vet, perhaps
r. years old. suddenly fell, and, see
IN ing lifeless. surely unconscious,
of saw the boy scouts bearing him
to the hospital. God bless the