Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-09-15

S~A>
for lights out, and by eleven, 1t Is
as quiet as Manchester at that
time. Walking along the beach 1t
is interesting to watch the men drill
ing; some of them Of the signal
corps with their flags, taking their
first lessons in signalling, others
simply going through Swedish exer-
cises, to make themselves fit, and
painful to hearing as well as to
sight, the bugle corps, learning to
bugle. This last mentioned corps,
always practises under my window,
and / sympathized with the dog that
one day threatened to break up the
rehearsal, as he barked and snap
ped at each man, unmindful OF kicks.
When 1 see how many departments
of service there are, of how many
different parts a modern army rs
composed, and howa varied the dut-
les, and realize that some Of these
men here have been drilling for
eight months and are yet not 1T
for. service, l wonder If our own
country fully realizes what it would
mean to prepare and equip an ade-
quate and efficient army to meet
a foreign foe.
+ The men are constantly parading
through the streets, the different
battalions usually preceded by their
mascots. The favorite mascot
seems to be the goat and there is
one venerable looking goat which is
a familiar sight in the streets of
Rhyl, as he is led by soldier at
the head of the battalion to which
he appertains.
Night before last, one of the regl-
ments. the End Rhondas, Welsh, left
here for the south, which means
soon embarking for France and the
front. They were leaving by late
night train, and all day the kit
bags Of the men had been piling up
in front Of the houses where they
were billeted. About ten-thirty at
night it was quite impossible to
sleep, so we went out on the beach
and watched the preparations tor
departure. The street was filled
with the soldiers all ready for their
journey, even to the packs on their
backs, and with them their friends
and families. Farewells we're being
said, and songs being sung Of every
kind and in every key Some scenes
were sad, others s1ckening, as when
we saw drunken soldiers and wo-
men dancing round and round in a
drunken orgy, but just here l might
say that although we saw many or
the departing soldiers somewhat the
worse for drink, a friend Of ours
told us that it was much better than
when the soldiers left for the Boer
war in South Africa, when the ma
jority of the soldiers had to be car
ried on board the transports. But
in the midst SM the CONFUSION sud-
denly the bugles sounded, and the
call rang out, Fail in," and soldi-
ers rushed TO- their places in the
ranks, and called out their num-
bers as the roll was called. Then
again the order rang out, and the
column of men going to the de-
Tense OF their King and Country;
yes and of their wives and children
ands homes as well, moved forward.
AS they started to move they start
ed to sing, these soldiers. and this
was their song, when the roll is
called up yonder, I'll be there" Over
and over they sang it, and it was
the last sound we heard, as they
marched from view in the darkness,
when the roll is called up yonder,
when the roll is called up yondeT,
when the roll is called up yonder,
when the roll is called up yonder,
III be there God grant they may
be all there; those brave lads, who
are making the greatest sacrifice OF
which man is capable, willing, If
need be, to lay down their lives,
and knowing full well as they march
away, that many Of them will never
again see the green fields of their
beloved England.
En1TII II MORTON