The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1917-06-21

followed the little, old woman from
Arkansas.
For she walked with her hand il
that of her dauntless lover. Clos
to 90 was he and feeble almost unto
death, but the spirit that rode with
Stuart kept him moving slowly, pain
fully, steadily on. His WEAKNESS wa.
such that his head fell forward upor
his bieast. 1t was only by the full
force of an imperious and mistaken
will that he lifted up his eyes from
the cruelty hot asphalt to salute
with a heart breaking effort at the
old time gallantry the President OF
the United States. Every step took
from him hours of life, but he pressed
on and on.
The little woman in black steadied
him when he faltered and he took
her arm up the gentle slope of the
hill opposite the Treasury Building.
During the mercifully frequent halts,
she famed him with a crumpled news
paper, whispering low to him as she
did so. Then the command to re-
sumo the march came. She took his
hand and on she drifted with her man,
a black edge to the fog of living gray.
Hundreds OF helpers besides the
little woman in black were among the
ten thousand in the slow, gray line.
Daughters and sons were there to
lend cheer and helpful arms to men
who were dare devils in the great
days of the Cos. Thousands il, line
marched with firm steps, but these
were plainly the drummer boys and
the school lads of the Confederacy.
Gayly deckcd cars with Southern
women waving Confederate flags and
the allied colors OF the new-made war
of ours were gay spots in the pro-
cession. Sons of the Confederacy in
gray and some in khaki, were quickly
moving portions of various divisions.
More than thirty thousand all told
were in the remarkable parade.
Bit all of the interest conferred in
the old men, the veterans who had
come from all over the South for one
last singsong, one farewell word with |
their buddies of rebel days.
War time hardships had beset
them ever since their arrival at WASH
ington, but they accepted them all
with the stoicism of the true SOL
der. The city had prepared for
three thousand veterans and ten
thousand came These were packed
in tents without floors, into vacant
stores, garages and vacant lofts.
Many slept without bedding of any
Kind. Few had enough money for
heir meals. They had supposed, in
heir trusting way, that the hospital
ty that was Fart of their Southern
training, would meet them
II Washington.
Disappointed they must have been.
Hungry, hundreds surely were, but
f. they were they hid their hurt and
heir hunger beneath the gallant
st show of countenance that ever
las been used as mask.
1t was Manassas and the Wilder
Tess over again, and by the great horn
poon, they liked it. You see, 80 isn't
o old when you get down to hard
an.
Just to show how they felt
bout the little affair into which we I
ave just entered, they carried ban
ers, some of which read: Il
Damn q man who amt for his coun- ,
~, right or wrong.
Cali on us IL the boys can't do It.
Wen go to France or anywhere you +:
'ant to send us.
While the slow gray drift was still
assing the President, q sudden fierce
linstorm broke, drenching those in
ne and most of the hundred thous-
nd oniookers.
The beribboned motor cars stream
4 out of line for shelter. The horse Z
len urged their patient mounts to
over, but the old fellows In gray .
rifted steadily. and impassively along 9
lroush the storm. d
More than ever they looked like c
mist that had risen from the earth, 8
i'd one that would soon return b
hence Il had come. AZ I looked 1t Y
lem through the lsncing lines of the Il
in, I ssid to myself: d
Il have seen IN army Of ghost to- b
""