Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-28
LONG, THIN LINES SLIP
QUIETLY OUT TO SEA
nv DEAD OF JUNE NIGHT

QUIETLY OUT TO SEA
nv DEAD OF JUNE NIGHT
NEW YORK, June 2S.--Long, even. olivs-
drab lines of men were pouring on a June
nLEht INTO the streets Of an Atlantic port
ana through big iron gates Of their ships.
1t wasn't very CHEEKY. or hartening The
long street which borders the docks was
lined with thin, changing undemonstrative
crowd, In the forerank were a scattering
or anxious women--some of whom had
hrared disappointment and Travelled many
miles on the rumor that the expeditionary
forces were leaving about now.
Here and there along the curbing were
posted policemen who quietly kent the
struggling crowd from overhowing the
limits The high iron renee which separated
street and dockyards for many blocks was
guarded by regulars splendid lot Of men,
fresh from long, hard years of border serv-
ice impatient to set foot on one Of those big
gray boats which waited, steam up, to salt
mysteriously 20 an unnamed front"
The night was long and thousands Of
men in columns OF twos poured into the
rough street between the watching crowd
and the guarded gates. For some moments
at intervals during the night the street
was clear, then suddenly filled with a thick
ening crowd of uniforms--of men scarcely
distinguishabe in the half liEht--weighted
with equipment, tired and dusty, strong,
lean, bronzed and eager
RTPPLES OF SUBDUED MTRTH
There was little Enthusiastically an
exclamation which caused n ripple of
subdued mirth-fOr each company has its
particular wit. At one time a company
passed unhaltngly down the street and into
the yard-a company particularly weary
from a long train journey and a little
subdued-perhaps at the sight Of the few
anxious woman faces whrcn peeped search
ingly into their midst. One man tipped
bacE his head to look up at the iron grating
beneath which they passed
Hey, look at tn golden gates :" he yelled,
and was swallowed up in a wave of laugh
ter, borne away by the quckened step his
sally had evoked
Another eyed the phlegmatc crowd with
some dsdain Join the world and see the
army he suggested maliciously, which
caused laugh that robbed the sarcasm of
its sting. II hit the mark in one instance
a heavy man product of the wharves, de-
tached himself from the crowd and stood,
hands deep in his shabby pockets, his cap
low over his eyes, beside a policeman. He
glared until the last dust-colored figure
passed the gates, turned away irresolutely
and turned back.
Hell where's the recruitin' oftice?" he
demanded.
During the next quarter of an hour the
street was empty The crowd on the cor
ner changed from one foot to another and
did very little discussing A woman pushed
her way to the front and made some
hysterica appeal to the centermost police
man, who allowed her to cross the street.
She made her request of n group of young
otficers-themseves awaiting embarkation.
She had not seen her son for many years,
and nova struggling followed her,
dozen or more men and women with sim
liar requests.
man with ClubfOot, who wanted to
see his kid brother, recently enlisted, to
take some message to his mother. girl,
beautifully gowned, her white glsves and
handkerchief crushed IN her hands. who
wanted to see Lieutenant Somebody, OF the
naval gun crew, and who turned away, her
hatbrim down, to hide rush of tears,
quiet little woman with a baby its father
had never s~en-and he was just over there,
the other side of the gate. He could see
him couldn't he? No, he couldn't.
The officer in command Of the guard,
patient and torn with sympathy explained
for the thousandth time that the men inside
must be kept from the gates the people
must remain across the street.
He was sorry His strained face showed
how sorry. But the lives of all the men
perhaps depended upon the rigidity of dis
cipline-the safety of the very mission hung
on the quiet dispatching OF the troops And
where there are men there must needs be
families.
When the half-discouraged little throng
drifted patiently back TO its pace on the
curb the street regained its formidable
emptiness Then came more otficers-young
and middle aged, grave and preoccupied,
with meager luggage and many last-mnute
thoughts Many of these younger officers
are fresh from the training schools at Fort
Leavenworth, keen and it
The crowd on the curb watched their ar
rival with intensity. Now and then one
would start forward with glad exclama-
tion of recognition for a brief handshake.
near and everybody smiled. Above the
sound of the band came the sharp clang OF
an ambulance bell one of the men had
knocked his head open on something II
seemed As he was carried away some
speculated as to whether he was too badly
"Co where?" demanded policeman.
sure these men aren't going but acrost
the river ,,-,-..-. -. .-..
They were coming And this battalion
had a band No one knew how 1t hap
pened the others had come so silently
There was a faint patter Of applause. They,
TOO, streamed through golden gates" like
a mack OF lean-faced. hungry wolves,
Young lieutenant observed, himself Wild
cat shooter Of Georgia.
BIIY OUT A TOBACCO SHOP
The night did not drag-it marched. once
an automobile swept up TO the gates
dropped stalWaft captain anu MS DaBs'
turned and bore swiftly away.
A quiet woman with baby plodded pa
tisntly across the street again. At last he
saw her and waved. She smiled brilliantly
and waved back, waved the bapy' hand'
cried a little and went back to her curb
stone. The girl with white gloves leaned
asainst a telegraph pole and waited, too.
little old woman, hatless and with tiny gold
rings In her dark ears. sobbed steadily with
1910 Iifted face and eyes that wandered
chiIdlike over the mass n uniforms
when the neat battalion came somehofy
conceived the brilliant idea 81 pnying ~