The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1917-09-05

tenant Andrew Percy kee1e-tne nfSt OF
he large number of The Tribune boys who
nave enlisted, to leave for actual service
We know this for sure-a sparrow that
ives on the Tribune building told us all
bout it, as well as several other things
about this young Irish officer whom Red
wood Falls knows little and likes lot
The letter has the right ring-the ring of
the times-and so we are passing it on.
Somewhere in Minneapolis,
August %, 1917.
DEAR BILL:
We saw one of our boys off last night-off for
France. The gang was pretty well represented
at the station, the fellows who had worked with
him on all kinds of assignments, inside and out,
for years. knew how we'll he had stood the gait,
and loved him.
He stood around trying to make small talk and
forcing laughter in which there no merri-
ment We did that, trying to conceal, as men
willard / hope not fully succeeding-the af
lection we had for him. the pride felt in him.
the fears and the hopes, and the thankfulness
way down in our hearts brave man who
placed self below duty
How gamely he went through it, nothing in
face or voice disclosing the fight he putting
up, only an extra Tightening of his grip he
shook hands all around and assured US he would
see US all "later'
His brothers were with him, sister, too, and
his sweetheart. Yes, and his mother with
him, putting up harder fight than he was, and
winning it. He introduced the gang to his moth
er, and after he had done so, somehow it seemed
he became the secondary figure in the group.
Bill, Pm strong for mothers. We met her be-
fore they, the family party walked out with him
through the gates to his train and we stayed to
IL IL L.. 1911
a tear in going I suppose mothers understand
their boys AS the youngest brother said to me
today, Wasn't she great though? Mother al
ways was there in pinch:'
You can bank upon it, mother was 'there."
She said very little She was not upset. She
was the head of the family, regardful of the rest
of her flock lending them courage and strength
rather than requiring it of them, and giving up
her oldest son-the boy who had taken the place
of the dead father-to the service of his country
with dauntless spirit that matched his sacri-
flee. Bill it great, and I'll confess to you
that l had little weep when l got off by my
self later on.
There were tears in her eyes when she got
back from the train. But there were other things
there, too, Bill-things that l couldn't describe
and that I wouldn't if I could. The kaiser had
better look out for the boys who leave mothers /
like her. No one seemed in any hurry to CO. SO
some of the boys got to telling her how much we
thought of him, how much we would miss him,
the bang-up way he always had done his work
in the office, and such things It pleased her.
She should have known all that before, but just /
likely not she didn't.
You know that's the way it is, Bill We see
new fellow come on the staff, watch him grow
from mere cub to whangdinger, star man;
peg him doing everything that comes his way
with finish that is delight; learn to know him
like one of the family-and probably never say
much to him of what think of him. And it's
seldom we ever get it to his folks-until he's out
there at the depot gates, bound for France He's
hardly the old pal we've known, because of his
officers uniform and the mission before him, but
maybe it isn't too late, even then.
These are lumpish times in the office, Bill We
have bunch of fellows going out into service
this week. boys that won commissions at the Fort
tenants and captains have been ordered to report |
for duty tomorrow, some at Camp Dodge, to help
train the new army; some at "an American port"
(Which means France; some at Washington
Springfield, Mass, Fort Sill, Okla. Fort D. A. |
Russell, Wyo., and SO on
Not train goes out of here without some of |
the soldiers on it. The stations always have lit |
tie family groups around some erect figure in new
uniform and new travelling bag and new wrist |
watch and new lots Of things. The groups are
very much the same-the near relatives, the |
sweethearts, the fraternity, club and office friends.
There are handclasps and kisses and hugs, a few |
snlf1es perhaps-and the new officer of Uncle !
Sans army stalks into his Pullman with face |
like man who for the moment has only one
command himself And it's usually difficult
command.
Scores of them leaving every day, hun
dreds of them You see plenty of tragedy at the I
station. Some comedy, too. One of our fellows
won captaincy at the camp. He left last night,
too and you ought to have seen the dozens of
lieutenants painstakingly saluting him as they
passed-most Of them friends of his who stopped I
to shake with him before they took other trains.
All of which reminds me, now that I'm through,
that this isn't particularly cheerful letter Well,
it wasn't meant to be. Yours, JIM