The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-09-07
|EADQUARTERS CO.
GOES TO JACKSON
Entrained August 81. Bus
;ness Houses Colsed and Immense
Crowd Follows Company to Depot.
Stirring Scenes at Train.
,ATRlOTIC TALKS BY CAPTAIN
AND LIEUTENANT.

Company of the First Mississippi
Field Artillery entrained last Friday,
August 81, for the training camp at
Jackson, Mississippi.
Every business house in town was
closed and almost the entire COM
munity gathered at the depot to bid
the boys goodbye and to bid them
God-speed on their noble and patri-
otto mission. The national colors
were much in evidence in the decora-
tons in and near the depot.
Thursday night the company cele-
brated it's last stay at home by a
minstrel at the opera house which
delighted everybody who was fortu-
nate enough to be present. At the
conclusion Of the porgram, Capt. L.
L. Hodges made a short address in
which he promised the mothers and
fathers of the men under his charge
that they need not fear for the physi-
cal care and comfort of their boys.
He said that just four years ago he
came to Grenada and that the town
had his affection and his esteem as
no other place had. He said that he
owed the community so much that
"all could rest assured that your boys
are now my boys and that l shall do
my level best to look otter them
morally and spiritually and to see
that they come back to you at least
as well off in this regard as when
you committed them to me-"
Firts Lieutenant Blount responded
also to calls. He said that while 1--WE
all appreciate your tears and SYM
pathies-we could not live without
them-but it is more important
Just now that those who had enlisted
to defend the American flag know
that there is an active, energetic war
spirit behind us at home. We who
have enlisted to resent the insolence
and the insults of Germany r fol-
lowers of Woodrow Wilson and not
of Tom Watson or any Of his kind,
and we hope you will see that you
make our task easier by talking Will
son and the righteousness Of our
cause at home" .r
Theer were both sad and proud
hearts at the train to see "the boys
off," 1t would have been unnatural
for there not to have been hearts
that were sad and for there not to
have been eyes that overfowed with
tears. The parting handshake always
has more or less of sadness about it
and in this goodbye, the thoughts
of the battlefield, the wounded, and
perhaps dying soldier, presented
themselves not only to the fathers
and mothers but to the thoughtful
and interested friends. Many of the
boys showed that they felt keenly
the seriousness of the hour, but over
against that was the proud spirit, the
thankful spirit, the patriotic spirit
the spirit that thanks God for Amer
lea, for the blessings of this govern
ment and for the great heritage be-
queathed to the present generation
by those who have gone before, and
who, themselves, experienced the
horrors of war. The mothers bore
themselves as they always do. The
fathers patted their sons on the back
and said "God bless you, be true as
l know you will be-" Laughter, tear:
and sorrow and patriotism held sway
And while thoughts Of loved one!
and country were in the minds of all
many of the boys showed their gal
lantry and the usual marks Of Ameri
can manhood by planting a parting
kiss upon the lips of their girls, ant
some of them did not even stop a
the osculatory performance on thu
lips of their Gown dear girl" bu'
lest any should think themselve'
sighted, they kissed everything il
sight. Had there been any ugly OLE
maids present, it is believed that
these brave lads would have ever
given them a taste of that thrill
which can only come of two head
and an application.
OF course, there was regret tina
any should have to go, yet theer wa
that resoluteness manifest that show
ed that it was realized that the thin
for the boys to do was to go. An
it must not be overlooked that ever,
one of these boys had volunteers
to go. There was a feeling of prid
that the manhood and patriotism o
this community had not been appeal
ed to in vain-this compensated in
large measure for the sadness.
As the special train, which wa