The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-22

knew their families would give
them all the entertaining neces-
r
The people of Keokuk took no
chances of the chameleon like
changes of the secretary of war
and provided other means of
transportation than rail. The
wisdom of their selection is seen
in the latest of the Baker orders
relative to Christmas %furloughs
of the soldiers in the various
camps.
Mayor Lotion came back by train,
| arriving in keokuk this morning at
2:30 O'Clock. He wishes to extend
to the Ottumwa people his hearty
| appreciation Of their efforts on be-
half Of our boys.
Stockport Folks Feed Boys.
The first truck from Keokuk out of
Ottumwa got away at 4:40 o'clock
and carried the colored lads and part
Of the other contingent. The others
got away at $3.50 o'clock. On the
way down from Des Moines, the Red
Cross chapter at Monroe saw to it
that the boys had lunch with candy
to top off with. At Stockport, the
boys met up with a brand Of hospital
ity that they'll talk about even in
the trenches in France. They were
| given hot oyster stew in unlimited
quantities by the people of the city,
the Red Cross chapters, in fact every
body Joined in making them well
come.
They fed us UP in fine fashion. 1
cav <I--o -1oD11 Ivr~- I@-, o. v,oEa
oyster stew" was the general com
for EN- one of the boys said today.
"If they only knew how good that
soup tasted. Gosh, l say those girls
there know how to cook"
The truck drivers. all smiles, said
to a Gate City man this morning:
believe me, sab, that was some
| oyster stew" And to Stockport goes
the gratitude and good wishes OF all
Keokuk for helping to take ARE of
her boys.
On the way down from Ottumwa
the boys began to get a little cold.
They passed through one town and
saw a church all lighted where prac
tice was being held for the Christmas
entertainment. They figured that
there must be ONE warmth there,
and out they piled. They found two
good old hot air registers, all just
throwing out heat, and took posses,
sion. They were there for a few
minutes before they were discovered,
and then the pastor came down to
see what the rumpus was. When he
saw the O. d. o~vercoats and suits.
he told the boys to make themselves
welcome, and get good and warm.
Met at DonneIison.
At Donnellson there was a raid Of
the trucks. Friends, relatives and
good fellows generally from Keokuk
made the trip out there IN automo-
| biles and took their friends into
| their warm cars and brought them in
to the city. In this way every man
was brought in home by 2:30 o'clock
at the latest. Just the truck drivers
remained with the al as they rat
tied down Main street. All along the
street they dropped their passengers
at convenient n
The Elks, as usual, were hospitable
and opened their club rooms last
night SO that the men who did come
down town had a. warm place to go
to. Chairman Abel of the committee,
and several OF the members were on
the Job to meet the men and bid them
welcome
Plan for Return.
The plans for the return will be
made tomorrow morning at 10 O'Clock
when the passes will be gone over,
and II possible, will be made uniform,
The men who go. permission to re
| turn by train, have leave until mid
| night of December %. They are the
lucky boys of the crowd, too. There
were sixteen of them who arrived
yesterday, and who had a crowded
| trip on the steam cars. They arrived
about 3 o'clock las night.
One thing thai stands out big ir
the talk OF the soldiers Is their re
spect for their officers. It is genuine
| respect, too, none of the kind en-
gendered through army regulation:
alone. They like the men over them
and are living together in best sort
of harmonious spirit. In fact, some
OF the men have picked up some
gossip somewhere about an Officer