The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-22
AMBULANCE UNIT
Confined from Page one)

kAoItlDDed EaSe O1lty
childhood arose in their minds. They
turned away and looked upon another
lad maybe boy who had been a play
mate of their sons for years. The pic
ture was Intensified On every side
We're life long friends. all suffering
the same heart pangs-
Soon he bugle blew formation.
Tears began 10 well in all eyes as
mothers. fathers. sweethearts showed
their way roughly thru the crowd
hanging TO the shoulders and arms OF
the lads until they reached line Kisses
and hugs prevailed few seconds
longer
The roll was called Every mar
was present The tail form OF Dr. P
2. Womer pressed thru the crowd By
this time the sun had appeared and
beat brightly on the cinders surround
ing the depot. sending the chill, heavy
fog away in rapid retreat. The ser
seant announced that DR.. Womer hao
a few words for the men
DIR. Womer Talks.
= feel proud Of you men. volun-
teers each one of you said DR.
Womer- Your bravery and your
conduct is my idea OF The spirit OF
Washburn-
Fully half OF you are Washburr.
men I look en- all OF you as men.
embodying The best that Washburn
has to offer. l am going 10 ask your
captain to send 10 me in the near fu-
ture roster OF every man in the corps
and I viii lDsCribe every name on the
records Of the institution I want YOU
all to profit by any benefits this in
stitution may be able TO tender &c
you
Dr. Womer hesitated q minute. then
turned TO Capt c H Lerrigo and ex-
tended a huge Washburn banner. fully
six feet in length, prepared for the
/ men under the direction of the stu
dent council
This is our last gift for the time
/ being from Washburn.' he said.
Captain Lerrigo barred his head
We are all Washburn men" he
said. and no body Of men could be
better equipped than with the spirit
Z Of Wasrburn as Doctor WoD1er de-
scribes- We will always keep this flag
and well bring II back unstained''
The men burst into the familiar
A Washburn cheer For several min
+ utes the cheers So familiar to the peo-
/ pie OF Topeka cut thru the air.
! Then the sergeant directed the men
TO march into the train of two coaches
and a baggage car The first squad
/ mouI ted the steps A mothers cry
was heard
There Goes My Boy"
There goes my boy she sobbed
Hes the first one to start. He was
the first man drafted Maybe --''
Two and three boys stuck their
I heads out of -ach window Gray
haired women 121nSTS ana girls pass
&c along the side Of the coaches.
shaking hands and wishing the boys
Godspeed- The train WI 'stled- Cheers
broke forth and h-nds waved farewell.
J Mothers cried. tears sprung into near
IL everyone's eyes and Topeka had
passed thru another scene. strange
weeks ago. now rapidly becoming ia
miliar.
The government censorship for
bids naming the road on which troops
left or the routing
Topeka friends furnished the boys
with sufficient food TO last them until
they reach Cam pPike tomorrow morn
ing J. W Ripley. whose son John
is a member OF the corps, supplied
fifty fried chickens. The Royal bak-
cry gave them twelve boxes of grapes
Dozens of other gifts were received.
Dr. Charles NJ Sheldon was at the
depot a big basket of grapes decorat-
ed with flowers and oranges in his
Z hands
a. N. Petro, North Topeka drug
gist. and father Of Kelsey Petro. z
member Of the ambulance corps. has
founded luxury fund for the boys
Friends and relatives OF members OF
+ the corps are asked to send any extra
money to Mr. Petro who will send il
. each month 10 Captain Lerrigo TO be
used for Injuries As few of the mer
: have uniforms and there is no equip
ment the need of extra money at this
] time is pressing Neither do the boy:
know when they will get any money
Supplies Hauled On Trucks
Suit cases and food were hauled &c
the depot in trucks. Anxious mothers
watched the unloading of food &c
: satisfy themselves the boys would get
enough TO eat
Isaac Dushane. a Shawnee Indian. is
l the cook
"Dushane you feed those boys well
, was the parting word from Topeka
mother as the train pulled out
RumorS were current that maybe
these boys of the ambulance corps
won't have such a hard time after all
1t was stated that il was planned &c
/. place the corps in a base hospital or
|. this side of the ocean. Maybe. thi:
: dope was circulated to cheer up moth
ers and sweeIhearts- And il did il
many instances
: Enn Gnnn