Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-09-30
'RICH EXPERIENCE 7 !
WITH TROOP TRAIN
West Va. Boys TaWe w. B. For
the Governor.

in the Hampshire Review by Mr.. w
Il. Cornweil, brother OF Governor
ICornwell in which he relates his
experience with some West Virginia
soldiers on rote for France. He says
at was like this Last Thursday
Ievening | walked down the long
stairway in Camden Station to take
! train No. Z, going west 1t was greet
Cd at the head of the stairs with
that familiar roar. that terrible babel
OF voices which have so often been
heard of late about the big depots.
The noise is unmistakable, for there
is nothing just like it. 1t sounds as
If a regiment OF Comanche Indians
were in melee with den of wild
cats.
Its the exubefance of youth, the
| joy of life, the scent of victory. Its
the psychology of the troop train
"a long line of ladies' of dear old
/ ultSSei do ltCu NyiOoS
SEES, were serving coffee and sand
witches to these rollicking, shouting
sunburned boys, who were hanging
out of the windows and crowding the
platform of the long line of cars,
Engines AS | look at these troops
trains | invariably wonder whose
boys they are-from what state they
come.
about that time my train arrived
going in the opposite direction, but
my curiosity had gotten the bette
of me. and before going aboard !
stepped across the platform to a
fgroup of the soldiers, saluted the ser
geant and inquired from whence
they came He quick as a flash came
back response Miss Southern boys
said l. but quick as a flash came back
the response from a half dozen, No,
No! Hell, No! West Virginia Then
some one shouted Three cheers for
West Virginia. and the old station
fairly rocked with the cheering. You
can imagine my surprise. / indicat
ed with a gesturue that |, too, was
from West Virginia. Then came
fusillade of questions as if from a
gattling gun: You from West Wiz
ginia?' Where are you going?'
Where are ycl from?' What is your
manner By t. they were crow
ding around nj nd l was trying to
answer their que: TONS. Finally one
of the boys caue't my name. He
threw up his ho IS and shouted.
Governor Co7ny.ell boys! Here's the
Governor The word seemed to fly
l. from ore end of that train to the
other ard '',ey came piling toward
me, cheering and waving their hats
as if they would mob me. | protested
and tried to explain, but couldn't
hear myself talk. had as well have
tried to stop Pershing's army. They
Rugged me. shook my hand, patted
me on the back and fairly lifted me
into the train. They all swore they
Recognized me immediatel and con-
graduated me upon my great speech
| that delivered to them at Hatties-
burg and told me how they enjoyed
! it; and how happy they were now
| to accidentally see me just as they
were leaving. Just then the train
started ard as it disappeared in the
| big tunnel the boys were still wav-
ing their hats and cheering for West
Virginia.
my train was about to start and
\ ! turned to board it. but was i'm
mediately surrounded by the Red
Cross ladies, evidently determined
to learn the identity of the celebrity
Their soldier guests had SO suddenly
discovered. climbed aboard laugh
ing at the lduleS anu ueGllnlHS W It'
veal my identity, which seemed to
lmystify them all the more.
This little comedy only took a
moment, but ii made quite an impress
sion on me as well as the boys. Al
/ first felt quite foolish, but then
Thought perhaps it was just as well
fooled them all right, or rather
they deceived themselves, but the
bows had already been away from
horne quite while. They were jus
Ia little exhilarated, if not excited
They were starting on their frs
great voyage and their greater ad
| venture. 1t occurred to me that jus
as they were bidding their country
! f4ro-vell they should leave thinknn.
thcv had accidentally met their gov
-or, who to them typified the SOY
, ereignty of this great state. Well
to say the least, it did them nj
harm and may have been some sat
isfaction. In this view of it l foun'
l.. 4x.x.<