The sun., 1918-12-21

into an American port from the great
war there was a street reception for
, the returning heroes. 1t was left for
the delectable city OF Hoboken to un-
loosen the first curbstone cheers an
the scrappy boys-War Crosses dang
ling from their chests and rusty he'll
NETS clanlSing aft-marched up to and
all the way through First street, Hub
buck'n, on the way to the trains that
were to take them to Camp Merritt.
Change I'm Debarkation Plans.
Heretofore the trains had been
backed into the port of embarkation
pier enclosure when the troopships
had arrived at Hoboken. the return
ing soldiers being bundled aboard the
troop trains by the hard working army
men Of the port the instant the vet
Grams stepped ashore; or they had
been marched down through the port
yards TO trains awaiting them just
across the railway station plaza
But yesterday Hub-buck'n caught
its collective breath and stood in
silence as the great gates OF the port
of embarkation enclosure were thrown
open. Thousands clustered outside the
| gates, too choked with emotion to
cheer. Mayor Griffen Of Hoboken and
his official city family stood in a front
line among the silent.
Whistles and sirens had footed and
chortled as the troopships had come
up the bay, the Hoboken factory
whistles joining in the din. But now,
as the fighting lads just back from
France marked time a few feet In
side the opened gates, the moment
was too tumultuous for anything 30
cheap as cheers.
There were sharp words OF command
from the officers and then through the
gates and upon the rough stone blocks
{ of the Hoboken pavements limped and
hobbled the gentlemen unafraid-line
after line OF them. smiles on their lips,
the Croix de Guerre dangling from the
breasts of many, the gold v, which
showed a man had been wounded,
decorating the coast sleeve Of almost
all.
All Seem Happy to BE Home.
They were swathed in overcoats
packs, dusty bundles. The metal in
sigma on the shoulders of their off,
GERS were dingy. Some Of them still
scratched themselves and blushed be-
cause they scratched. 1t was evident
they had Just come from hell's sub
urbs. But they looked contentedly
into the awed faces Of the walls OF
humans between which they marched
and It was evident that the tired mer
were glad to be homo again and were
very happy.
They had shuffied along the Hoboker
streets amid the silence of the packed
throngs for some minutes when some
one cheered brokenly. The men and
the women and little ones who couldni
cheer before visibly surged forward
and made choking sounds. Then a.
the crowd swallowed its sobs ant
caught its breath again the shrek o.
a wonderful human acclaim ripped ant
reared down the Hoboken street. NJ
banging drums or trumpets-there wa:
no band In the "parade"-were OF
hand to stir the silent watchers int'
the sudden hysterical outburst.
The cheers that crackled Dortf
thereafter until the last Of the lad
from the Mallory were aboard theil
, troop trains were merely the vocal ex
preston of all that the crowd. while
silent, had felt but was too overcome
to give expression to.
All that had been yelling up in TIT
hearts OF the crowd was expressed b!
: tall. gaunt woman who ran on
from the crowd Of city officials stand
ing in front OF the Hoboken City Hal
Z and touched a passing soldier boy oil
, the arms. God love you!" she said.
Hysterical Cheers After silence.
= That first Hoboken parade tool
, place at a comparatively early hou
, OF the day-the first procession Of 1t
kind in America. And during tn
/, midafternoon Hoboken was to be hon
ored for the second time, when men o
e the fighting forces who had Just de
Z barked from the Manchuria parade
r through Eoboken streets to thei