The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-01

ers, after holding theif boys to them
kissing them as they had done when
they were babies, lips, cheeks and
foreheads-would hold them off. and
put their hands to their faces, patting
their cheeks, and murmuring little in
articulate cries of joy. Always, they
patted their cheeks.
"And that's my boy" a woman
proudly said, after the greetings were
over. and he had stepped to one side to
speak to Captain Tillotson. She did
not address the remark to any one in
particular. but every person within
earshot was interested. and rejoiced
with her.
The train had been in at least ten
minutes, and most OF the people had
already found and greeted their SOL
diers, when a woman shrieked, Char
lie, Charlie!"
A young fellow with hair that had
grown gray at the temples, sprang to
her, and clasped her close to him,
burying his face against her. She
chung to him and sobbed. Later. when
his brother greeted him, she turned
to one of the Red Cross women and
said, 81 was an awful baby, wasn't /?
But I couldn't help it,"
81 have a boy coming next week"
the Red Cross woman told her, land
I know I shall make good deal more
fuss than that" And she patted her
on the shoulder.
Charlie looking Well.
Charlie does look well, doesn't
hep" the mother said. For she had
to talk it out a little to some one, and
had found an understanding soul in
the woman who knew that she, too,
would make a baby of herself when
her own particular soldier lad should
come.
A man whose boy fell in the Ar
gonne was there, lovingly rejoicing
with those whose sons were return
ing. Without meaning to do so, he
quite broke the heart Of a woman, be
was talking to, by the splendid spirit
he showed 1T is different than
when they went away" he said. Then
we did not know whether they would
return or not. We doubted. We even
doubted that we would win the war;
it is all bright
Here and there, were girl sweet
hearts, who had obtained passes thru
the generosity of the parents of the
boys they cared for. who were too
happy at having their lads home, to
be selfish about them. One girl car
ried her lovers gun, and walked be-
side him as he passed up the mess
line to get his elbow from the can
teen women. Another slipped over to
her sweetheart, who had been too
busy visiting with her and with his
parents, to think of food.
1t was a sacred time, a sacred scene
and even a newspaper reporter dar-
ed not look too closely at the deepest
emotions of the human heart. 1t was
a season of tears and smiles. When
the boys went away, the tears were
held back, in most instances, by
courage which was past comprehen-
sion, and the smiles were forced. But
last night, when there was no longer
~ he hon "a
tears, they mingled freely with the
smiles.
just One Sad Face.
There was only one sad face. Just
few minutes before Companies A and
B formed to take their places in the
line of march, a detected looking SOL
der approached a Red Cross woman
where. I don't know what to make OF
it. She said she would be right here
to meet me when I came home"
Perhaps she is waiting at the state
house. he was told.
But why should she do that?" was
the question.
1T was first intended that the rela-
tives should wait there to greet their
boys" was the reply.
II wanted to see her when 1 got off
the train" and he turned away, dis
appointment written large upon his
face.
Many of the boys were wearing the
sunflowers given them by the Kansas
reception committee in New York, and
yellow badges given them at Kansas
City, Kan, bearing this inscription:
I'VE admire, love, and welcome you"
When a photographer took a flash
light picture of the crowd, one of the
boys yelled, THE war is over"
Among the Topeka boys with the
contingent which went thru last night.
whose people were at the station to
greet them, were: Homer Davis.
Omer Ketchum, Shorty" Clements,
Don Rees. Corp. John Light, Sergt.
John McEntire, Raymond Knight
William Calderwood. Earl and Frank
Bunce, RED" Burke, the two Bruce
boys, Frank Keesee, Lieut.. James
Z. B. Kelsey, Vernon r. Eagan, John
Elliott, Stanley Singleton. Lucien Earl
Saskett, Wallace Harrington, Harold
Garrett, Phil Smith, Daurus Magill,
Ralph Oman, Edmund J. Terrill and
Lieut.. Theodore Morse. Other boys
who enlisted in Topeka: some of whom
attended school in Topeka, were:
Frank Daeschner, of Hiawatha, a
Washburn student, member of the
Kappa Sigma fraternity: Howard
Cress, of Clements, who enlisted here;
Ray Martin and Vance Prewitt Wash
burn boys; Clarence Morse, Lecomp-
ton, who enlisted in Topeka and Roy
A. Finney, Manhattan, who had work.
ed for the Santa Fe five years and
who enlisted here.
Among the boys who had belonged
to the outfit, but who Lad preceded
them to the states. and who were at
the station to greet them, were: Fred
erick Bonebrake, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Fred Bone brake, who was invalided
home short time ago; Sergt. Tom
Shannon, who was sent back from
France to be an instructor. and Lieut..
Raymond French. who has lately re-
ceived his discharge.