Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-05-21
BY WILLIAM o. HINES.


Bordeaux.-The army is going home
and It Is going home happy. saw D.
200 Of them sail for home today, and
live been praislng myself on my moral
lcourage ever since. How / ever re-
sisted the temptation to sneak on board
with them is more than I can figure
lout Their hilarious happiness was
infectious enough to make a stone dog
wag his tail.
They shouted, they sang. they
danced. The oldest and most moss
covered joke got a hearty laugh. Past
Ehardships, dangers and troubles were
forgotten; only thoughts Of the Home
land and all that it can mean to
Ihomeslck boy occupied their minds.
At the docks where the big trans
ports are tied up, huge sheds a hun
Idred feet wide and a thousand or more
i'm length have been constructed with
roofs and sides of corrugated iron.
Special rooms, with warm fires, have
'been set aside for the wounded the
istretcher cases occupying one and the
walking wounded another. Here Red
Cross nurses are bustlIng, accom-
lpanied with orderlles with trays Of
steamlng coffee and sandwiches Some
nurses lift the mems heads tenderly,
tuck pillow beneath so they can as
slime n sitting posture without effort
while eating. The others give them
new pajamas, handkerchief full of ciga-
,rettes and sweets and other comforts.
Joy Of Going Home.
At the Red Cross canteen. In the
center Of the room. the counters are
snOw-white and piled high with sand
witches Behind the counters Ameri-
can women in blue gowns and white.
starched head dresses welcome the
dCughboys with a smile as they "dlg
in"
"Say, can 7 take any word back to
the OF Statue of Liberty for you?"
asks one lad with a grin Of joy that
stretches from ear to ear. as the wom-
en- pour hot coffee and hand out the
sandwiches.
In winding line they weave past
the cnnteen and then are directed
across the way to another counter.
Here they pass by two more Red Cross
workers. who hand them khaki hand
kerchlcf. package Of chewing gum and
two packages Of cigarettes.
"Good-by. good luck" says the
American girl, as she hands out a
handkerchief
One doughboy is seen TO use the
handkerchief Immediately. A lump
has suddenly contracted I'm his throat.
and there is a blur before his eyes,
He is only boy. and his JOY has
reached climax when the American
woman smiled at him and wished him
good luck.
/ AS a big, strapping chap numbers up
Ca the counter and holds out his hand
rather sheepishly: Pheasant voyage
and n fine reunion with the old folks"
says the gin with a smile The sheep
ish look disappears In fash. the big
chap looks grave, and with courte-
Gus nod, he answers: "Thank you;
I'll tell the folks how fine you've been
to Ms" It's the girls turn 10 choke
a bit.
Caring for the Wounded.
Outside. meanwhile, the stretcher
cases and the walking wounded have
been slowed comfortably aboard the
biz liner. Fall I'M" There is II
scramble for company formation and
ali thoughts turn To the boat. As the
officers march down the line giving
last insnpctIon eyes become 81 hit wor.
ried and fearsOme Suppose they are
booking for some one to keep back?
Maybe the boat can't take all of the
men assigned to It,
The strain is awful Then the order
is given 10 move forward To the exit
of the shed and onto the gang-plank.
As each man passes out his name is
checked, and at the top of the gang