The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-04-02
Th|RT|FTH HEROES
WARMLY WELCOMED
Great Throng in Columbia
Monday
CROWDS CHEER
PASSING SOLDIERS

Columbia, April LIN the presence
OF multitude, the like Of which has
never been seen In Columbia, under
white and blue sky, the beloved boys
of the Thirticth Division paraded
through the streets yesterday after
noon, being greeted with an acclaim
which was but feeble expression of
me pride and affection in which they
are held and which must have warmed
their hearts.
crowned with martial honors. re-
wardcd with the unstinted praise OF
their commanding officers, considered
bH military leaders as second to no
SoId1ers in the world they came home
10 their own and yesterday they
nestled close to the warm heart of the
people OF South Carolina.
a happier occasion for the soldiers
and for the people of the State could
not be imagined. For months these
boys in the devastcd regions OF France
must have dreamed OF the day when
they would come homo again; oy
er and over again the vision Of them
selves marching through Main Street,
cheered by the crowds, must have risen
before their eyes tantalizingly; for
weeks they had planned as to Just
what they would do, just how they
would conduct themselves when in the
homecoming parade And yesterday
the dream all came true. Forgotten
now the mud and the rain; faint mem
ories the zing Of the machine gun bull
lets and the whine Of high explosives;
as dim as day old dream the blind
ing light Of the star shells and the
moan Of the minnewerfcr. All over
now and back again on their home
.sIyfr
Ana the fathers and mothers. They
came from everywhere, stood for
hours in hot sunshine, and waited with
never sign of WEAKNESS for the
swinging Of the column around The
corner of GcrvaiS into Main Street.
For them no more agoniZing search
OF the casualty lists; no more choking
Tear when messenger with a yellow
envelope came up the front walk; no
more throat clutching anxiety when
they read in the papers Of some great
drive in France; no more pointing out
the photograph on the family mantcl
OF some sturdy youth TO visitor with
Inc explanation, Hes in France now.
We hope he will come back safely"
All through and done with, for the
boys were back and back with a roc
ora that makes the cheeks flush and
The heart beat treble time.
And the folk were out to show the
boys how glad and how happy and
how proud they were of them.
The demonstration yesterday was
unquqstionably tho greatest given to a
returning army In the history OF South
Carolina. Never had such throngs as
Scmblep in the State to welcome home
returning soldiers, and never was
there such a stirring display OF en-
thusiasm and joy.
lt-WaS an occasion which will long
" ''''N'i'pSi'h ny every bOlulcf III III
parade and by tho spectators that lined
the route of march for blocks.
Long before the hour set for the
parade to move, the crowds began TO
gather along the line Of march. The
Charleston delegation was at its
booth, early In thes day with a live
marine band, and they had played
only a few selections before one side
OF the street was blocked with people.
By I o'clock the steps OF the state
House were spccklcd with scattered
watchers who rapidly increased i'm
number soon the windows facing al,
Main Street began to fiji up. by Q
O'Clock vcnturosomc youths began to
show their heads above the tops OF
buildings on Main street.
While the crowd was the greatest
that ever gathered in Columbia. there
was absolutely no disorder. The good
order that was preserved was com
mentcd upon frequently. In front of
tho reviewing stand, the crowd be-
gan encroaching on the street.
When O'Clock arrived every point