Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-05-01
'"The Boys Have Come HOme!v'

"The Boys Have Come Home!!"
Burington's home-fires, kept afame
during the 1s months since her sons de-
parted for the scene of conflict across the
sea, burst into a mighty conflagration
yesterday morning when 65 stalwart
wearers Of the "YD." the most famous
division which visited France, $50 say we
ally, took the city by storm and captured
the hearts of their former townspeople
in one swift stroke which carried all
before them. They came, were greeted,
paraded, dined, and went to their homes
rejoicing that they were again among
their loved ones in little old Vermont
To say that ii was a gala day for Bur-
lington expresses It lamely. 1t is doubt
full il ever in the history of the city, the
hearts Of the people have been poured
out in such sincere tribute and unanimous
acclaim to deserving representatives of
the Queen City, as that which was ac-
corded yesterday to the Burlington mem
bers of the 101st Ammunition Train, 26th
Division, lately returned from France.
1t was not so much the mere formality
of greeting the boys at the station. watch
| ing them parade the streets of the city.
! as others less worthy have paraded it
! in the past. or banqueting them at the
Van Ness. with words Of greeting, that
made the day tremendous one. These
were the formal things, the expected
happenings.
But there was something underneath
It all. something which made the by
stander feel tightness in his throat and
! his eyes get moist with unaccustomed,
| but unashamed tears as he saw the hig
| fellows in the olive drab bend to kiss the
| lips of little women in black or rosy
| checked maids in bright colors' who lifted
| their smiling faces to greet their heroes
after the age-long separation. This was
not mere formality. 1t was the realiza-
| ton of days of waiting ano nights of
seepless longing, fearing and hoping, the
| great climax of supreme joy, showing
| in the beaming faces Of the fathers and
mothers. sisters and brothers, wives,
sweethearts and friends. And it is only
| from the faces and actions of these that
one may read the story of such an occa-
sion. No mere newspaper article can
tell it, be it written in the choicest OF
metaphors and headed with flaming
| capitals.
| BURLINGTONS DAY
1t was Burlingtons day. the only day
in which she will have the opportunity
| to greet any considerable number OF
her boys returning from overseas at the
same time. Burlington's celebration
! really began Tuesday night when large
number of people turned out to meet the
40 train from the south on which the
first contingent of "YD" heroes reached
the city. These were mostly boys from
further north. who We're on their way
home.
| Early yesterday morning, the bells ard
whistles of the city opened up In honor
of the arrival of a number of Winoosk
boys on the sos train. 1t was an hour oil
more before this outburst quieted.
Long before the $50 train from the
south was due crowds of people throngeC
the platforms and corridors of the UnoI
station and overfiowed to all the sur.
rounding streets. The train was an houl
late, but everybody waited. lest they
might miss the first glimpse of the re-
turning soldiers.
1t was n cold, raw morning not vel
, suited to standing in the open air for ar
hour and half, or more. with nothing
to do but wait. This discomfort seemed
, to bother the people not at all. They
stuck solidly In their places. determined
to do their part as we'll as the boys ha6
done theirs on the battlefields of France
Inside the Union station. Sherman.
Military band, which arrived early. gave
n concert to pass away the time an6
entertain the large assembly.
From above, the thong of people surgins
back and forth on the platform besid,
the tracks resembled a waving rainbow
the hats of the feminine portion lending
all the colors necessary to the effect, A
noticeable feature of this rainbow, how
, ever, was the fact that the red, white ant
, blue were the colors which predominated
even in the hat trimmings. to say nothing
of the large number of flags which wer,
in evidence. Blue seemed to be the mos
! popular in hats. Possibly. blue being tn,
, color usually representing constancy
, there was a method in the choice of blu'
hats by the young ladies on this occa
, sion.
TRAIN ARRIVES AMID MUCH NOISE
At 1927, the train pulled into the sta
tion, preceded by the sounding of thu
: Burlington fire alarm, and accompanied
by the shrieking of whistles and the out
burst of hundreds Of voices. 1t is safe t,
say that there were at least 5000 peopl
in and about the station when the trail
arrived,
For 20 minutes, the boys were greeted
by their relatives and friends land th
included nearly everybody who could ge
near enough to them) Some of the scenes
! enacted at this time might be immortal
ized in heroic couplets. One tall her,
of many battles was so literally besiege,
. with feminine admirers, and his lips wer
in such great demand that he finally ha,
, to be rescued by his comrades before tn
3 onslaught carried him entirely off hi
8 feet. And the greetings of wives, sweet
lhearts. gray-haired mothers beaminl