Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1919-08-01
BY WILLIAM D. HINES.

by WILLIAM y. f1lNGS-
Bordeaux.-The army is going home,
and 1t Is going home happy. l saw s.
600 Of them sail for home today, and
I've been praising myself on my moral
courage ever since. How l ever re-
aisted the temptation to sneak on board
with them is more than / can figure
out. Their hilarious happiness was
infectious enough to make stone dog
wag his tail.
They shouted, they sang, they
danced. The Oldest and most moss
covered joke got hearty laugh. Past
hardships. dangers and troubles were
forgotten only thoughts of the Home
land and all that it can mean to a
homesick boy occupied their minds.
At the docks where the big trans
ports are tied up, huge sheds hun
dred feet wide and thousand or more
in length have been constructed with
roofs and sides of corrugated iron.
Special rooms, with warm fires, have
been set aside for the wounded. the
stretcher cases occupying one and the
walking wounded another. Here Red
Cross nurses are bustling, accom-
panied with orderlies with trays of
steaming coffee and sandwiches. Some
nurses lift the mems heads tenderly,
tuck pillow beneath so they can as.
sumo sitting posture without effort
while eating. The others give them
new pajamas. handkerchief full Of olga
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
doughboys with smile as they dig
in."
"Say. can take any word back to
the OIL Statue Of Liberty for your"
asks one lad with 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 canteen and then are directed
across the way to another counter
Here they pass by two more Red Cross
workers. who hand them a khaki hand
kerchief. 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 in his throat,
and there is a blur before his eyes.
He is only a boy. and his Joy has
reached climax when the American
woman smiled at him and wished him
good luck.
AS big, strapping chap numbers up
to the counter and holds out his hand
rather sheepishly: pleasant voyage
and fine reunion with the old folks"
says the girl with smile. The sheep
ish look disappears in a 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 u.s." It's the girls turn to choke
q bit.
Caring for the Wounded.
Outside, meanwhile, the stretcher
cases and the walking wounded have
been slowed comfortably aboard the
big liner. Fall in" There Is a
scramble for company formation and
all thoughts turn to the boat. AS the
officers march down the line, giving
last inspection. eyes become a bit wor-
ried and fearsome. Suppose they are
looking for some one to keep back7
Maybe the boat can't take all Of the
men assigned to it:
The strain is awful. Then the order
Is given to move forward to the exit
Of the shed and onto the ang-plank.
Al each man passes out his name is
checked. and at the top of the gang