Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-08
Lads Who Beat the
Famous PruSSian
Guard Home
at Last
CITY WILDLY
ACCLAIMS MEN
Forty Arrive Too
Late to Join
in Pageant

With an abandon altogether for
sivable Harrisburg flung itself with
whole hearted and unashamed en-
thusasm into the welcome to its re-
turning soldiers of the one Hundred
and Twelfth Infantry last evening.
No other thing mattered. Observers.
SarrulouS or entirely without preJu-
dice. Will tell you to-day that in
scarcely home last evening was
there a dish washed on time; neith-
er was there deliberation in eating.
What did it matter if the coffee
smirked OF the flavor of rainwater,
or the three-minute egg had long
been detained. The boys were COM
ing home. That was the main thing
after all. Besides, when the good
housewife was preparing the supper
the whistles were screaming, and
bells all over town changing out the
tidings that the PENNSYLVANIA Rail
road train bearing the City's brave
ones had reached Lancaster and was
on its last leg homeward. The call
was from the street. for soon the
boys would he marching over the
city'S highways and into the arms
OF those who, with shining eyes and
choking voice, had waited long for
their return.
And so ii came to pass that on the
May day evening the streets were
iammed with a jubilant, CrowdinG
thronE that Craned its neck. TO get
a sight of the soldiers. that fastened
it's eve on each man in khaki TO see
if he was the one. From thousands
OF windows there were cheers of
welcome and the clapping together
of hands that would not be, still.
Down on the street could be seen the
mother, sister or sweetheart, walk
i
keeping close to him in spite OF the
traffic warning, for everything else
was of minor import. Automobile
horns shrieked out in a noisy ac-
claim, iirehouSe bells proclaimed the
presence of the City's guests, flags
held high in air by men, women and
children were symbols of the cele
bration. In Market street, from the
entrance to the Pennsylvania Rail-
road station TO the river front, the
crowd probably was greatest. The
PEOPLE who could not press their way
through the throng fell back into
Second. Third and Fourth streets to
await their opportunity for a sight
OF the fighters.
Nothing Else Mattcrcd
Suburban dwellers had reason to
feel glad they lived far from the
maddening crowd. for they were the
scene of rejoicing. On Sixth street
Il score Of cars with deafening i'm
politeneSs rushed past waiting
crowds at street intersections Only
one. No. 631. hesitated at times and
that because of a fiat wheel and the
unwillingness of the trolleymen to
risk jumping from the rails. But
the others. glory be, they just sailed
by with the air of racing automo-
in M aI n ha ,t.ifh
pie who looked out the windows and
gave their less fortunate neighbors
the laugh. At Sixth and Reilly
streets a group of led Cross wo-
men waited for three-quarters of
an hour for a trolley that would take
them in, but none came. Finally,
an obliging chauffeur allowed them
TO pile into his machine for the trip
down town. Men whose tired feet
held them back at last made the
hest of it and walked. Women, some
lean, others stout, contented them
selves by walking as far south as
BOas street, where they waited for
the paraders; and they saw them,
too. And they sat for hours on their
porches after procession had broken
UP and talked about it with their
neighbors.
Because of the parade and its af-
termath the attendance at mid-week
prayer meetings was unusually
small. Prayers for the absent ones
included almost the entire church
memberships. But the good pastors
did not fail to offer up words of
;hanksP' fng that the boys were safe
at j again, nor did they forget
- .eify their own heroes in their
,Itions.
Some Hearts Arc Heavy
There were heavy hearts, too. for
there were hundreds in the crowds
whose boys did not come back
Some of them still were in France.
others slept under its sod, while 9TH
ers waited in hospitals for their hurts
to heal. They looked with longing
eyes on the happy boys who had
Leen released from service and their
voice broke and their eyes filled with
tears as they beheld troopers clasp
ed tightly by their dear ones. It's
all right" said brave little woman
at Second and Forster streets. My
boy will soon be home. He's on the
water now. 1t won't be long until
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