The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-01
Never Was There Greater Joy
Than 10th Boys Brought.
Hearts United When Train
Pulled In at U. p. Depot.
JUST ONE SAD FACE IN CROWD
Soldier Had Hoped To See
Mother Very First Thing.
Father Whose Son Didn't Re-
turn Glad for Others.

A patient, waiting crowd-people
who had been patient, and who had
waited all thru the agonizing months
of the war. stood around the Union
Pacific platform Wednesday night.
their eyes fixed on the curved track
which was soon to bring their soldiers
to them, members of the 10th engi-
neers.
SHOW your passes the members
of the committee said as the people
approached the enclosure around the
Red Cross hut.
A very pretty girl approached a
woman wearing the Red Cross can
teen uniform.
what will I do?" she asked anx-
iously. Il came from Lawrence to
meet-a friend" (and she blushed
adorably). He lives in Kansas City
and his people saw him there. But
the train is not to stop in Lawrence
for any length of time, so I came up
here to see him, and have no pass"
Thereupon the canteen worker
risked the guard house and promptly
handed over her own, which she did
not need by reason of her uniform.
81 have brought John a May
basket" a worn looking mother said,
showing a little basket filled with
lilacs.
ton frequently asked.
There was no class distinction there.
One great common tie united all
hearts. for no one was allowed on the
platform, or in the enclosure, except
those near and dear to the soldiers,
and the committee in charge. The
place bristled with guards, thus keep
ing away the merely curious, so that
the first greetings might be given by
the relatives.
Eats for the Boys.
The Red Cross women, members of
the Wedne, lay canteen of which Mrs.
Hinkle Guy is captain, and Mrs. Clar-
ence Bowman and Mrs. Fieger. lieu
tenants, were ready with 1, 800 home
made cookies, 1900 sandwiches and
$50 gallons of coffee to serve the SOL
diers whc they came. The outside of
the hut was banked with lilacs, and
the women had quantities of other
flowers besides, so that every soldier
had a flower, as well as food. Later,
when the parade was formed, the
Wednesday canteen workers gathered
huge armfuls of the lilacs and
marched in front of the soldiers,
strewing their way with flowers as far
as the bridge. They then returned to
the hut to serve the last two sections
of the train.
/ The soldiers who had belonged to
the 10th engineers. and who had been
returned as casuals, were at the sta
ton in uniform to greet their COM
ra des, as was Capt. Luther Tillotson.
who had commanded them until in
valided home. There probably was no
more interested person there than he,
except the parents of the boys.
When the train finally rounded the
track, the excitement was tense, tho it
was of a quiet sort. A man and wo-
man, father and mother of some SOL
der, stood with their arms about each
other, straining their eyes for sight
of his dear face.
Il see the kid" a man called. and a
woman sobbed, as she, too, saw her
boy for the first time in so many
weary months
Captain First Over Fence.
At first it looked as if the boys were
not to be allowed to leave the train,
and the relatives could not go outside
of The enclosure to then- But finally
one man, a captain, ran across the
platform, leaped the iron railing in
one bound, and gathered a frail little
woman in his arms, crying Mother u
Those who were on Red Cross or
other duty turned away their eyes and
tears of sympathy and understanding
rolled down their cheeks. Then there
was a general rush toward the enclos-
ure by the boys. Men Rugged their