Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-15
MOTHERS LOOK ON
AS SONS PASS BY
Ante BelIum Sunday Best"
and Newest Millinery Vie
on Grand Stands
EARLY SEATERS EVICTED

Sunday best" since the war began.
mingled today with the latest and CAV
est of 'chapeaux" in the bewidcring
array Of color that surged about the
grandstands on thc-Parkway. between
Twenty third and Twenty fifth streets,
occupied by parents and other relatives
of the marching soldiers.
Long before o'clock there was n
scattering of parents on the grandstands
and by the time tho guards came on
duty at Z 40 o'clock there were thou
sands to be sent from the stands to
wait AT the entrances for the ticket col
lcrtors to come at q o'clock.
In all that array of gorgeous flags.
pennants and banners held tightly in
arms that ached TO clasp thc soldier
heroes, there was tiny Irish flag
Of the green ones picturing Erin 8
golden harp--that might have told a
wonderful story of love. sacrifice. long
ing and rejoicing.
Mrs Katherine Kelly. wife of Cor
poral r. +. Kelly, of Company f.. 111th
Infantry. carried the bit of green ten
derly with the box Of delicacies she
hoped TO push into "Tom's" hand some
time during the day. often her fingers
rarcsscd the silk.
Erin's Flag Good Omen
"Maybe you think it's silly. carving
this Irish flag and no other banner"
shc conidcd to her ncighbor. "Rut it
is tho only way Tom would recognize
mo. And it is sacred to us. You sec, |
found the little flag Just the night be-
fore the haby was born. and, somehow.
we've always considered it our good
omen The baby? oh. he's eighteen
months old now. lie was born just two
weeks before Tom went overseas. Yes.
daddy got to sec him before he went
to war. and he has seen him since he
came back.
Happy? Why I'm about the hap
piest woman over. to think Toms back
with chance to get well and strong
again. You scr he was wounded at
Chateau Thicrry, and he has had five
operations since. He will be in the
parade today. but he has to have an
other operation tomorrow. He says he
won't ride among the invalids today.
but know he will have to. because he
is too weak to walk
Men and women, young and old,
from various parts of the state. who
had never seen one another before. fell
to talking during the long hours be-
fore the parade went by.
Its long wait" sighed one wo-
man. hut she smiled at the same time.
"But it isn't nearly so long. as we have
waited. Thank God. though. ! got to
see my boy before the parade or |
wouldn't be standing here
Mothers of chaplains. buglers. me
chancs, cooks. wagoners. officers and
privates mingled together in happy an
ticipntion of seeing their boys in proud
array. There were some who cried
with happiness at the very thought Of
having their boys back safe again.
And there were others forcing back the
tears because their boys were still over
seas or perhaps on the Peerless, cx
pected tomorrow.
She's Glad for Other Mothers
Its been eighteen months since I've
seen my boy, and it will be six months
more before he returns" said Mrs.
street. Colwyn. Pa. But I'm mighty
glad for the rest of the mothers
know at least that my boy is well and
safe.
Mrs. Crumback Is the mother of Pri-
vate Joseph Crumback. hugler in Com
pany II, I1lth Infantry, who is now
attending military school in France
He has been in service four years. hav-
ing served on the Mexican border with
the "Oid Sixth lie was gassed at
the Marine in July. but returned to the
fighting line last October.
nt sure, he's great, That was the
proud and happy comment of Mrs. Il.
Fornby, of 1850 Upland street. when
soma one asked about her son. Corporal
Joseph Il. Fornby. Company II. 1l1th.
''He was wounded and has been in the
hospital for seven months. He will
ride among the casuals today
Mrs. W. Il. Pugh. of 2443 East
Cumberland street. held her head high
and her face bcamrd with JOY as she
remembered the heroic deeds of her son
Chaplain, w. p. Pugh, of the 1O9th
Field Artillery. Often under shell fire
as he buried his dead brothers the
chaplain was never wounded. He was
slightly gassed.
Mrs. Mary Connolly, of Silver Creek,
Pa. has already held her boy in her
arms. She hoped to cheer him in the
parade today. But Private James Con
nelly won't be home to stay for some
time, because he will be taken back TO
the hospital He was wounded in the
Argonne woods last September while
he was with Company l., Tooth In
fantry.
A sweet looking mother waited for
hours to be admitted to the grandstand,
where she hoped to have her first glimpse
of Private Samuel Pokress, Company
NJ, 10th, since he entered service two
years ago. She was Mrs. j.. Pokress,
Of 4O2 Carpenter street. The boy was
gassed at Nerdun,
Waits Hours at Stand Entrance
short. plump woman with gray
hair settled herself on the steps. of the
grandstand to wait permission to enter,
hours before the guards opened the
way. 'It was just fifteen minutes be
fore the armistice was signed" she
said, that my boy was wounded. He's
Private William c. Chapman, of Com
pany II. 109th." The mother is Mrs,
Sarah Chapman.
Mrs. j. McCart. of 2322 South street