Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-02-15
The Home Coming Of
The American Doughboy
By ELLIOTT F. HOFFMAN
Historian of Alexandra Post NO.
"a, American Legion,)
(For the Alexandria Gazette.2

were staging elaborate celeDratloHa
in honor of the doughhoys' nome
coming; and since many of them, like
Alexandria, lad had no complete
INIT with the A. E. F., the date f~r
the celebration, was set for time
when tho majority OF the troo:9
would reach rome.
the idea Of holding a celebr&!loh
for Alexandrla's returned soldiers
originated with the Chamber OF
Commerce, and a committee COM
pcsed of the following members o.
that body:
Robert S. Jones, chairmna:
Vice Chairmen, Judge S. G. Brent
and J. Y. Williams.
Treasurer, Carroll Pierce.
Secretary, j. T. Preston.
Executive Committee:-Wallace
Lindsey, C C. Carlin, George D.
HOPKINS, Robert E. knight, B. We'll,
]. NJ. Duncan, Judge }. :. NJ.
Norton, Samuel w. Pitts, II A.
Stewart, L. Ruben, Thomas {. Hoy,
Claude w. Fletcher, 7. E. Dyson ..
H, Kirk, A. D. Brockett, Gardner L.
Boothe, C. S. T. Burke N. =.
Dwve,. Capt. w. H. Sweeney, Mrs
D J. Howell, Miss Cora I. Cochran,
Mrs. Carroll Pierce, Mrs. Julian ].
Williams. Miss Mary Lindsey. Mrs.
]. e. Alexander, Mrs. E. Il. O'Sreh,
Mrs. Taylor Burke, Miss Rose Mac
Donald, Mrs. Percy Evans, Hiss
Margaret E. Normoyle, Mrs. koseE-
field, Miss Esther Green, Mrs. LOUIS
N. Duffey, Miss Ida AclauShlin'
Miss Helen N. Cummings, Col: ). r.
Trimyer, w. C. Drury, X. ". Og-
den, w. j. Mulligan Charles a.
Howard, J. T. Harrison, L: L. Al
len, H. A. Griffith II. A. Bales, u.
R. Buddin, H. E. Gentry, Flank
Steiner, William Hall, Herbert Mills,
James A. Clark, A. J. Ross, Lindsay
A. Howard, Frank Deeton, FRANK
Hall, j. S. Faulkner, Ernest Bragg,
James Collins, J. S. Perry, met, ana
after long discussions, decided 10
bring to Alexandria large carnival
company. The plan was to dlstriD-
ute the various amusements on Inc
main thoroughfare. The profits rc'
rived from the carnival were to 81
a fund to establish a permanent NC
mortal, and, since many Of our cit
liens had made liberal con!inrt ms
toward the expenses of this ''.Mar!l
Gras," it was thought that these
profits would be considerable.
On Sunday morning the carnival
company arrived and made ready to
"open store" on the various corners
along King street. This street Was
gayly decorated with flaggs ana
bunting; electric lights were sus-
pended across the street for many
Squares: here and there lit C SCI
vice flags could be seen in the VIM
dows of the private homes. the
whole town was ablaze with lights.
Smiles wreathed the faces of our
townspeople, a holiday spirit per-
vaded the air, and all, bota young
and old, seemed eager to JON IN the
gayety # the coming morro". Mon;
day nigh. came; our cit lens t1lHed
ut. in large numbers on the "SS:rat
": tic way" and joined II tnc I'm
At King and Commerce streets We
storLcc to atch the "Alcr:y 81
Ecund." and j: seemed - Us tnat
tho whc.c Huffalo Division ,",:2frn
troops), were lined up at the ticket
window, intending to have a ride on
the reindeers, bears, and all the
other funny lookiig animals we sa"
standing ready to be mounted. See,
ing no prospect of ride, we passed
on down the street, stopping at the
first stand to arm ourselves With
one of those "ticklcrs" so that we
could "tickle" and be "t!ck!ed."
We we're hiking" on down King
street when suddenly we heard car
nival haHker shouting, Come on boys
and shake a foot" AT those familiar
words we paused, and behold there
was, in the vcrnacular OF the show
men, "forty-niner." We slipped IN
and we quickly slipped out again.
Down at King and ST. Asaph street
we found the Garden Of Allah" show
A big crowd had gathered to hear the
hawEer explain the marvellous tai
ents of "thosc beautiful girls you see
before YOU, who have played before
ROYALTY" We followed the crowd
III, anu II NdS Ho'i'| o.'S"' a. -
out we rushed again to Join the
tickling brigade. At King and hoyai
street we found long tent filled with
"curiosities On the outside the
hawker had q monkey doing stunts.
to the great amusement Of the By
ISLANDERS. After watching this for a
few Minutes, we headed for the ia
sonic Temple, where we found IL
progress a big reception, which Wa
being given by that ancient craft
for any and all Of the returning boys,
The first person we saw was sam
Pitts, the chairman, and We recalled
that it was he who p;ioted the first
Salvation Army drive in Alexandria
II was a real occasion. We heard
beautiful music played by Miss Rich
ards, then we heard Bernie Ham
ilton sing the song so popular with
the A. f. +. And we had a fc"
short speeches, then "" "ate.'
On another, night VIC made ou'
way to the Elk&' Home. 10 tho party
given by cur Godmothcr the Rec
Cross The nail was packed tc ca
pacity. Tn the Doorway we caught
rho sipht of 2 very familiar face anC