SOLDIERS GOING HOME.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 4131, 28 September 1883, Page 2

SOLDIERS GOING HOME.

Salvation Army Demonstration on tlm Wharf. °

Quite an impressire mid animated seeno was witnessed on the end o£ Queen-street Wharf at noon to-day, when the steamer Waihora left for the South, having board- several influential representatives of the Salvation Army, viz., Majors Barker and Pollard, Captain Johnny Boworman, Cadet Foley, and Bandmaster Tucker. The local solditrs mustered to the number of about seventy or eighty, under Lieutenant Innes. The departing friends had a bard time of it shaking hands, especially Johnny, whose right arm must have ached right surely before he bestowed upon all around thatvice-likegrosn erf Uie hrind for which he is noted, Having wished ftll friends a hearty good-bye ana "(Jbd bleu." you," the worthy skipper and majors stepped on board and took up a position in line on the poop, while the soldiers, of the Army crowded the eastern corner of the tee- When the warps had hem east off and the steamer began to forge ai»ad, "The Sweet Bye and Bye" was suiia most enthusiastically, and the next noticeable feature seemed to be a sudden outburst o£ tears and an astonishing demand for handkerchiefs on the part of many fair sisters. Lieutenant limes urged upon all the necessky for singing loud and heartily, and called for a volley. Most of the on lookers hereupon looked rather bewildered as to the interpretation of this Sttlvv tion explosive, but its character" soon appeared in a chorus of "Amen-1' Twice more the lieutenant called, " No* fire a volley," and each time th&; goldiefei responded lustily "Amen." The next oflef was " Handkerchiefs out, now, altogether another wave," and then there wss a great nourishing of drapery. Those wJ)»foro o fr their handkerchiefs, or who considered thel occasion worthy of a more deraonstrafitei " signal," waved their hats, from the old and shabby soft felt to the bran' new belltopper while.Lieutenant Innes, who apparently had borrowed a "gingham" from one of the sisters, flourished that article high above hi* head, and called for more dig.play. The soldiers duly responded. Tiey then sung, "I'm a Soldier GoingHom»" following which threo "volleys" were fired and then as tho steamer, having described a circle and got fully underway, the wellknown Army song, " ! Tis Better on Before" was (sung, Lieutenant Innes beating time with an open parasol (the -weather, it may be remarked, was fine); then as the Teasel drew still further off, another " volley " was given and responded to by the departing friends, and the soldiers on the wharf- once more burst forth into song, with "Now ahead the pilgrim moves, towards the better shore ; Sing, cheerful hearts, oh sing, '&■ better on before." We cannot vouch fortha accuracy of the third lino of this verae, as a slight annoyance caused by a larrikin calling "Hallelujah" having prevented its conveyance to our acoustic organs. The Army matched up the wharf and then dispersed, after having seen the good ship Waihora and thei* dear officers safely round the North Head.