home on transport Logan, insisted upon my taking his state room. The
quarter-master, who had refused me so many times before, thought that
he could not allow it, anything so out of the "general routine of
business;" but Captain Weber said, "On no account will I leave you
here, after all your faithful service in the Philippines to myself,
other officers, and hundreds of boys." I had one of the best state
rooms on the upper deck and received the most kindly attentions from
many on board; the quarter-master had been a personal friend of my
husband in other and happier days. On the homeward way, the ship
took what is known as the northern course; she made no stop between
Nagasaki and San Francisco. We went far enough north to see the coast
of Alaska. We saw many whales and experienced much cold weather. In
my low state of vitality I suffered from the cold, but not from sea
sickness. I did not miss a single meal en route during the twenty-four
sailing days of the ship. They were days of great pleasure. We had
social games and singing, and religious services on Sunday. There were
a great many sick soldiers in the ship's hospital; three dying during
the voyage. On reaching San Francisco the ship was placed in quarantine
the usual number of days, but there was no added delay as there were
on board no cases of infectious disease. Mrs. General Funston was
one of the passengers and was greeted most cordially by the friends
and neighbors of this, her native state. Upon my declaring to the
custom house officers that I had been two years in the Philippines
and had nothing for sale they immediately passed my baggage without
any trouble. My son in New York, to whom I had cabled from Nagasaki,
had never received my message, so there was no one to meet me, but
I was so thankful to be in dear, blessed America that it was joy
enough. No, not enough until I reached my own beloved home. Had it
been possible I would have kissed every blade of grass on its grounds,
and every leaf on its trees.
I am not ashamed to say that July 10th, the day of my home coming,
I knelt down and kissed with unspeakable gratitude and love its dear
earth and once more thanked God that His hand had led me--led me home.
"Adious."