The following article, taken from a clipping from an unknown newspaper details how the ladies of Terry, South Dakota sent the boys from the area near Deadwood off to war. Among those mentioned in the article are Mrs. Pruitt [Addie Rufner], who is the sister-in law of Cpl William Schmoker of the 1st South Dakota Volunteer Infantry, Co. L. and Miss Mary Rufner will become Schmoker’s sister-in-law after the war when William married F. Alma Rufner.
The Article:
A FLORAL OFFERING
Presented to Soldiers by Terry Ladies.
Their Farewell Souvenirs.
War has a bright side, as well as a dark one, and while many
young
men have volunteered to fight for their country, and went away with
their
hearts full of patrioism, and a smile upon their lips, they have left
just
as many mothers and sweethearts and loving friends behind them to
silently
and bravely bear the sorrow of parting, and the irrepressible thought
that
perhaps many of them may never return. With this thought in mind
Mesdames
Pelham, Teal, Pruitt and Miss Mary Rufner of this city devised a
way whereby they could show their patriotism, and at the same time give
each of the soldier boys a pretty and fitting souvenir, to remind them
of the loved ones
at home. The ladies purchased the material necessary to make
artificial
flowers, a quantity of ribbon, striped red, white and blue, and several
dozen small flags. They then went to work with a will, assisted by Mrs.
Si. Oliver
and Miss Della Traul in making handsome little boquets, with natural
geranium leaves for a background, and attached to each boquet was one
of
the small flags, the whole being tied with the ribbon bearing the
national
colors.
They made 116 boquets. Messrs Pelham and Pruitt, accompanied by
their wives, traveled by carriage to Spearfish where the boys were
awaiting
orders. Just before the boys took their departure for Whitewood, from
which
place they took the train for the east, the ladies appeared with the
flowers,
and the boys, their hearts touched by the tribute paid the, formed a
line.
Mr. Pelham carried the flowers, and the ladies walked from one end of
the
long line to the other and pinned one of the pretty souvenirs on each
manly
bosom. Captain Gray was given a handsome bunch of natural flowers,
which
were donated by Mrs. M. D. McIntosh. Three rousing cheers were given
for
the ladies of Terry, in which the whole town joined. Shortly after ward
they departed. The ladies then returned home, accompanying the
volunteers
as far as the Half-way house, but as the boys disappeared around the
bend
in the
road the ladies hearts were filled with mingled feelings of joy
and sorrow-joy to think that they had been the means of creating for
the
boys one bright spot on the walls of memory, and sorrow when they
thought
of the friends and relatives they might never see again.
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