Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-28
FOR our MOTHERS.
Whole United States to Honor
Them with Celebration
Sunday, May 9.
Go BACK HOME IF YOU CAN
White Carnations VIII BE Worn
Miss Anna Jarvis Sponsor for
Observance.

Mothers day. the, second Sunday in
May, will be celebrated this year in
every section. of the United States.
This year fer the first time the deeds
of our pioneer mothers will be given
official recognition by the military of
the United States. General Edgar
Allen. IT.. commander in chief OF the
Sons of Veterans has been the first
officer TO recognize the merit of the
demonstration and has issued orders
to his comrades for a general observ
ance of Mothers day.
| In his notice General Allen says: "a
great movement has been inaugurated
to do honor to cur mothers. Cur
mothers are cur best friends. No day
| has ever been set aside for the honor
| ing OF their heroic deeds ard memory.
| You will Go honor to yourselves, your
| fathers and your mothers by obServ-
ing this event in an appropriate way.
| No word of mine can add to the many
| laudable reasons why we. us Sons of
| Veterans. should honor this event"
| The sponsor for this celebration IS
1
Twelfth street. Philadelphia. The first
! effort TO call the attention of the entire
United States to the proposed celebra-
| ton was made one year ago. Like
many home products, it received great
| er recognition III other parts of the
| country. Throughout the south and
| west the idea spread with wonder
| full rapidity until mass meetings and
public demonstrations of other kinds
were organized and held before large
| audiences.
| Necessarily Of sentimental origin
and meaning, the celebration assumed
its most significant aspect in the state
prisons and penitentiaries. The grim
walls Of Leavenworth. Cherry Hill.
Sing Sing and Nebraska prisons lost
not little of their sordidness, and
| hearts that had not been otherwise
accessible were touched, maybe only
for the instant in some cases, but even
! the shadow Of the mother thought that
fell left an impression that prompted
the men to look forward to the cele-
, bration this year. More than that
white carnations-the symbol of the
4 to be given to the men. Letters from
| prisoners to governors of their states
asking for just an hours relief from
the discipline governing them have
:; net with approval and services will
DE held in the stone corridors and III
the prison yards. q Sc
, Has Received Many Letters.
Miss Jarvis has been the recipient of
many touching letters. In feeble
, hand that spoke volumes of sorrow
and trial 4 woman. who, simply sign
cd herself His Mothers told Il typical
tale of a broken heart In her letter
this woman praised Miss Jarvis for
, her ''godly thought and said: Il have
, q son and three daughters. They are
all good TO me. | want for nothing us
a ! need but little. | am very feeble
, | ard | know that | have not much
longer to live. He writes to me, and
when he gives me an address l write
to him. He Is so kind to me. He sends
me money and everything. but will not
come home. He is wandering all over
the world, and / want him to come to
his home if only for one night. If
could only see him and tell him how |
love him l should feel that all the good
ness that God intended for me in my
old age was mine. l do not want his
money. | am saving it all for him
But, oh. If he would only come to me
before l die 1 should be so happy
Please pray for my boy with me and
ask that he be sent home
In this spirit. which surely appeals
to every man and woman. wear q