Iditarod pioneer., 1914-05-30
these women reaches the age of 12 years he is given a gun and becomes soldier

is given gun and becomes soldier.
 Seldom has the world seen such an ex, ample of devotion to men as IS shown by the women who attend to the commssary needs of their husbands and friends in the ranks of the fighting forces in Mexico. To be sure these poor creatures are densely ig- norant and have little knowledge of even the ordinary comforts of life, but their | hearts are filled with deep love for their l.omadc home and freside, despite its hum \ 5le surroundings.
 In the freight cars that are used to Transport the federal as we'll as the con stitutionalst troops from place to place are crowded together like so many sheep and cattle Often they are made to ride in flat cars, which are uncovered In these unsheltered cars the rain pours down upon their unprotected bodies When the sol diers become hungry the women and chil- dren must make the fires and cook some kind of a meal Each woman usually car res meager supply of corn and beans with her. and if foragng IS not good in par ticular locality the meal is made up of tortllas and beans.
 It is not only in foraging that the women adjuncts of the different armies in Mexico perform remarkable and burdensome serv- 6ce but they are frequently sent out on scout duty and to discover the plans of the enemy. Many acts of heroism which will probably go unknown and unsung have been performed by them. Only occasion ally does performance of this kind come to public notice A notable instance oc- cured just before the fall of Torreon General Trucy Auburt of the federals was anxious to learn the strength of the con stitutionalists in the Nazas valley region of which Torreon is the commercial center Unconfrmed reports had come to him ! that the rebels were gathering close about the town. He needed all of his own officers and personal staff, and he did not care to
 
 lntrust the important mission of learning the actual strength of the consttutionalists to any man in the ranks of his troops He mentioned his need of a trustworthy spy to Senorita Lomesa Bordaz, an ardent sup porter of the government cause, and daugh ter of former banker of Torreon She knI I,- seek safety in flight when an attack upon | the town was imminent. She volunteered to make trip through the constitutional lst lines and visit their different camps General Aubert finally consented to the plan.
 Disguised an old woman of the peon class, Miss Bordaz set out on the back of burro and for ten days travelled from place to place in the valley, visiting many rebel camps and taking careful note of the strength of the forces that were preparing to attack the city. At night she slept upon the ground with the canopy of heaven for covering. Upon her return to Torreon she made complete report to Genera al Aubert, which showed that more than 6,OOO consttutionalists were within striking dis tance of the town. For the small force of | federals to have remained in Torreon would have meant their utter destruction The town was therefore evacuated by them after small show of resistance, and it fell into the hands of The rebels.
 Many women and children have been killed in battle. Not infrequently they have 1 been shot down in ambush along with the i soldiers. They perform the services of nurses upon the battlefield, the armies not being provided with even the semblance of hospital department. Upon the women also falls the sad duty of burying their be- loved dead who fall in battle. In a multi tude of other ways do they perform notable service for the men who are doing the | fghting.-St Louis Globe Democrat special.